Chowbotics’ mission is to offer nutritious food anytime, anywhere using the power of robotics. Its recent appointments of Mara Behrens as Vice President of Design and Alison Acerra MS, RD as Vice President of Nutrition will take the company one step further in achieving that goal.
A creative leader with 15-plus years of experience designing visual systems, Mara Behrens most recently led the creative team for one of the largest business-focused online lunch delivery service, EAT Club. Responsible for meeting all creative needs for the fast-growing startup, she oversaw marketing, branding, and creative services. Previously, she co-founded the venture-backed luxury fashion e-commerce company, ModeWalk. Now at Chowbotics, Mara’s first order of business is a rebranding of Sally. She will revisit the robot’s design and user interface, ensuring that both create a vibrant, engaging experience for all those looking to access convenient, healthy, and fresh food.
Most recently, Alison Acerra was the National Director of Nutrition Strategy at Guckenheimer, one of the top four foodservice management companies in the country. She began her career as a Culinary Nutritionist at Google before transitioning to Apple as a Corporate Wellness Dietician. Alison is co-author of the Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies and is often called upon to lecture on nutrition and food topics to various groups including physicians and corporations. Now at Chowbotics, Alison brings her nutritional expertise to a forward-thinking venture. She works closely with the culinary and engineering teams to perfect this salad bar of the future, where users can meet their unique dietary and wellness goals through a personalized dining experience.
Selected as a finalist for Fast Company’s 2018 World Changing Ideas Awards, Chowbotics’ feature robot, Sally, delivers precise portions and serves up vibrant, forward-thinking meals in places where fresh, made-to-order food might not otherwise exist. Cafeterias, convenience stores, restaurants and hotels, among other commercial venues, are locations that can use Sally to bring healthy, delicious food to consumers. Sally’s key differentiator is that it offers more than 1,000 custom meal options. Meals are created in approximately a minute with any combination of up to 8 ingredients from the 22 available. Users can fine tune the calorie total by adding or subtracting ingredients via a touchscreen. Initially launched as a salad-making robot, Sally’s technology can now accommodate many different types of ingredients including fruit, yogurt, and grains.
