12 Products Seen at the National Restaurant Association Show

The National Restaurant Association Show brought together many new dishes, technologies and award-winning products. 

CSP Editors took to the show floor and scouted the thousands of booths for innovative concepts in the convenience-store and restaurant space, such as new coffee brewing equipment, better-for-you beverages, AI tech and cocktail-making robots.

Here's a look at what we found most interesting ...

Springfield, Illinois-based Bunn showed its Premia coffee maker, a high-performance brewer that automatically grinds, brews and manages freshness for optimal coffee availability during peak times while reducing waste during slower dayparts. It has room for three different roasts, and customers can fill large cups in about 10 seconds.

Premia’s semi-automated cleaning process allows operators to complete additional tasks, the company said.

Hatco, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, showed its Flav-R 2-Go Floor Mount Pizza Locker System. The system holds multiple hot pizza orders with quick and secure access, Hatco said. Customers and delivery drivers can arrive, access their specific locker and leave without waiting in line or disrupting the flow of business.

The Flav-R 2-Go Floor Mount Pizza Locker System has a touchscreen on the operator and customer side. The operator inputs the customer’s name and code for the food order. The customer then receives the code, enters it and the appropriate door unlocks for access to the pizza boxes.

Each locker has a timer to hold pizzas for up to 45 minutes and is present at 149 degrees Fahrenheit.

The locker is also available in other colors and sizes.

LightLife made a tempeh burrito for the National Restaurant Association Show. Its tempeh is made with fermented soybeans and is packed with plant-based protein, fiber and umami flavor, according to the plant-based meat company, based in Turners Falls, Massachusetts.

Its tempeh comes in a variety of flavors and forms like buffalo tempeh strips, Southwest tempeh cubes and tempeh crumbles. LightLife also makes plant-based hot dogs, bacon, meatballs and more.

Tillamook’s new Fried Cheddar Curds are made with award-winning Tillamook cheese, according to the Tillamook, Oregon-based company. The curds have a batter and breading that are seasoned for balance flavor to compliment the gooey melt, the company said.

The cheese curds have a shelf life of 180 days.

ReadyCarved’s Pork al Pastor is authentically marinated, spit-roasted and carved off the cone, according to the company, which received a 2024 Food and Beverage (FABI) award for the product. The pork al pastor is vacuum-packed to offer operators a convenient way to serve the popular Mexican street food in tacos, bowls and more.

The ReadyCarved brand is owned by Grecian Delight and Kronos, based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico premium sparkling water won a 2024 Food and Beverage (FABI) Award at the National Restaurant Association Show for its line of fruit-flavored sparkling waters with herbal extracts—Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water. Flavors include Blueberry (with a hint of hibiscus extract), Tangerine (hint of ginger extract) and Lime (hint of mint extract).

“We are super proud that all three of them won the FABI,” Amy Chaffin, vice president of foodservice and on-premise channel strategy and planning, told CSP.

The Atlanta-based company is widening the offerings of its sparkling water with its Topo Chico Mixers.  Coca-Cola featured the mixers at the Show, which come in three flavors—Ginger Beer, Tonic Water and Club Soda.

Red Bull watermelon, a fan-favorite flavor, will soon be available sans sugar, CSP discovered at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. The new Red Bull Red Edition Sugarfree watermelon energy drink will be launching in June. One 250-ml can contains 80 mg of caffeine.

The Santa Monica, California-based company in April rolled out its Red Bull Summer Edition Curuba Elderflower. The energy drink will be available in 8.4 ounces and 12 ounces, and as a single serving or in a four-pack, while supplies last.

Portland, Oregon-based Smith Teamaker, maker of full-leaf teas that are handmade in small batches, featured its blackberry jasmine iced tea on the Show floor. Smith Teamaker’s popular tea includes a sapphire blend of premium jasmine silver tip tea, blackberry, orange peel and mango.

With summer just around the corner, the craft tea company’s seasonal offering also includes butterfly pea flower, which naturally makes the tea a brilliant blue. The craft tea company’s tea is completely sugar-free.

Pepsi Slush (left) hasn’t been commercialized yet, but it was an intriguing preview of technology at the Restaurant Show. Here's how it works: a consumer would take a regular bottle of Pepsi out of the small refrigerator (cooled to a specific temperature), uncap it, recap it and give the bottle a small bump or shake. Slush-mode is then activated, building up frozen bits of ice throughout the drink.

Pepsi Peach and Pepsi Lime (middle) launched in April as a collaboration with Bobby Flay. The two new flavors come in 12- and 20-ounce sizes and were designed to elevate the taste of BBQ foods, the company said.

bubly Burst (right) launched in March and is a lightly sweetened sparkling water beverage with fruit flavors, bright colors, zero added sugar and minimal calories. It comes in 16.9-ounce bottles.

PepsiCo is based in Purchase, New York.

SoundHound AI, Santa Clara, California, is an artificial intelligence company that offers voice-enablement for drive-thrus, phone ordering, kiosks, mobile apps and tableside ordering.

At the National Restaurant Association Show, SoundHouse AI was showcasing its AI drive thru system. It aims to reduce wait times and support multiple drive-in stalls or drive-thru lanes while lessening the workload for employees with a voice-enabled menu board.

Casey’s uses the company’s technology among other companies in the restaurant, automotive and smart device industries.

Bear Robotics, Redwood City, California, showcased its Servi robot, a self-driving machine that delivers food to customers.

It can intelligently navigate space with multiple cameras and a sensor. It can also be upgraded to a fleet that synchronizes with each other to avoid collisions. Weight sensors detect when a delivery is complete and the robot returns to its base.

Adam is an interactive robot bartender, barista, chef and more from company Rich Tech Robotics, Las Vegas.

At the National Restaurant Show, it displayed how it makes coffee concoctions.

The robot can use existing or new coffee machinery, is an efficient bartender and can be trained to be a sous chef, according to the company.