Circus SE said its CA-1 robot can prepare meals in three to four minutes. | Source: Circus SE
Circus SE, a developer of artificial intelligence-powered robotics for autonomous food preparation, this week announced that it has begun production of its fourth-generation CA-1 robot in its new high-volume facility. The company said several additional robots are already in production in parallel.
This milestone came six months after Circus set up the factory. The company said it designed the factory around an intelligent, modular setup to manufacture robots at scale.
“This step proves that Circus can not only design breakthrough technology, but also scale it to industrial production at the highest quality levels,” stated Nikolas Bullwinkel, founder and CEO of Circus SE. “CA-1 consists of over 29,000 individual components, making it as complex as a small car — and we are now manufacturing and delivering at industrial scale. The era of autonomous nutrition has started — and Circus is leading it globally.”
Munich, Germany-based Circus SE said it provides autonomous systems and software for the labor-intensive food service sector. It said its CA-1 robot applies embodied AI, integrating AI into real-world operations. The company has been growing its international presence.
CA-1 system undergoes rigorous testing
CA-1 uses smart food silos to track inventory and ensure optimal storage conditions. People can interact with the robot via a terminal that allows customers to order food. The system also includes a self-cleaning system for low-maintenance operation.
To cook food, the robot uses induction pots for rapid heating and energy efficiency. Its robotic arms automate dispensing, cooking, and plating. Circus SE equipped the system with AI-driven computer vision monitoring for operational control, maintenance, and quality assurance. Finally, heated silos keep meals warm while waiting for pickup.
Every CA-1 undergoes more than 150 precision tests to guarantee enterprise-grade reliability — a level of engineering that mirrors the automotive industry, Circus claimed. Celestica, its global production partner, has experience in engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain to support the global scaling of the food-preparation robots.
“With this achievement, Circus has moved beyond development into industrial scale-up,” said Haomiao Fang, vice president of hardware engineering at Circus. “With our validated setup, we are ready to deliver thousands of units per year and scale with global demand.”
Last week, Circus partnered with Secura, a provider of large-scale corporate facility management systems. The companies will scale deployment of the CA-1, starting with the city of Ingolstadt.
Circus SE focuses on expanding AI capabilities
With the completion of the industrialization phase and factory setup for the CA-1, Circus SE aims to bring its second autonomous system — the CA-M, designed for defense use — to high-volume production from later next year. The company is already exploring production options across Europe and the U.S.
Circus has also received certification from NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), enabling it to fully participate in procurement and direct contract awards across member states.
In May, Circus acquired FullyAI, an agentic AI developer. FullyAI said it enables real-time operational decision-making, predictive maintenance, and personalized user experiences. The unit‘s software will process billions of data points from the CA-1 cooking robots to unlock a self-improving intelligence layer that connects every process in real time, according to Circus.
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