Commenting on the rise of smart kitchens, SMU Professor of Marketing (Practice) Sabine Benoit believes that automation is an inevitable trend in all aspects of human life, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent in food preparation. Prof Benoit noted that many countries, including Singapore, face a shortage of suitable staff in their hotel and catering industries, and robots can help alleviate this problem. Practical demand makes investment in this area even more attractive. She said that any service that provides convenience to consumers will find a market, adding that more people will choose machines if machine-made food tastes the same as, or is even faster or more consistent than, handmade food.
