Robot cook debuts in supermarket – serves eight different meals
Vending machines that cook complete meals aren’t new – pizza and burger dispensers have been around for years. But Hamburg-based start-up Circus aims to take the concept further with artificial intelligence. Its product, the Circus CA-1, is an AI-powered cooking robot that manages the entire process independently – from chopping and heating to serving and cleaning the utensils. On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the CA-1 made its world debut at a Rewe supermarket in Düsseldorf’s Heerdt district. According to Circus, it is currently the only company in the world producing such systems on a commercial scale.
The box-shaped robot, featuring a sleek stainless-steel design, occupies about seven square meters. Behind its display, two robotic arms prepare one of currently eight dishes – including penne arrabiata, lentil curry and the Austrian dessert Kaiserschmarrn – based on the customer’s selection. Using six cameras, the system monitors the entire process, drawing from up to 36 ingredient containers to cook, serve and clean without human assistance. In theory, it can be programmed to prepare any number of dishes, provided the necessary ingredients and recipes are available. A video from RTL WEST offers a glimpse of the robot in action. Early feedback from customers has been largely positive, with praise for taste and freshness, though some said the food could be a bit hotter.
The launch marks the start of a six-month pilot program in three Rewe stores across Düsseldorf and Bonn. The robots have been leased for the duration, though exact rental costs remain undisclosed. The purchase price of a Circus CA-1 is €250,000. Lars Klein, Managing Director of Rewe West, emphasized that the robot is intended as an additional service rather than a replacement for staff. The goal is to help address the shortage of skilled workers while providing customers with an extra fresh food option.
Perhaps soon everywhere
According to Circus, the company has produced ten units so far and is now working to expand serial production. In the future, up to 6,000 cooking robots could be built each year. It may not be long before many supermarkets feature similar machines – or even entire self-service restaurants based entirely on this technology.
It remains to be seen whether jobs in the catering industry will truly be safe in the long run. On the one hand, robots can take over certain routine tasks; on the other, autonomous cooking systems could create new professions – for instance, in the maintenance and programming of machines or in recipe development. Still, the robot has its limits: it cannot yet prepare dishes that involve breading, deep-frying or flambéing.
