Abu Dhabi has introduced its first CA-1 robotic kitchen, which can prepare four hot dishes simultaneously in about four minutes. Developed by German company Circus Group, the machine is being tested at First Clique in Paragon Mall in partnership with catering firm Royal Prestige.
The installation marks Circus Group’s first in the UAE. The company is exploring locations such as airports, hospitals, universities, shopping malls and petrol stations, where access to freshly prepared food can be limited.
Meals from the CA-1 start at AED 40, while the machine itself costs approximately AED 1 million, according to Circus Group shareholder Michael Bassler.
The CA-1 has 36 silos for solid and liquid ingredients, four induction plates and two robotic arms. One arm handles cooking, while the other serves the food.
Its current menu includes 10 dishes, such as chicken fajita, chicken biryani, lentil soup, chicken curry, and pasta. Depending on the menu, the machine can prepare up to 50 hot meals or 100 cold meals an hour. A single ingredient load can produce up to 200 dishes.
The ingredients are stored in temperature-controlled silos and are generally replaced within 48 hours. A chicken curry costs approximately AED 48.
Bassler said the company aims to identify locations where operators can recover equipment costs. The business case, therefore, depends on choosing sites with sufficient demand.
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The Paragon Mall installation serves as a showroom where customers can try the robot-prepared meals. Bassler said customers had been eating there for about two months.
Circus Group is particularly interested in locations that operate around the clock, including petrol stations, railway stations and airports. Bassler identified the VIP terminal at Abu Dhabi Airport as a potential fit.
He said the machine was designed for places where food options are limited or poor, rather than to compete directly with established restaurants.
The company is also updating the CA-1’s software and visual recognition system to improve cooking performance and detect when food may be burning. In Germany, customers can order through a touchscreen or speak to the machine for recommendations based on dietary needs. These features still need testing in Abu Dhabi.
Circus Group operates about 10 machines in Germany, including at Mercedes-Benz and Meta sites and a supermarket chain. The company also makes a smaller CA-A machine for smoothies and protein shakes and is developing a larger version for military use.
Despite its automation, the CA-1 still requires people to load ingredients, handle orders and serve meals. Circus Group chef Dylan Frayne develops and tests recipes before programming them into the machine.
Bassler said the technology was meant to offer another way to access freshly prepared food, not replace restaurants or their chefs.