Startup Pantry Unveils Novel Fresh Food Experience

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Pantry, the always fresh, always open kiosk, today unveiled its foodservice solution, expanding instant access to fresh food through simple-to-use swipe, grab and go kiosks. For consumers, Pantry offers immediate and convenient access to fresh food and beverages, any time of the day or night, in the workplace, or on the go. For organizations and food providers, the experience is equally simple, and delivers useful, data-driven, real-time supply and purchase insights through a dashboard that can be accessed remotely from a desktop computer or mobile device. Pantry's proprietary kiosks provide an approachable, user-centric experience as simple as swiping a credit card, then selecting the food or drink of choice in a seamless and elegant interaction: no self-checkout, and no buttons.

Pantry founders Art Tkachenko, Alex Yancher and Tony Chen developed the concept in 2012 while working late hours as engineers in "Food Desert" office parks, devoid of healthy food options. Pantry's vision of instant access to fresh food was born of necessity.

"We're in the midst of a fundamental shift in the way people eat, and it is our goal to provide everyone, from office employees to round-the-clock staff at hospitals, with fresh, healthy food options that get them through their day or night," said Russ Cohn, CEO of Pantry. "Our kiosks can provide that kind of 24/7 access with delicious and dependable healthy options." 

Pantry kiosks are found across the country at a growing list of locations including workplaces, hospitals, universities and hotels including IDEO, Cisco Systems, UCSF Medical Center, North Hawaii Community Hospital, and Stanford University Medical Center. Pantry has partnered with local and regional food providers including Byte Foods, Mixt Greens, Aramark and Sodexo to create seasonal meals and snacks.

For food providers and organizations, Pantry is a platform for fresh food that extends the hours and reach of fresh food options through swipe, grab and go kiosks using a small footprint, Point of Sale (POS) technology with Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tracking and billing, and can be stocked and open for business 24/7.  

"Pantry has been a crucial addition to our food program. We can essentially stay open 24/7," said Dan Henroid, MS, RD, Director, Nutrition & Food Services, UCSF Medical Center. "This service is a huge benefit that allows us to offer fresh and healthy food options to our staff and visitors at any time of day."

"Using Pantry with our Byte service, mid-size businesses are now able to offer fresh, healthy food in the office," said Megan Mokri, CEO of Byte Foods. "Pantry has been an invaluable partner that allows Byte to create an entirely new retail experience. With Byte powered by Pantry, employers have a flexible and affordable way to fuel their teams with locally-sourced food and drink options."  

San Francisco-based Pantry continues to expand its influence with advisors and Board members that include Hap Klopp, founder of The North Face; Nicolas Bernadi, VP of Food at Munchery and former board member at La Boulange; as well as the addition of Pantry CEO, Russ Cohn earlier this year.

Pantry recently closed $1 million in funding in a round led by Aileen Lee and Cowboy Ventures, to further accelerate the company's growth, and customer and partner relationships. To date, Pantry has raised a total of $2.3 million.  

About Pantry
Pantry offers a simple and reliable way to eat well in the workplace and on the go. For consumers, Pantry provides instant access to fresh food, any time of the day or night. For food providers, Pantry expands the hours and reach of fresh food distribution through swipe, grab and go kiosks. The company's proprietary kiosks provide a technology-powered, user-centric experience as simple as swiping a credit card and taking the food or drink of choice – no self-checkout, no buttons – in a quick, seamless and elegant interaction. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pantry has kiosks nationwide in workplaces, hospitals, universities and hotels with deployments at locations including UCSF Medical Center, Cisco, CBS, WeWork and Stanford University.  Always fresh. Always open. For more information, visit the website, or on Twitter @PantryRetail.

SOURCE Pantry

Related Links

http://www.pantryretail.com/