SAN FRANCISCO – June 1, 2021 – Le Bread Xpress and Canteen Vending Services announced today that the two companies have partnered to install and manage Bake Xpress robotic bakery vending machines throughout North America. Bake Xpress is the world’s only vending solution that offers a selection of pastries, pizza and artisan sandwiches that are freshly baked at time of order. Canteen has been operating Bake Xpress machines at corporate and university sites in the San Francisco Bay Area since late 2019. The success of these installations led to the extended sales agreement to deploy Bake Xpress machines into additional markets nationwide, including healthcare, hospitality, entertainment and transportation.
“Bake Xpress gives us the ability to offer freshly-baked food around the clock to complement our staffed cafeteria services, and in locations where we previously did not provide hot meals,” said Michael Coffey, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Canteen NA. “The ability to provide unstaffed food service has proven especially valuable during unpredictable COVID-19 quarantines and closures. We expect that Bake Xpress will continue to be a popular addition to our customers’ breakrooms, lobbies and micro-markets.”
Bake Xpress micro-bakeries are unique robotic vending solutions that offer a variety of menu choices in each machine, ranging from croissants to pizza. Each food item is prepared and partially baked at a traditional bakery before being stored in the Bake Xpress refrigeration unit and then freshly baked in the machine’s smart oven at time of order. Owner/operators can specify the menu based on their customers’ preferences, choosing from 25 artisan foods created in partnerships with suppliers nationwide. Bake Xpress is the world’s only vending solution capable of providing customers with a full menu of hot pastry and meal options.
“We are thrilled to be moving into the next phase of our business plan with Canteen based on the success of the pilot Bake Xpress installations in universities, corporate break rooms, and manufacturing sites over the last 18 months,” said Benoit Herve, founder and CEO of Le Bread Xpress. “These Bake Xpress installations allowed us to realize our vision of providing fresh meals 24/7 and to thoroughly validate our supply chain and baking procedures. We are excited to move into widespread deployment and expect to more than triple our number of machines in operation this year.”
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress combined robotic, AI, sensor, wireless, and heating technologies with artisan recipes to create Bake Xpress, a ground-breaking vending machine that custom bakes a variety of meals and pastries on demand. With a customizable menu ranging from croissants and muffins to pizza, calzones and gourmet sandwiches, Bake Xpress is a significant upgrade to traditional vending options. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and has installed Bake Xpress micro-bakeries in universities, hotels, retail centers, factories and office parks worldwide.
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Note to editors: Le Bread Xpress, Bake Xpress and the Le Bread Xpress and Bake Xpress logos are trademarks of Le Bread Xpress, Inc. Other trademarks or brand names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.
SAN FRANCISCO – May 13, 2021 – Le Bread Xpress will be providing live demonstrations of its innovative Bake Xpress micro-bakery at ArticulATE 2021, the virtual event focused on food robotics and automation on May 18, 2021, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (PST). Le Bread Xpress will demonstrate how Bake Xpress is revolutionizing the vending industry from its headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif., during the show expo open hours. Company representatives also will be available to schedule private demonstrations, and company founder and CEO Benoit Herve will be interviewed on the main stage at 12:50 PM (PST).
Bake Xpress micro-bakeries are unique robotic vending solutions that offer a full menu of fresh meals and pastries, ranging from croissants to pizza. Each food item is prepared and partially baked at a traditional bakery before being stored in the Bake Xpress refrigeration unit and then baked in Bake Xpress’ smart oven at time of order. Mr. Herve will demonstrate the machine’s operation and discuss the details of how facilities can install and manage Bake Xpress.
Tickets to the on-line event and the full event schedule are available at https://hopin.com/events/articulate-the-food-robotics-summit
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress combined robotic, AI, sensor, wireless, and heating technologies with artisan recipes to create Bake Xpress, a ground-breaking vending machine that custom bakes a variety of meals and pastries on demand. With a customizable menu ranging from croissants and muffins to pizza, calzones and gourmet sandwiches, Bake Xpress is a significant upgrade to traditional vending options. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and has installed Bake Xpress micro-bakeries in universities, hotels, retail centers, factories and office parks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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Note to editors: Le Bread Xpress, Bake Xpress and the Le Bread Xpress and Bake Xpress logos are trademarks of Le Bread Xpress, Inc. Other trademarks or brand names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.
