These self-driving robots deliver snacks on demand

As part of a collaborative partnership with 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 healthier and more convenient snack and beverage options direct to students.

The University of Pacific community can 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. The bots are ready to roll with a range of more than 20 miles (32 kilometres) 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.

Curated convenience

PepsiCo says that because 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 therefore designed to be a user-friendly and fun solution for this on-demand snacking mentality.

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 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."