New Robot Coupe machine showroom highlights range’s exciting capabilities
David Coyne chats to us about how Robot Coupe commercial machinery offers the industry game-changing and cost-saving food preparation solutions.
Unlocking Kitchen Potential with Robot Coupe
Food preparation machines are the mainstay of any kitchen: aside from having a significant effect on a menu and meal prep time, creating the correct set-up can benefit a business financially. Educating Irish businesses on the value of investing in the right machinery is at the core of David Coyne’s work with Robot Coupe, the renowned commercial equipment range produced in France for over 60 years, which includes food processors, cutters, juicers and more.
“Spec’ing the right machine for the right task is what our expertise is based on,” says David, who manages all of Robot Coupe’s distribution accounts. “Distributors purchase from us and sell to end users, while we offer servicing, aftersales, spare parts, training and support. We also provide on-site demos, as well as demos, training and masterclasses in our dedicated showroom. Showroom appointments are booked through your distributor.’
Tailored Machinery for Maximum Efficiency
The showroom is a new offering, David tells us, and was purpose-built to offer demos on larger kit, as well as showcase the extensive range in its entirety. “People are often unaware of the volume of machinery on offer and may assume we just have stick blenders and combi machines, but we have two-litre to 60-litre machines, as well as a huge range of attachments so machines can carry out more than one task.”
Machines include food production equipment, tabletop planetary mixers, machines incredible for the likes of peanut butter or hummus production at factory level, and vegetable prep machines that can process a couple of tonnes every half hour. The machines are used in a variety of settings, from cafés to restaurants, to large hotels and factories.
“The key, and that’s what we’re here to advise on, is to select the best machine for the job. We are always focused on how the machines can be used for different solutions and environments and passionate about finding the most effective solution for your desired application.”
Revolutionising Food Prep in Healthcare & Hospitality
Robot Coupe also offers machines for use in healthcare settings, particularly for dysphagia feeding, known in the healthcare environment as IDDSI whereby difficulty swallowing requires modifying food to ensure safety when swallowing. David tells us this is a growing area, and distributors are offered extensive training and support.
“Dysphagia feeding is a different world entirely,” he explains. “There are seven different textures in that feeding, so the Robot Coupe Blixer range is particularly suitable for that market. We also focus on rehydration in care with the juicer, as there’s huge nutrient retention in fresh juices.We work close with our ambassador chefs in this area, Andrew Dunne is or healthcare ambassador chef, who offers us support on IDDSI diets and workshops for end users.“
David tells us there can also be a quite special healthcare and hospitality overlap with juices and smoothies in care homes, whereby the preparation and serving becomes entertainment, engaging and involving the residents. “We have even done mocktail hours in care homes,” he says. “There are so many benefits, and crucially we’ve also found there is a great return on investment in juicing fresh compared with pre-packaged options, in all settings.”
Fighting Food Waste with Smart Innovation
David is keen to place emphasis on the financial benefit of the right Robot Coupe machinery and tells us customers can avail of accurate gauges on their return of investment. “We know keeping costs down is crucial in the industry right now, and to help customers purchase confidently we offer an in-depth analysis on how long it will take for a machine to pay for itself,”
David emphasises that the inherent quality and longevity of Robot Coupe machines also offers businesses savings in the long run. “Other decent options do exist, but will they last as long?” he says. “The average life span of a Robot Coupe machine is seven to ten years; you’ll get three if you’re lucky with many competitors. Food prep machines have become a disposable item; conversely, Robot Coupe machines are infinitely repairable, and 95 per cent of the materials we use are recyclable.”
Managing food waste is also a crucial area where savings can be made, and this is a significant part of the work David does with Robot Coupe. “So much good food is thrown out,” he says. “We do a lot of work with hotels and chains on reducing food waste. A good example is replacing hash browns with diced potatoes at breakfast. 50 per cent of hash browns are binned and they’re 45 per cent more expensive than diced potatoes, so it is significant. Then the diced potatoes can become a patatas bravas in the evening, or be used in the filling of a pie, and again, like the juice, they aren’t frozen or processed.”
Chef Maurice McGeehan, also known as the No Waste Chef on Instagram is another of our ambassador chefs and works with David and the showroom to deliver demos and inspiration around how Robot Coupe machines can help businesses cut down on food waste in innovative and unexpected ways. “It’s great to have Maurice as our ambassador for reducing food waste,” says David. “He’s an incredibly gifted chef who uses our machines to do such clever things. For example, he dehydrates cauliflower stalks and puts them in our high-speed blender to use as a flour substitute. What would have been food waste is now a delicious cauliflower cheese bread.”
From Prep to Profit: Calculating ROI with Robot Coupe
According to David, the goal is always to work together with the industry to offer solutions and support.
“The industry has changed entirely,” he says. “Owners and managers are keener to support chefs now, and staff retention has become more important than ever. There is much more of a focus on the industry being family friendly, and our machines can help with that by significantly reducing prep time. We also work with Technological University Dublin to deliver workshops and training, as well as sponsor a vast amount of machinery to most of the catering schools across the country, as well as upkeep and service it.
“We have so much to offer the industry, so I would emphasise the value in making an appointment to come to the showroom. We would be delighted to show the full scale of what our machines can do.”
David is clearly passionate about what he does. He tells us he worked in hospitality for many years, starting at age 13 in the Springfield Hotel in Leixlip working in the kitchen on vegetable prep, and laughs that he has certainly come full circle.
“From chopping potatoes as a teenager, I’m still assisting chefs, albeit in a different way,” he says. “I’m still saying, ‘Yes chef!’”
For further Information contact David Coyne (LinkedIn) or email: [email protected]