SAN FRANCISCO – December 10, 2020 – Le Bread Xpress, maker of the Bake Xpress robotic bakery vending machine, today announced that company founder and CEO Benoit Herve was selected as one of the vending industry’s 2020 Pros to Know by VendingMarketWatch and Automatic Merchandiser Magazine. Herve was recognized among a select group of industry leaders nominated by magazine readers and industry peers and selected by the editorial team of Automatic Merchandiser.
The Pros to Know Awards are presented annually to companies and individuals who have taken an innovative approach in the vending, micro-market and OCS industries. Mr. Herve in particular was recognized not only for the uniqueness of the Bake Xpress product, but also his team’s efforts to adapt the machine’s function to unique customer situations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples noted include custom recipes and branding for a bakery that could not sustain counter service, accelerated installation in university dormitories during quarantines when traditional food services were unpredictable and adaptation of the machine to provide charity food distribution and accept donations. Further, the company’s plan for a smartphone app that will make the Bake Xpress a fully touchless interaction was recognized as Mr. Herve’s continuing focus on improving the overall Bake Xpress experience.
Bake Xpress is the only vending machine to offer a full menu of meals and pastries, including everything from breakfast items like croissants and muffins through dinner choices like pizza, calzones, and gourmet sandwiches. Customers order via the unit’s 55-inch touchscreen, which can also be used for advertising or infomatinal purposes by machine owner/operators. Bake Xpress detects, selects, bakes and serves each order using its integrated robotics and precisely-calibrated infrared/microwave/convection oven, which is programmed to adapt to each food’s custom profile. Bake Xpress communicates over Wi-Fi or 4G/5G networks, allowing machine operators to monitor inventory levels and machine function, diagnose issues, and control operation using cloud-based software.
The full listing of 2020 Pros to Know is available at https://www.vendingmarketwatch.com/awards/document/21165970/2020-pros-to-know-awards.
SAN FRANCISCO – Jan. 20, 2020 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that it will be demonstrating its innovative Bake Xpress multi-product micro bakery at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Food Show to be held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on January 19-21, 2020.
“We are thrilled to return to the Winter Fancy Food Show to showcase our latest micro bakery innovation,” said Benoit Herve, Le Bread Xpress founder and CEO. “Our Bake Xpress micro-bakeries offer customers the ability to obtain fresh baked pastries and meals on demand. Our demo unit at the Fancy Food Show will give customers the chance to experience how they can select and customize their food on the integrated touch screen, and then be enjoying their fresh-baked choice in as little as 30 seconds.”
Like Le Bread Xpress’ original baguette micro bakeries, Bake Xpress machines integrate refrigeration and baking technology into a single unit that is the size of a traditional vending machine. Bake Xpress includes a 55” touchscreen display that allows users to view the options available and to choose, customize, and pay for their selection. Each item partially prepared at an actual bakery and then stored in the Bake Express refrigerator. With its own baking profile programmed into the machine, a food item is custom baked upon order and delivered to the customer in 30-90 seconds. Each machine includes a selection of up to six different items from the full menu of over 20 options. The micro bakery in booth 2338 at the Fancy Food Show will include croissant, chocolate croissant, turkey and cheese sandwiches and quiche Lorraine.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French bread on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and quick bake capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. The latest addition to the LBX product line, Bake Xpress, extends the technology to micro-bakeries that offer a choice of up to six different pastry and meal items per machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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BERKELEY, Calif. – Jan. 15, 2020 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that the University of California, Berkeley, now has a Bake Xpress micro-bakery installed on campus, providing fresh-baked pastries and meals to students and faculty on demand. The Bake Xpress micro-bakeries are robotic vending machines that bake artisan baked goods at the touch of a button, offering a fresh, healthy alternative to traditional vending food options.
“Universities are a prime example of a location where people are working around the clock and have few options for decent snacks or quick meals,” said Benoit Herve, founder and CEO of Le Bread Xpress. “We are excited to install our Bake Xpress machine at Berkeley to provide everything from croissants to quiche to the Berkeley community.”
The Berkeley installation is provided via contract with the company that runs the UC system cafeterias and student dining halls. “Our customer was seeking a solution to extending their staffed cafeteria offerings, which are only open at certain hours of the day,” noted Mr. Herve. “Bake Xpress allows them to provide fresh food around the clock without extending staff hours.”
