-KH News Desk (editorial1@imaws.org)
In a bold move reshaping the landscape of professional foodservice technology, the UNOX Group, a global leader in intelligent professional ovens, has announced the acquisition of 100% of Roboqbo SRL. This strategic takeover is designed to aggressively accelerate UNOX’s global push toward creating fully automated, end-to-end professional kitchen ecosystems, moving far beyond its current core competency in cooking appliances.
Roboqbo, founded in 1978 in Bentivoglio, Italy, is renowned for its flagship Qbo Universal Processing System, a technology that has brought industrial automation capabilities into the professional kitchen setting. By integrating Roboqbo’s advanced robotic processing systems—which are utilized across the foodservice, pastry, bakery, and even the cosmetics sectors—UNOX is now positioned to offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that automate the entire food preparation and cooking workflow.
The Strategic Imperative: Automation as the Solution
The acquisition comes at a critical time for the global hospitality and foodservice industries, which are grappling with severe and persistent challenges such as chronic labor shortages and the universal need for enhanced consistency and scalable production. UNOX recognized that combining its existing intelligent cooking platforms (like the CHEFTOP and BAKERTOP) with Roboqbo’s automated preparation units provides a powerful response to these pressures.
The merged product suite is engineered to automate processes that traditionally demanded multiple specialized machines and intensive manual labor. These newly integrated systems will handle functions from cutting, mixing, and grinding to cooking and pasteurizing, streamlining the entire operational flow within a commercial kitchen. This holistic approach to automation not only reduces reliance on manual staff but also ensures unparalleled quality consistency across large-scale food production.
Ambitious Financial Outlook and Integration Plan
This acquisition is a clear statement of UNOX’s ambitious growth trajectory. With Roboqbo reporting revenues of €17 million in 2024, the synergistic potential of the combined entity is significant.
Nicola Michelon, CEO of UNOX S.p.A., confirmed the strategic and financial vision behind the deal: “This acquisition strengthens our mission to deliver intelligent solutions to foodservice professionals. Our combined technology will allow customers to achieve new levels of efficiency and quality consistency in their operations.”
Michelon noted that while the group anticipates the full technological and operational integration to take approximately three years, the commercial benefits are expected to materialize rapidly. UNOX projects that the integration will contribute to the group achieving a monumental revenue target of €400 million by 2026.
To support this aggressive growth and the expansion of the combined product offering, Roboqbo will continue its operations from its Italian headquarters. UNOX plans significant investment in both its traditional foodservice vertical and the specialized cosmetics vertical where Roboqbo’s robotic processing technologies are also utilized.
Global Expansion and Collaborative Future
The acquisition immediately enhances UNOX’s ability to leverage its extensive global presence. UNOX currently sells its products in over 110 countries and operates through offices in 44 markets. This vast network will be utilized for cross-selling opportunities, allowing UNOX to rapidly expand Roboqbo’s market reach and integrate its innovative processing technology into the workflows of existing and new UNOX clients worldwide.
Giuseppe Malavasi, Founder of Roboqbo, expressed optimism about the partnership, noting that the deal will provide the necessary scale to further deploy Roboqbo’s technology—originally designed to transition industrial automation principles into sophisticated professional kitchen environments—on a truly global level.
The combined force of UNOX’s intelligent oven technology and Roboqbo’s multifunctional processing systems heralds a new era for commercial kitchen innovation. The focus is firmly on robotics, digitalization, and automation, positioning the UNOX Group as a frontrunner in delivering the sophisticated, labor-saving solutions that are becoming non-negotiable for the successful, scalable, and consistent operation of modern hospitality and food production businesses. Financial advisory support for the transaction was provided by Adacta Advisory and Adacta Tax & Legal, with financial backing from BNP Paribas and UniCredit.
