What do tech startups, organic food, and robots have in common? They’re all part of The Food Company©’s vision for revolutionizing the food industry, starting right here in Austin.

As the parent company of ZIKI, a sustainably-driven, fast-casual modular kitchen concept with 10 city-wide locations, The Food Company always knew that growth was the name of the game.

“We want to re-architect the food system and bring better, more pure foods to people by partnering with local farms and creating new, tech-driven concepts,” explains ZIKI's Head of Marketing, Dia Magoulis.

That growth stage is now a reality, thanks to a $5 million seed round from Gigafund (the same investors that invested $1 billion into SpaceX).

Vision and value

The Food Company is built on the belief that pure and healthy food should not only be within reach for everyone, but also has the power to heal our world from the inside out.

By saying “no” to seed and vegetable oils, soy, and anything with artificial ingredients, The Food Company can say “yes” to grass-fed butter, eggs from pasture-raised chickens, produce from regenerative farms, and all the good stuff.

The Bowlton machines in action. | GIF provided by ZIKI

The Food Company acquires Bowlton

With the help of new funding, The Food Company has acquired Bowlton, a robotic kitchen technology that uses automation software to produce 300+ rice bowls or salads per hour without human labor required. Read: Bowlton addresses the challenges faced by traditional food service establishments by automating labor.

Basically, their combined force has the potential to shake up the entire industry.

The Food Company's Founder and CEO, Nick Nanakos, shares his outlook on automation. "The goal is not to replace humans, but provide them with incredibly sophisticated tools that enhance the overall cooking and customer experience," he explains. "The Food Company is an intelligent theater where humans and robots share the stage."

What’s next?

Armed with the tech-driven technology necessary to scale for impact, The Food Company has its eye set on what's next. They're working on something big behind the scenes, and say that they'll share more news soon.

It’s all part of the journey to build the future of food, one flavorful bite at a time.

See how Bowlton's technology works.