Like Le Bread Xpress’ original baguette micro-bakeries, Bake Xpress machines integrate refrigeration and baking technology into a single unit that is the size of a traditional vending machine. While Bake Xpress micro-bakeries are capable of storing 70 units of up to six different selections, the UC Berkeley machine currently offers croissant, chocolate croissant, pizza and quiche. Each food item partially prepared at a wholesale bakery in Burlingame, Calif., and then stored in the Bake Xpress refrigerator. Customers choose, customize, and pay for their selection via the touchscreen display and integrated payment system. With its own baking profile programmed into the machine, a food item is custom baked upon order and delivered to the customer in less than three minutes.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French baked goods on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and baking capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. The latest addition to the Le Bread Xpress product line, Bake Xpress, extends the technology to micro-bakeries that offer a choice of up to six different pastry and meal items per machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Oct. 13, 2019 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that it has been selected as the winner for the 2019 San Francisco Award in the Bakery category by the San Francisco Award Program.
Each year, the San Francisco Award Program identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. These exceptional companies help make the San Francisco area a great place to live, work and play. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2019 San Francisco Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the San Francisco Award Program and data provided by third parties.
About the San Francisco Award Program
The San Francisco Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the San Francisco area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value. The San Francisco Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, tradegroups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh baked goods and meals on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machines and Bake Xpress multi-product machines integrate refrigeration and quick bake capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Sept. 9, 2019 – Le Bread Xpress today introduced Bake Xpress, the latest addition to its innovative line of robotic micro-bakeries. Bake Express is the first bakery vending machine in the world to offer a choice of multiple fresh-baked products from a single unit, including pastries as well as meals such as pizzas and sandwiches. Like the existing Le Bread Xpress machines, Bake Xpress combines a refrigeration unit, where partially-baked items are stored prior to order, with a combination of microwave and infrared convection baking ovens to freshly-bake food items at time of purchase. The result is hot, fresh bakery items at any time of day or night, and a significant upgrade to traditional vending options at universities, hotels, hospitals, corporate settings, retail sites and more.
“We are pleased to expand our product offering with Bake Xpress micro-bakeries,” said Benoit Herve, founder and CEO of Le Bread Xpress. “Our micro-bakery technology and supply chain is already established and proven by the machines that have been supplying fresh baguettes around the world for several years. It is exciting to leverage this technology in our new Bake Xpress machines to offer such a wide selection of baked goods.”
Le Bread Xpress introduced its first micro-bakeries that produce fresh-baked traditional French baguettes in 2016. With over 125 machines operating in Europe and at multiple sites in the San Francisco area, the machines utilize a unique process of storing partially-baked loaves of bread in the micro-bakery refrigeration unit before completing the baking process upon order, replicating the bakery experience of enjoying fresh bread hot from the oven. Most of the San Francisco machines are operating at corporate office parks under private contract, but the public has been able to enjoy Le Bread Xpress baguettes at locations including UC Berkeley, Stonestown Galleria and The Myriad. While the original baguette machines provide traditional French bread, the full Bake Xpress menu includes more than 20 items. Each individual machine can offer a choice of six items, with a storage capacity of 70 units. Owner/operators can select from the standard menu or curate a new recipe with Le Bread Xpress to populate their machines.
As with Le Bread Xpress baguettes, the food items in Bake Xpress are partially prepared at a traditional bakery before being stored in the micro-bakery refrigeration units and baked on demand. Since 2016, Burlingame, Calif., bakery Petit Pains has provided Le Bread Xpress’ food items for the Bay Area machines. Le Bread Xpress announced in August 2019 that it had partnered with famed pastry chef Pascal Rigo of Le Boulangerie de San Francisco and Starbucks to develop additional recipes for the menu expansion, which also are prepared at Petits Pains.
Mr. Herve notes that the Bake Xpress machines offer a number of technical upgrades to the first-generation products in addition to offering a wider menu: “We increased the size of the touchscreen ordering system to 55 inches, making it easier to choose, customize and pay for orders as well as creating the opportunity for machine owners to add personalized information or advertising. Additionally, we now offer real-time monitoring of equipment status, use and inventory levels through our mobile and desktop applications, making it easy to manage multiple installations.”
