Fridge for Ready Meals with UHF RFID
The catering company Sodexo has implemented a ready-to-eat vending machine including a payment solution.
The catering solution is based on a smart refrigerator, a smartphone app, and UHF RFID tags with microwave compatibility.
The Sodexo Group is a publicly listed French company that specializes in catering, community catering, and facility management. The company operates in 72 countries and generates sales of more than 20.4 billion euros with over 450,000 employees.
Process Requirements
A vending machine to combine a refrigerator for ready meals and a microwave oven.
Objective
- Selection and payment via smartphone app
- Automatic recording of food from the refrigerator
- Preparation without removing the food from the packaging
Solution
The smart vending machine controls all processes with UHF RFID technology. For the consumer its use is intuitive. The desired meal is selected via a smartphone app and stored payment data.
Each meal is tagged with a microwave compatible UHF RFID Label. The removal of a dish from the refrigerator is automatically recorded and booked.
The food, including packaging and RFID label, can be heated in a microwave oven in the Sodexo vending machine. The special labels - in contrast to conventional RFID labels - do not cause any spark formation.
The automatic recording of each tagged meal enables continuous inventory information. Removed meals can be reordered automatically. If the expiration date is exceeded, the goods can no longer be purchased via the app.
Hardware & Software
Advantages
- 24/7 availability of meals
- Automated billing
- Automated background processes - inventory control, replenishment ordering, price reduction
- Preparation of tagged meals directly in the microwave
- Reduction of waste
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Technologies
Application Fields
