SEATTLE, Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Picnic, the leader in food production automation, announced it has raised $5 million in a funding round led by Cercano Management, with participation from new investor Unlock Venture Partners, as well as existing investors Thursday Ventures, Flying Fish Ventures, and Creative Ventures.
This new round of funding will support Picnic’s mission to enhance customer productivity and help businesses in various industries embrace automation for increased efficiency. The capital will be used to scale operations, ramp up production, accelerate delivery capabilities, and meet increasing demand for its innovative food automation solutions across North America.
“Picnic is a perfect fit for investors looking to capitalize on the rapidly expanding world of Robotics, Food Technology, and Automation,” said Andy Liu, Partner at Unlock Venture Partners. “With over 3 billion pizzas sold annually in North America alone, the pizza industry presents an immense market opportunity, and Picnic is well-positioned to capture it. Picnic’s innovative platform makes it a leader in the transformative food automation space.” Andy will join Picnic’s board of directors, bringing decades of experience in hardware and software companies as a seasoned operator and investor.
Chef Lee Kindell, founder of MOTO Pizza and renowned for his innovative take on traditional pizza-making, shared his enthusiasm for Picnic’s technology. “Partnering with Picnic has been an exciting evolution for MOTO. Their cutting-edge automation has allowed us to maintain the integrity of our culinary craftsmanship while cost-effectively scaling up production to meet growing demand, at our traditional pizzeria, as well as high-volume venues like the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and T-Mobile Park in Seattle,” said Chef Lee. “Picnic’s platform gives us the efficiency we need without compromising the quality that defines our brand. It’s an inspiring blend of tradition and technology.”
Meeting Industry Needs Through Innovation
Picnic’s customer base already includes a diverse range of high-volume locations, from universities, stadiums, and big-box retailers to commissaries, pizzerias, and the U.S. military. The Picnic Pizza Station (PPS) enables these customers to overcome industry challenges like rising labor costs, productivity shortfalls, and food waste. Through automation, Picnic allows businesses to reallocate labor, reduce waste, enhance consistency, and boost employee and customer satisfaction.
“We pride ourselves on being customer-centric,” said Michael Bridges, CEO of Picnic. “Our focus is on empowering our customers by providing the automation tools they need to thrive. Automation doesn’t replace workers—it enhances their roles, allowing them to focus on improving both employee and guest experiences. The Picnic Pizza Station is designed to deliver consistent product quality while driving operational efficiency and reducing costs.”
A Leader in Food Automation
Picnic’s flagship product, the PPS Leonardo™, and its smaller, cost-effective counterpart, the PPS Michelangelo™, cater to high-volume, low-customization environments like university campuses, live venues, and military bases. Recent milestones include a pilot with one of the world’s largest retailers and installation in the U.S. Navy Kitsap base.
About Picnic
Founded in 2016, Picnic Works, Inc. (picnicworks.com) is a leader in intelligent robotic technology for the food service and hospitality industries. Picnic provides specialized automation solutions for restaurants, convenience and grocery stores, universities, retailers, sports venues, and military sites, helping them meet the demands of high-volume production with consistency and efficiency.