Robotic canteen start-up Bolk raises €4M in latest funding round
French start-up Bolk, which makes vending machines that produce bowls of fresh food using automated technology, has successfully raised €4M in a recent round of funding.
The technology, which is powered by electricity and WIFI, can produce a bowl of food within 45 seconds and can be used around the clock.
Investors in the latest round include Alexandre Maizoue, Managing Director of Planet Sushi and La Pataterie, Anthony Bourbon, CEO of Feed, Adrien Verhack of Dejbox, Thomas Battistini, co-founder of The Crying Tiger Thai bistro, and Mathieu Vincent from DigitalFoodLab.
Nicolas Jeanne founded Bolk in 2020 in an effort to make fresh and healthy food more accessible.
The company says their vending machines can make around 300 different meal combinations that suit meat-eaters as well as vegan, halal and gluten-free diets.
The dishes on offer range from cold salads and warm rice bowls, to fruit, breakfast options and desserts.
Customers also have the option to make up their own personalised dish from a range of five bases, 13 toppings, and five sauces.
The company aims to use the new funding to distribute the Bolk machines within Paris and nearby regions.
The machines are stocked with fresh ingredients from kitchens in the city centre twice a week.
Bolk says their robotic technology is eco-friendly, as it limits food waste, makes use of recyclable packaging, and provides fewer meat options. Their technology is also built locally in Paris.