Each food item in a Bake Xpress micro-bakery has a barcode that provides identifying information to the inventory tracking system as well as a unique baking profile. The included apps allow machine owners to seamlessly monitor, track, order and stock inventory in their machines. Through proprietary system design and power management technology, Le Bread Xpress is able to provide its micro-bakeries in compact units that are approximately the size of a traditional vending machine, allowing installation without any site expansion, special wiring or additional space requirements. Le Bread Xpress and Bake Xpress micro-bakeries can be acquired through a corporate contract with one of Le Bread Xpress’ distributor partners or as an individual franchise. Interested parties may contact Le Bread Xpress’ sales department at sales@lebreadxpress.com or 650-996-4003 for more information.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French baked goods on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and baking capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. The latest addition to the Le Bread Xpress product line, Bake Xpress, extends the technology to micro-bakeries that offer a choice of up to six different pastry and meal items per machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Aug. 11, 2019 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that it is has opened an individual investment opportunity, making it possible for small investors to formally participate in the next round of equity distribution. Le Bread Xpress provides robotic micro-bakery vending machines that dispense freshly-baked French baguettes. There are over 130 micro-bakeries operating world-wide, including at corporate and retail facilities in the San Francisco area. Le Bread Xpress has raised $500K in private venture funding to date, but this campaign marks the first chance for individuals to gain equity in the company.
“We are preparing to enter the next phase of our business plan with the second-generation machines later this year,” said Benoit Herve, founder and CEO of Le Bread Xpress. “This is an ideal time for smaller investors to be able to join us before we hit our next inflection point.”
Investors can join the Le Bread Xpress Wefunder campaign at https://wefunder.com/lebreadxpress, in increments of just $250. Institutional investors may reach the Le Bread Xpress investor relations department at 605-996-4003 or ir@lebreadxpress.com. More information is available at http://www.lebreadxpress.com/join-le-bread-xpress/investors.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French bread on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and quick bake capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Jan. 18, 2018 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that it will be demonstrating its innovative baguette micro bakery at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Food Show to be held at the Moscone Center on January 21-23, 2018.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase our robotic micro bakery technology at the Winter Fancy Food Show,” said Le Bread Xpress founder and CEO Benoit Herve. “For this event we will be delivering free baguettes that were provided by Bridor, which operates one of the largest bakeries in France.”
Le Bread Xpress is a micro bakery that delivers hot, fresh baguettes with the press of a button. This new style of vending machine has already been integrated into more than hundred locations in France, producing piping hot baguettes for gourmet customers on the go.
“We work with only the finest bakeries,” said Mr. Herve. “In Europe a good baguette is a thing of pride and we wish to continue that tradition by bringing only the best to our customers.”
Le Bread Xpress will be presenting in booth 3141 in the French Pavilion with other French companies who are coming to the US to showcase gourmet food.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French bread on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and quick bake capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Sept. 18, 2016 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that it has opened a second public location of its innovative bread micro-bakery at The Myriad, a popular collection of small restaurants and food vendors that operate in a food court setting. Le Bread Xpress robotic micro-bakery machines provide fresh-baked traditional French baguette bread on demand, and are already established in China, Europe and in private office parks in the United States. The Myriad location is the second public Le Bread Xpress site in the Bay Area, adding to the existing machine at Stonestown Galleria.
“Le Bread Xpress machines sit in the space of a traditional vending machine but offer fresh-baked baguettes instead of junk food,” said Benoit Herve, founder and CEO of Le Bread Xpress. “We are pleased to continue our US installation plan at The Myriad and look forward to adding future machines at hospitals, universities, hotels and other locations where fresh bread is desired.”
Like the Stonestown Le Bread Xpress location, the Myriad machine will offer French artisan baguettes, delivered freshly-baked in 20-30 seconds.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French bread on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and quick bake capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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SAN FRANCISCO – July 26, 2016 – Le Bread Xpress today announced that it has opened a new location of its bread micro-bakery at the Stonestown Galleria retail shopping complex. Bread Xpress delivers hot, fresh baguettes on demand in an integrated robotic vending machine. Most bread machines are operating overseas or in private office complexes in the Bay Area, making the Stonestown location the first US site available to the general public.
“We are pleased to bring our micro-bakery to a publicly-accessible location in the US,” said Benoit Herve, founder and CEO of Le Bread Xpress. “Our bread machines in our Bay Area corporate installations have been met with great enthusiasm because employees are able to get good food even when the company cafeterias are not open. We are excited to bring this same opportunity to our first retail location.”
The Le Bread Xpress bread machine offers French artisan baguettes, delivered in 20-30 seconds, and is located within Stonestown Galleria at 3521 20thAvenue in San Francisco.
About Le Bread Xpress
Le Bread Xpress provides the world’s first robotic micro-bakeries, offering hot, fresh French bread on demand. The Bread Xpress baguette machine integrates refrigeration and quick bake capabilities in a compact unit the size of a traditional vending machine. Le Bread Xpress was founded in 2015 and offers micro-bakeries to hospitals, universities, hotels, retail centers and office parks world-wide. For more information, please visit www.lebreadxpress.com.
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Croissant