Skip to main content

Foodles’ connected fridge can save you from having to leave the office for lunch

foodles connected fridge 15304337 744472699040796 4020673084728813175 o
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Foodles is not the vending machine of your childhood. Rather, this new connected refrigerator dispenses not packaged junk food like chips and cookies (delicious as they may be), but instead full meals that you can purchase using either a card or, of course, your phone. The concept comes from the eponymous French startup, which sends fresh food to an office’s connected refrigerator, allowing employees to purchase heavily discounted sustenance throughout the day. It’s something of a cross between Seamless and your traditional vending machine. And in France, it could be a big hit.

Lunch delivery startups in the European country have already done quite well for themselves. In 2016, Nestor raised $1 million to bring food directly to office workers in Paris and other similar startups abound. But the idea behind Foodles is to have lunch already available at the office. While it won’t be free, it will be cheaper and more convenient than other options might be.

Recommended Videos

As it stands, a number of smaller French companies give employees meal vouchers in order to subsidize lunch. While this is great for the employee, it is not so great for cash-strapped startups. But that is where Foodles comes in. The company will charge $3,400 a month to have its smart fridge in French offices and additional fridges will set companies back $900 each. The fact that it’s a refrigerator allows companies to stock actual meals instead of just snacks, and its connected properties allow Foodles to keep the company abreast of inventory and employee preferences.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

While thousands of dollars might be a hefty upfront investment, Foodles will then come every day to fill up the fridge with dozens of meals at a time. Options change every week, and the company even has daily specials and vegetarian options that can be ordered ahead. Employees will be charged less than $6 to eat from the Foodles fridge. Options include things like pasta, quiche, and of course, dessert.

Thus far, Foodles has managed to raise $2.3 million in funding and is working with a dozen or so companies. While at present, it is only operational in the Paris area, it certainly seems as though there is an opportunity for the startup to go a bit further, at least in France. Of course, such a venture may see less adoption in the tech hubs of U.S., where free lunch is almost an expected part of the job, but hey — we can’t all be so lucky.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
What you should know if you plan on buying a fridge
Samsung stainless steel fridge in kitchen.

Are you thinking about getting a new fridge? Replacing such a large appliance should not be taken lightly. Our FAQ will go through everything you need to know about purchasing a new refrigerator the right way.
When is it time to replace a refrigerator?

If you are happy with your current refrigerator, it’s a good idea to use it until it starts to malfunction. You may notice it emitting odd clicking or rumbling sounds (a sign the AC components are struggling), or features like the water dispenser or lights will stop working.

Read more
Can Alexa connect to Bluetooth speakers?
Amazon Echo by a window.

Amazon’s Echos are made to function as smart speakers all on their own … but sometimes you want more. If you love playing music or other audio from an Echo speaker, you may want to add more Bluetooth speakers for multi-room sound or simply connect your Bluetooth headphones directly to the Echo for private listening. Here’s how to connect Bluetooth speakers directly to your Echo for situations just like these!
Step 1: Get an Alexa device, and sign in to your account

Let’s start with the basics. You’ll need an Echo device that you have previously set up with the Alexa app. It sounds easy, but if it’s your first Echo, then take the time to learn how the speaker works. Try playing some music on it so you don’t have to worry about figuring any of that out later.

Read more
New version of Microsoft Edge could save you from using bad passwords online
microsoft edge gets startup boost feature take on chrome new

Microsoft's Edge web browser just got a new feature that ensures you're a bit safer when browsing the web.

Now rolling out in version 92 of Edge is a new password health dashboard, to help you decide if the password you've saved is strong enough, or used on another website.

Read more