Case Study: Gourmet Capsule — Ready-Meal Bowls That Cook Themselves

In 2020 we set out with a client and a manufacturing partner to answer a simple question: can a convenience store or office offer a real hot meal without a kitchen or staff on duty? The result is our Gourmet Capsule model, where equipment, packaging, and recipes operate as a single system.

The food comes pre-assembled and frozen in our proprietary paper bowls. Each bowl carries a unique QR code. A customer selects a bowl from the freezer, scans the QR, and places it on the NEO CUCINA ramen cooker. The device dispenses water, heats, and runs the matching program automatically. In about five minutes the customer lifts a steaming noodle soup or similar dish—no queue at a counter, no mess, no guesswork.

We spent months refining the bowl structure, fill weights, and program logic so the device could read the code, load the recipe, and deliver repeatable results across thousands of sites. The freezer footprint is small. The ramen machine needs only power and water. Store teams restock the freezer during regular rounds and wipe the deck during closing. Training takes minutes because operation is one scan and one start button.

Rollout began with pilots in petrol stations and micro-markets, then expanded to office pantries and large venues. The format works in places with high footfall and limited labor because the service time stays near the five-minute mark even at peak. Operators report higher attach rates for beverages and snacks near the ramen machine, which improves total basket size without extra staff.

Since launch more than 5,000 units have been deployed and the network has served over two million meals. Quality remains consistent because every bowl is paired with its own program. For operators, the economics are clear: no hood, no dedicated cook line, and predictable output. For customers, it is a fast, comforting meal that feels made-to-order.