A godsend for late-night snackers and beach bros alike, the Burritobox is the world’s first burrito vending machine serving up hot, all-natural burritos 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For $3, hunger-busters can choose from five different fillings—three types of breakfast burritos with cage-free eggs, free-range chicken or shredded beef— and add a little Tabasco, Daisy Sour Cream or Wholly Guacamole for a few more cents.
Not to be confused with an automated 3D burrito-printing, catapulting or rolling machine, the Burritobox is more like traditional vending machine dispensing a pre-made product and branded-additions (not to mention free wi-fi). While waiting for the kiosk to steam heat the evol burrito, a short music video or video ad plays on the kiosk touchscreen to pass the time. The magic happens when a hot, all-natural burrito is dispensed to eager eaters in under a minute.
The Burritobox is the first product from Los Angeles-based startup, The Box Brands. The prototyping process for the kiosk took 1.5 years and the first machine, currently installed at the Mobile Gas Station at 8380 Santa Monica Blvd is what CEO and Co-founder Denis Koci considers the company’s Gen 1 Burritobox. “There was a lot of difficulty regarding the design of the machine,” Koci shares in an exclusive interview with MOLD. “We created this design from a blank piece of paper; although I will say that mathematics, science and government regulations dictate a lot of why and how the Burritobox operates.” The UI for the Burrito Box was also a huge focus for the company, and a promising revenue stream with 60-second ad space available for sale, but by the wave of social media engagement, consumers are having some fun with the kiosk.
Although the Burritobox is not the food synthesizer promised to us from The Jetsons, Koci believes that the driving concept behind the Burrito Box—”providing a hot, healthy and delicious burrito to people who are on the go,”—is just a seed for a new wave of automated food options for health-conscious consumers.
To experience the Burritobox yourself, head to 8380 Santa Monica Blvd. or the 76 station at 10389 Santa Monica Blvd after January 18th.
