News

Grocer testing cake-ordering kiosks

October 9, 2011

Caputo's Fresh Market in Chicago is piloting a custom cake ordering kiosk developed by Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based ADUSA, Inc.

The kiosk allows shoppers to select cake types, fillings, frostings, toppings and decorations. It then sends orders to bakery staff in the store, as well as to an offsite manufacturing facility, so that there is built-in confirmation between the manufacturing process and eventual delivery to the customer, according to a story in the Progressive Grocer.

"We continue to find that self-service is very helpful to our customers and, therefore, in line with our strategy to make our stores as convenient and pleasant as possible to shop," Robertino Presta, CEO of Caputo's, said in the story. "Our deli kiosks have been well received by our clientele, and we expect the same will be true of the bakery kiosk."

The kiosk captures customer info in case questions arise before, during or after manufacturing of the order.

"Our bakery kiosks ensure, and confirm, accuracy for what is a very important order for the customer, usually associated to a special event in their life," said Juan C. Perez, president of ADUSA, Inc.

Read more about custom kiosks.