PRODUCT EDUCATION
ROBOT COUPE CL 50
When foodservice equipment salespeople see a help wanted sign in a restaurant window, Robot Coupe President David Mouck wants them to march through the doors and tell the operator there is a solution to their problem. As the restaurant industry ramps back up after more than a
year of pandemic lockdowns, operators have found themselves facing a significant labor shortage. According to a recent survey from the National Restaurant Association, 75 percent of operators said recruitment was their hardest challenge. Many are turning to equipment solutions to help alleviate their labor woes. While new products and technologies may garner the most headlines, Robot Coupe’s CL 50 vegetable prep machine shows that long-running, proven products can still make an impactful difference in the back-of-the-house. “Te CL 50 is the main one that today is just flying out of the door because of the labor crisis we’re in,” Mouck says. Te machine, which takes up about as much counter space as a cutting board, is designed to save cooking shifts hours on food prep. With more than 50 processing discs available and enough capacity to process 10 tomatoes at one time, the CL 50 can slice, grate, dice, cut french fries and even mash potatoes. “It’s a very versatile piece of equipment,” Mouck says.
With simple button controls, the machine lacks digital
features and the LED touch displays that are becoming increasingly popular in many devices, but Mouck says that has been to Robot Coupe’s advantage. “In our world, we try to stay away from technology,” he explains. “We want very basic operation for the unskilled labor most restaurants are working with at this point.”
“WE WANT VERY BASIC OPERATION FOR THE UNSKILLED LABOR MOST RESTAURANTS ARE WORKING WITH AT THIS POINT.”
What Salespeople Need to Know
Because the CL 50 can do so many different cuts, so quickly in such a small space, it is finding renewed interest from emerging market segments. Over the past 18 months, the machine has taken off in the supermarket industry, which is becoming increasingly foodservice-focused. Additionally, the CL 50’s ability to grate cheese and chop toppings made it a desired device among pizza operators, who saw large sales increases as consumers shifted their dining dollars to takeout and delivery.
32 FEDA News & Views Although the CL 50 has experienced renewed popularity,
Mouck says Robot Coupe has been able to avoid supply chain issues so far. Te company used to ship most of its components from France to its facility in Mississippi through the Port of New Orleans, but as ports became busier and delivery times increased, the company spread out its ports of entry. In addition to New Orleans, Robot Coupe now ships through Houston and receives air deliveries through Dallas and Atlanta. “We have freight coming from four different avenues so if one falls down we’re OK,” Mouck notes.
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