At a REWE supermarket in Düsseldorf, shoppers are witnessing a glimpse of what might be the future of food. Inside the store, a glass-enclosed robotic kitchen is preparing hot meals from start to finish without a single human cook.
The system, created by Munich-based robotics company Circus SE, is called the CA-1 Series 4. It is the first fully autonomous kitchen powered by artificial intelligence to be installed directly inside a supermarket. The machine handles every task on its own, from collecting ingredients to cooking, plating, and cleaning up.
Customers can order through a touchscreen or by voice, choosing from a menu of freshly cooked meals priced from around six euros. Once an order is placed, the robot gets to work, cooking each dish in just a few minutes. Circus says it can prepare up to 120 meals an hour while maintaining consistent taste and quality, with no fatigue, delays, or staff shortages to worry about.
“We combine efficiency with enjoyment, turning grocery shopping into an experience of the future,” said Lars Klein, Chairman of the Management Board of REWE Region West.
The CA-1 Series 4 is faster and lighter than earlier versions. Engineers reduced its weight by nearly 450 kilograms, improved heating precision, and designed modular magnetic grippers so the robot can switch tools seamlessly. Built-in sensors detect ingredient changes in real time, and a commercial dishwasher automatically cleans the equipment between meals.
Customers can watch the process through transparent panels as twin robotic arms scoop, stir, and plate meals in perfect coordination. The system runs quietly, efficiently, and with mechanical precision.
Circus operates the kitchen, while REWE provides the space and infrastructure. Both companies describe the project as a scalable model that could expand across Europe. “Our launch with REWE marks the first real-world deployment of physical AI in retail,” said Circus founder and CEO Nikolas Bullwinkel.
The kitchen also uses predictive algorithms to cut food waste by preparing only what is needed. Two more pilot sites are already planned, and construction for the next one is underway.
Circus is exploring additional uses for its robotic kitchens in hospitals, universities, and factories, and it has partnered with Ukraine’s BRAVE1 defense technology program to test autonomous cooking systems for military use.
For now, shoppers in Düsseldorf can simply enjoy the novelty of a hot meal cooked by a robot chef that never tires, never complains, and never takes a day off.