A wide selection of products and continuous R&D efforts are what help Robot-Coupe maintain its position as an industry leader in food processors.

Jay Williams says Robot-Coupe’s first milestone was inventing the food processor, and today, in its niche markets, the company continues to dominate the industry. Robot-Coupe founder Pierre Verdun introduced the food processor in 1963, and today the item is found in foodservice kitchens around the world.

“Our parent company in France developed the first food processor, and we’ve continued to stay with that market leadership,” President Williams says. “Our products are sold in every country in the world, and our market share [in the foodservice industry] is about 65 or 70 percent. We’re like the Kleenex of food processors.”

Part of what sets Robot-Coupe apart is its selection. While the competition might have two or three models, Robot-Coupe offers more than 50 models in a range of sizes and specifications.

From the company’s U.S. headquarters in Ridgeland, Miss., products are sold throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America and the Caribbean. Williams says Robot-Coupe distributes its products through a network of about 24,000 dealers in the United States and 500 dealers in Canada.

Because of its selection, Robot-Coupe is the foodservice industry leader for commercial food processors and vegetable preparation units. Williams says the company’s products are found in mom-and-pop restaurants, large restaurant chains, fine-dining establishments, schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, nursing homes and other institutional accounts. “We cover every foodservice segment,” he states. “We work with the finest chefs in the country; we work with the culinary schools – our distribution runs the whole gamut of the industry.”

Making A Name
Robot-Coupe’s U.S. headquarters were established by Mississippi residents Rollins Brown, Bill Gilmore and Dan Bounds. The three partners saw the Robot-Coupe food processor being used at LeRuth’s Restaurant in New Orleans, and worked with Robot-Coupe France to establish a U.S. presence.

The company explains that when the Robot-Coupe commercial food processor was developed, it was a completely new concept – eliminating the labor intensiveness of slicing, dicing, shredding and grating. By demonstrating the Robot-Coupe’s capabilities at trade shows, the company established a presence and reputation in North America – and soon the name Robot-Coupe became synonymous with commercial food processors.

Robot-Coupe’s dedication to producing the best product available, its focus on R&D and its commitment to customer service have made it the industry standard in food processing, the company says. Over the years, Robot-Coupe has been honored many times for its products and customer service. Robot Coupe has been the only recipient of the “Best in Class” award in the food processor category for the six years that it has been presented by an independent panel of industry equipment dealers, broadliners and consultants, the company notes.

Serious Selection
Williams says one of the mainstays of Robot-Coupe’s products is the R2 model, which was introduced more than 30 years ago. “It’s still one of the most popular products,” he explains. “We’ve updated the design, but the R2 was really one of the first true commercial food processors.”

In 1998, Robot-Coupe introduced the Blixer, a combination food processor/blender in one machine. The Blixer allowed the healthcare industry to serve the same foods to everyone in a facility by processing any food for patients with modified diet needs all the way down to tube feedings, without the loss of nutrients. For gourmet chefs, the Blixer can produce purees and pates in seconds.

“The Blixer is a cross between a blender and a food processor, and it’s a very unique design,” Williams says. “It’s a patented product, and it offers functions that regular food processors can’t perform. This model is especially popular in healthcare settings.”

Robot-Coupe most recently introduced its Power Mixer line, which offers superior cleanability, power, ease of use and enhanced sanitation.

Williams says all of the R&D initiatives take place at the company’s facilities in France. “We have 10 engineers who are very aggressively working on new products,” Williams says. “We also do a lot of work with improvements to existing models.”

Holding Its Own
Robot-Coupe continues to participate in trade shows, and Williams estimates the company has a presence in about 100 shows in the United States alone. “We attend all the major foodservice shows, specialty shows and regional shows,” he says. “We’re at the Pizza Expo, school foodservice shows and even non-traditional markets, such as scientific industrial arenas on occasion.”

The company plans to focus on innovation, while remaining an independent leader in its market. “The nice thing about our market is that we do well in lean times because we make a labor-saving device,” he continues. “When companies are looking to cut labor costs, our products can help them do that.”