The friendliest new freshman at University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., arrives on campus today – and it's stocked with snacks and beverages. Meet snackbot, the outdoor, self-driving robot bringing enticing snacks and beverages from Hello Goodness, a curated portfolio of better-for-you brands from PepsiCo, to hungry college students. As part of a collaborative partnership with Bay Area-based Robby Technologies, the Hello Goodness fleet of snackbots are the first robots from a major food and beverage company in the United States to roll out, bringing great-tasting, healthier snacks and beverages direct to students, making better-for-you snacking ultra-convenient.
As today's college students are seeking on-the-go sustenance and nourishment amid packed schedules, they're turning to snacks more often as three fixed meals become less common on campus. The Hello Goodness snackbots are a user-friendly and fun solution for this on-demand snacking mentality, and are stocked with choices everyone can enjoy, including Smartfood Delight, Baked Lay's, SunChips, Pure Leaf Tea, bubly, LIFEWTR and Starbucks Cold Brew.
"We're thrilled to launch our Hello Goodness autonomous delivery snackbots and reimagine college snacking for the future," said Scott Finlow, Vice President Innovation and Insights, PepsiCo Foodservice. "PepsiCo has a unique opportunity to better serve today's ambitious college students, by joining together the power of the Hello Goodness portfolio with our expertise in design and equipment innovation."
Building on the initial successes of its Hello Goodness vending platform, PepsiCo has expanded the idea of curated convenience into new formats, locations and experiences to deliver 50,000 touchpoints by the end of the year. The snackbot is part of this effort, catering 24/7 healthier solutions to fuel the always on consumer.
"We're thrilled to welcome snackbot to our campus, along with its convenient and nourishing options," said Matt Camino, Director of e-Commerce at University of the Pacific Stockton. "This innovative technology from PepsiCo is enhancing campus life for our students, staff and faculty alike, who have embraced this new way of snacking from PepsiCo."
The University of Pacific community can now order food and drinks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. via the snackbot App, to be delivered to more than 50 designated areas across the 175-acre campus, allowing students to enjoy their breaks between classes with a snack or beverage.
The bots are ready to roll with a range of more than 20 miles on a single charge, and are equipped with camera and headlights that allow it to see and navigate carefully in full darkness or rain, as well as all-wheel drive capabilities for handling curbs and steep hills.
The ordering app is available for iOS with a University of the Pacific email address.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2017, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world enable PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About Robby Technologies
Robby is changing the way products and goods move between people, stores and warehouses within two miles. The self-driving robots are ushering innovative consumer touch points and logistics operational efficiency for businesses. For more information see: http://robby.io
About University of the Pacific
Founded in 1851 as the first chartered institution of higher education in California, University of the Pacific prepares students for professional and personal success through rigorous academics, small classes, and a supportive and engaging culture. Widely recognized as one of the most beautiful private university campuses in the West, the Stockton Campus offers more than 80 areas of study in nine schools and colleges. The university's distinctive Northern Californiafootprint also includes its San Francisco Campus, home to the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and graduate programs in health and technology fields, and Sacramento Campus, home to the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and graduate programs in health, education, public policy and data science. Pacific offers more than 30 graduate degrees and three first-professional programs, of which eight accelerated programs. For more information, visit www.pacific.edu.
