Chipotle 部署機器人實現食品製備自動化，在 26 秒內處理酪梨

Chipotle Mexican Grill 正在其餐廳的自動化方面邁出重要一步，引進機器人來協助準備食物，以應對不斷上升的勞動力成本。

Fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) is making a substantial move towards automating its restaurants, introducing robots to assist with food preparation as it grapples with rising labor costs. The company has deployed an avocado-processing robot, called ‘Autocado,’ at its Huntington Beach, California location. Additionally, Chipotle is testing an automated bowl-and-salad maker at another California store. These efforts come as the state introduces a new $20 per hour minimum wage for fast food workers, effective April 1, 2024.

休閒快餐連鎖店 Chipotle Mexican Grill（NYSE：CMG）正在大力推進餐廳自動化，引進機器人來協助準備食物，以應對不斷上升的勞動力成本。該公司在加州亨廷頓海灘的工廠部署了一款名為「Autocado」的酪梨加工機器人。此外，Chipotle 正在加州另一家商店測試自動碗沙拉機。這些措施出台之際，該州為快餐工人推出了新的每小時 20 美元的最低工資，該工資將於 2024 年 4 月 1 日生效。

The ‘Autocado’ robot, developed by Los Angeles-based startup Vebu, can process an avocado in just 26 seconds, cutting, coring, and peeling the fruit before an employee mashes it into guacamole. This innovation could significantly streamline operations for Chipotle, which goes through more than 5 million cases of avocados annually.

由洛杉磯新創公司 Vebu 開發的「Autocado」機器人可以在短短 26 秒內處理一個酪梨，對水果進行切割、去核和去皮，然後員工將其搗碎成酪梨。這項創新可以顯著簡化 Chipotle 的運營，該公司每年處理超過 500 萬箱酪梨。

In addition to the ‘Autocado,’ Chipotle is testing an “augmented makeline” at its Corona Del Mar store. This automated system dispenses ingredients like rice, corn, and lettuce into bowls, further reducing the manual labor required in food preparation.

除了「Autocado」之外，Chipotle 還在其 Corona Del Mar 商店測試「增強生產線」。此自動化系統將大米、玉米和生菜等原料分配到碗中，進一步減少了食物準備過程中所需的體力勞動。

Chipotle's foray into automation is backed by a substantial financial commitment. The company has invested in these technologies through a $100 million venture fund, which received an additional $50 million boost in February 2024. This fund includes a stake in Hyphen, the startup behind the automated bowl-and-salad maker.

Chipotle 進軍自動化領域得到了巨額財務承諾的支持。該公司透過 1 億美元的風險基金投資了這些技術，該基金於 2024 年 2 月又獲得了 5,000 萬美元的追加投資。

The market has responded positively to Chipotle’s automation efforts, with analysts suggesting that this technology could give the chain a competitive edge. As of 12:59 PM EDT on the day of reporting, Chipotle’s stock (NYSE: CMG) was trading at $2,157.58, up 2.61% or $57.47.

市場對 Chipotle 的自動化努力反應積極，分析師表示這項技術可以為該連鎖店帶來競爭優勢。截至報告當天美國東部時間中午 12:59，Chipotle 股票（NYSE：CMG）交易價格為 2,157.58 美元，上漲 2.61%，即 57.47 美元。

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Despite the challenges posed by rising labor costs, Chipotle's financial performance remains strong. The company boasts a market capitalization of $78.862 billion and a trailing twelve-month (TTM) revenue of $10.66 billion. Its profit margin stands at 13.23%, with a return on equity (TTM) of 43.54%. The stock’s forward price-to-earnings ratio of 41.84 and PEG ratio of 2.70 suggest that investors have high growth expectations for the company.

儘管面臨勞動成本上漲帶來的挑戰，Chipotle 的財務表現仍然強勁。該公司市值為 788.62 億美元，過去 12 個月 (TTM) 收入為 106.6 億美元。其利潤率為13.23%，股本回報率(TTM)為43.54%。該股的預期本益比為41.84，PEG率為2.70，顯示投資人對該公司抱持較高的成長預期。

However, Chipotle faces the challenge of balancing efficiency gains from automation with maintaining food quality and customer service, a crucial factor in the competitive fast-casual dining sector. As the debate over the impact of automation on jobs in the food service industry continues, Chipotle’s moves highlight the broader trend of increasing automation in response to rising labor costs.

然而，Chipotle 面臨著平衡自動化帶來的效率提升與維持食品品質和客戶服務的挑戰，這是競爭激烈的休閒快餐行業的關鍵因素。隨著關於自動化對食品服務業就業影響的爭論仍在繼續，Chipotle 的舉措凸顯了為應對勞動力成本上升而提高自動化程度的更廣泛趨勢。