FrescoFrigo

FrescoFrigo, founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneur Enrico Pandian and Tommaso Magnani, operates within the food-tech and automated retail sectors. Pandian, a software developer by training, has a history of creating successful digital ventures, including the grocery delivery service Supermercato24 (now Everli), which informed FrescoFrigo's mission to address consumer demand for convenience. The company provides a smart, plug-and-play refrigerated vending solution designed for a variety of B2B clients.

Initially, FrescoFrigo targeted locations like offices, gyms, and hotels, providing employees and customers with 24/7 access to fresh, healthy meals as an alternative to traditional snack vending machines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company adapted its strategy to include residential complexes, creating a "condo supermarket" concept that offered basic groceries and ready-made meals. This experience led to a pivotal shift in its business model. While the company once managed its own fleet of fridges, it now focuses on selling its proprietary smart fridge hardware and the accompanying software technology directly to other businesses.

The business model is now centered on enabling partners—such as food producers, collective caterers, and traditional vending operators—to establish their own automated retail points. FrescoFrigo generates revenue by selling the physical smart fridges and licensing its technology. The product is an integrated system featuring a 345-liter smart fridge equipped with a patented RFID system for automatic product recognition, cloud-based software for remote management, and a consumer-facing mobile app for payments. End-users download the app, scan a QR code to unlock the fridge, select their items, and are automatically charged upon closing the door. The system supports credit cards and uniquely integrates with major welfare portals for payment via meal vouchers.

The technology provides significant benefits to its business clients, who can remotely monitor sales, inventory, and product expiration dates in real-time. The platform includes data analytics, machine learning for inventory planning, and tools for managing promotions and customer communications. This allows operators to reduce food waste and optimize their stock according to demand. Headquartered in Verona, Italy, the company has expanded its presence to countries including Switzerland, Canada, and Austria.

Keywords: smart fridge, automated retail, food-tech, vending technology, B2B food solutions, unattended retail, corporate wellness, healthy vending, RFID technology, retail tech, office canteen, fresh food vending, remote inventory management, food service technology, plug-and-play retail, micro-market, employee benefits, catering technology, smart vending, IoT retail