At a time when everyone is a little touchy about not touching anything and everything, Heineken have come to the fore unveiling a first-of-its-kind, zero-contact robotic bar in Darlinghurst for its alcohol-free beer brand Heineken 0.0.
Developed by a team of robotics students and engineers from the University of Sydney, it put a new spin on hygienic work practices in the hospitality industry.
The bar ran for four days in July. Two robotic arms called Heidi and Ken poured the beers before sending them off on a "beer train" - a conveyor belt that ran through the bar - to the thirsty customer at the end of the line. Absolutely no person-to-person contact was required before the beer was consumed.
Malcolm Eadie, Brand Director of Premium and Craft Beer at Lion, said: “The past few months have been challenging and as we continue to adjust to physical distancing, we thought about how we could help more people try an alcohol-free beer during July, in a safe and responsible way.
“Heineken has a long and proud history of great innovation and is also renowned for providing first-class hospitality. The Heineken Zer0.0 Contact Bar represents both and provides a unique destination for trying a great-tasting alcohol-free beer in the current environment.”
Well,, we have to say we love the ingenuity but can’t see it ever replacing the friendly banter you enjoy with your local publican.
