Kyochon Chicken launches pilot robot delivery service

South Korean food operator Kyochon F&B, known for its premier Kyochon Chicken brand, is trialing a robot delivery service until October 30 in partnership with autonomous driving robot firm Neubility.

The pilot focuses on deliveries between Kyochon Chicken's Konkuk University store and locations within Konkuk University, utilizing Neubility's autonomous robot, neubie.

This robot, a camera-based delivery unit evaluated for its economic efficiency and performance, offers stable driving and superior cognitive technology at a reasonable cost.

Orders are placed through neubie order, a specialized B2C delivery system linked to the KakaoTalk channel "neubie order Konkuk University campus", allowing customers to specify delivery locations within the university grounds.

The robot autonomously collects the orders from the Kyochon Chicken store and delivers them to the designated locations.

Kyochon F&B is examining the viability of integrating autonomous robots into its franchises aiming at substantial operational enhancements through labor cost savings and mitigating delivery workforce shortages.

"Autonomous delivery robots can significantly boost operational efficiency and offer a unique customer experience," a company source remarked, emphasizing the proactive approach in preparing for the forthcoming autonomous delivery era through pre-commercialization trials.

Alongside delivery robots, Kyochon is also pioneering innovations in IT services with the inclusion of collaborative cooking robots and drone deliveries.

After aligning with the specialist firm 'Neuromeka', the company experimented with the cooking robot in several locations including Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

Furthermore, a partnership with 'Pablo Air' has enabled the launch of smart logistics delivery services using drones in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, enhancing the array of IT-based solutions in Kyochon's portfolio.

Write to Kyeong-je Han at hankyung@hankyung.com