The response to Mobotics at the 2026 Taste of the Americas Buying Show was clear: supermarket and restaurant operators are ready to take a serious look at practical automation.
Organized by the National Supermarket Association Florida, the September 23 event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood brought together independent retailers, distributors, manufacturers, service providers, and foodservice professionals. Operators came to discover what is new for their stores and restaurants—and many were surprised by how much commercial robotics can already do.
At the Mobotics exhibit, three PUDU platforms drew much of the attention:
- PUDU CC1 Pro, an autonomous commercial floor-cleaning robot
- PUDU MT1 Vac, designed for autonomous dry-debris collection and vacuuming
- PUDU KETTYBOT PRO, a service and delivery robot with mobile promotional capabilities
Together, they showed operators a broader vision for store automation: robots can help clean floors, collect dry debris, deliver items, and carry promotional content through the store.
A strong response from supermarket operators
The conversations at the show went beyond general curiosity. Operators wanted to understand how the robots would fit into actual grocery-store routines: cleaning long aisles, working around endcaps, handling customer traffic, and completing floor care during overnight or early-morning operating windows.
The CC1 Pro received especially strong interest because it can automate recurring floor-cleaning routes while providing reports and operational visibility to store teams. Instead of assigning employees to push a conventional scrubber through the same route each day, operators can define cleaning tasks and redirect labor toward inspection, edges, spot response, stocking, and customer-facing work.
The MT1 Vac demonstrated the value of handling dry debris before wet floor care. Dust, paper, crumbs, and tracked-in material can be collected through a planned sweeping or vacuuming pass, helping prepare the floor for later scrubbing. Operators interested in coordinating both tasks can review our dedicated supermarket sweeping solutions and supermarket cleaning solutions.
KETTYBOT PRO showed another side of the opportunity. In addition to service and delivery workflows, its display can bring approved messages and promotions to selected store areas. That sparked conversations about weekly specials, loyalty programs, featured products, and sponsored brand campaigns. Our mobile advertising robots for supermarkets page explains how route planning and campaign ownership fit together.
South Florida deployments are being planned
Following the show, several operators associated with the Key Food and Bravo supermarket banners told Mobotics they intend to begin deploying PUDU CC1 Pro cleaning robots in South Florida stores.
The locations being discussed span Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, including:
- Miami, Opa-locka, Hialeah, and Doral
- Hallandale Beach, Sunrise, Oakland Park, Weston, Lauderhill, and Tamarac
- Coconut Creek, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, and Palm Beach
Each store still requires its own site review, route plan, and operating assessment. Floor materials, aisle clearance, changing displays, charging space, customer traffic, and cleaning schedules can vary significantly from one location to another. The goal is to configure each deployment around the store’s actual workflow rather than assume one setup will fit every location.
Mobotics supports supermarket automation throughout Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, and the wider Florida service area.
A Plantation store projects approximately $3,500 in monthly savings
One of the strongest business cases discussed after the show comes from a 42,000-square-foot supermarket in Plantation, Florida, operating in a location previously occupied by Winn-Dixie.
The operator reported spending approximately $4,700 per month on floor cleaning. Based on the planned CC1 Pro workflow and the labor allocation being evaluated, the store projects savings close to $3,500 per month on floor cleaning—roughly $42,000 per year if those monthly results are sustained.
That would represent a reduction of about 74% from the reported monthly floor-cleaning expense. It is a projection for this particular store, not a guaranteed result for every supermarket. Actual savings depend on operating hours, labor rates, existing equipment costs, route coverage, consumables, service requirements, and how the store reallocates employee time.
The more useful lesson is the process behind the number. The store has a defined floor area, an identifiable recurring expense, and a task that can be measured before and after deployment. Those inputs make it possible to build a pilot around route completion, cleaning quality, employee intervention, and cost per month.
Cleaning and advertising from one CC1 Pro
Operators were also excited by the optional advertising display available for the PUDU CC1 Pro. With the display installed and an approved content plan in place, the robot can support two functions during its route:
- Perform autonomous floor cleaning.
- Display store promotions, loyalty messages, or approved brand campaigns.
This two-in-one approach can turn an operating asset into a mobile communication channel. A robot cleaning a center-store route might display a weekly promotion, highlight a nearby department, or support a supplier campaign as it moves through approved areas.
The advertising opportunity needs the same operational discipline as the cleaning task. Stores should decide who approves creative, how frequently campaigns change, which routes provide useful visibility, and how messages remain readable without interrupting shoppers. Cleaning performance should remain the primary requirement; advertising adds value when the route and customer experience support it.
What comes next
The enthusiasm at Taste of the Americas reflected a shift in the conversation around supermarket robots. Operators were not simply asking whether robots could navigate a store. They were asking how quickly a pilot could begin, what labor could be redirected, how cleaning results would be measured, and whether the same equipment could support new promotional opportunities.
Mobotics is now working with interested South Florida operators to evaluate stores, map routes, establish success criteria, and prepare CC1 Pro deployments. The process starts with the operating problem at each location and builds the robot workflow around measurable results.
Explore the complete supermarket robot solutions hub, compare commercial cleaning robots, or request an onsite demonstration for your store.