Convenience store chain CU said on the 20th that it will become the first in the industry to introduce a "smart cooker" that combines microwave, air fryer and oven functions.
The device goes beyond reheating food, automatically applying the optimal cooking method for each product. When a customer scans a product barcode, the machine cooks the item according to a preset recipe. About 1,000 cooking settings are available, and the list is updated continuously. The cooker can prepare frozen chicken, pizza and bakery items according to each product's characteristics.
CU will first install about 500 of the machines, focusing on university districts and neighborhoods dense with studio apartments, where customers in their 20s and 30s and single-person households are concentrated. The company plans to expand the rollout after reviewing operating results and customer response.
CU will also launch products designed for the device, rolling out a total of 12 dedicated items including bakery goods, pizza, pasta and chicken.
"The introduction of the smart cooker is part of CU's food tech strategy, and we expect it to raise the dining experience at convenience stores another notch," an official at BGF Retail (282330.KS) said. "CU will continue to apply a range of new technologies so that customers can enjoy convenience store products in the tastiest and most convenient way."