What is Spyce and how did it become Sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen?
Spyce Food Company was a MIT-founded robotic restaurant that automated salad and grain bowl preparation using a conveyor-based cooking system. Sweetgreen acquired Spyce in 2021 for an undisclosed amount; the technology became Sweetgreen's Infinite Kitchen robotic food assembly line, now deployed in select Sweetgreen restaurant locations.
What Spyce was
Spyce Food Company was founded by four MIT students in 2017: Michael Farid, Kale Rogers, Luke Schlueter, and Brady Knight. The company developed and operated a robotic restaurant concept that prepared bowls (salads, grain bowls, and similar fast-casual menu items) using an automated conveyor-based cooking and assembly system.
Spyce restaurants operated in Boston. The concept involved a human "culinary director" overseeing the menu and quality while the robotic system handled the execution of each bowl's preparation from raw ingredients to completed dish. The automation included cooking (heating) and assembly but not full food prep from scratch ingredients.
Spyce raised venture capital funding and attracted publicity as a MIT-founded startup applying robotics to fast-casual dining. The company also brought on noted chef Daniel Boulud as an advisor.
Sweetgreen acquisition in 2021
Sweetgreen, the fast-casual salad and grain bowl restaurant chain (NYSE: SG), acquired Spyce in August 2021 for an undisclosed consideration. The acquisition brought Spyce's robotic food assembly technology and its team into Sweetgreen's organization.
The Sweetgreen acquisition fit strategically: Sweetgreen's menu of salads and grain bowls aligned directly with what Spyce's automated system was designed to prepare. The acquisition allowed Sweetgreen to internalize the robotics capability rather than licensing or developing it independently.
Sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen
Sweetgreen redeployed the Spyce technology as Sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen, a robotic food assembly line integrated into select Sweetgreen restaurant locations. Infinite Kitchen uses an automated conveyor and dispensing system to assemble Sweetgreen's bowls at throughput rates designed to reduce preparation time and labor requirements during peak hours.
Sweetgreen deployed Infinite Kitchen at a restaurant in Naperville, Illinois as an early verified deployment. The company has stated plans to roll Infinite Kitchen out more broadly across its restaurant network. The rate of Infinite Kitchen deployment relative to Sweetgreen's total restaurant footprint is at company-disclosed progress reporting depth.
Sweetgreen is publicly traded on NYSE (SG) since November 2021. The company's financial filings include segment reporting that covers labor cost impacts from automation initiatives.
Framework cross-links
For the food service cohort context and the broader defunct/sold status pattern, see what are food service robots. For Miso Robotics as the kitchen automation comparison still operating independently, see what is Miso Robotics. The Sweetgreen registry entry at registry.deploy.report/companies/sweetgreen and Spyce entry at registry.deploy.report/companies/spyce carry institutional depth.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Spyce still open?
No. Spyce as a standalone restaurant and company no longer exists. Sweetgreen acquired Spyce in 2021, and the Spyce restaurant locations closed as part of the acquisition. The technology continues as Sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen, operating in select Sweetgreen restaurant locations.
- What is Sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen?
Sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen is the robotic food assembly line Sweetgreen built from the Spyce technology it acquired in 2021. The system uses an automated conveyor and dispensing mechanism to assemble Sweetgreen's salads and bowls. Infinite Kitchen is deployed in select Sweetgreen locations, with Naperville, Illinois as a documented early deployment.
- How much did Sweetgreen pay for Spyce?
The acquisition price was not disclosed publicly. Sweetgreen acquired Spyce in August 2021 for undisclosed consideration. The financial terms of the transaction are not at primary-source disclosure depth.
- Who founded Spyce?
Spyce was founded in 2017 by four MIT students: Michael Farid, Kale Rogers, Luke Schlueter, and Brady Knight. The founders developed the robotic bowl preparation concept as a student project before commercializing it as Spyce Food Company.
- Is Sweetgreen profitable with Infinite Kitchen?
Sweetgreen is publicly traded (NYSE: SG) and reports financial results including labor cost data. The company has cited Infinite Kitchen as part of its labor efficiency strategy. Specific per-location profitability of Infinite Kitchen locations vs standard Sweetgreen locations is not separately reported in public filings at the granularity needed to evaluate the return on the Spyce acquisition investment.
- How does Infinite Kitchen compare to Miso Robotics Flippy?
Infinite Kitchen and Flippy are structurally different kitchen automation approaches. Infinite Kitchen is a conveyor-based bowl assembly system designed specifically for Sweetgreen's menu in Sweetgreen's restaurants. Flippy is a robotic arm for grill and fry station automation deployed in fast-food kitchens. Infinite Kitchen is a proprietary Sweetgreen internal system; Flippy is a deployable product sold to restaurant operators across multiple chains.
Spyce founding (2017, MIT founders: Farid, Rogers, Schlueter, Knight) verified at company history and media depth. Sweetgreen acquisition (August 2021, undisclosed consideration) verified at company announcement and SEC filing depth. Infinite Kitchen Naperville Illinois deployment verified at company announcement and media coverage depth. Sweetgreen NYSE listing (SG, November 2021) verified at exchange listing depth. Spyce restaurant closure post-acquisition verified at media coverage depth. How DEPLOY verifies →