Press Release

Restaurant Owners Want the Future, Not Yesterday’s Equipment

New industry data shows restaurant and foodservice operators using AI are driving added profits. Miso Robotics' new partnership with 50-year-old The Ferri Group shows equipment reps are racing to keep up.

Photo: Miso Robotics

September 21, 2026

(Fairfield, NJ; August 26, 2026) The restaurant industry is undergoing a measurable shift towards a modern, tech-adept kitchen. In turn, major restaurant equipment representatives are upgrading what they put on their showroom floors.

A new partnership between Miso Robotics, the leading AI and robotics provider for modern restaurants and hospitality operators, and The Ferri Group, a major manufacturer's agent representing more than 15 internationally recognized foodservice brands in the US Northeast region for more than 50 years, is one of the clearest signals yet of this market shift.

Miso and The Ferri Group announced today that Miso's signature AI-powered fry station robot, Flippy, will now be available to restaurant and foodservice operators through The Ferri Group. This new availability via one of the Metro New York market’s top suppliers of kitchen equipment gives quick-service restaurant and foodservice operators access to this best-in-class technology for the first time. To kick off the partnership, Bruce Friedman, CRO at Miso will present the keynote address at The Ferri Group's Autumn-ation event on September 22 in Fairfield, NJ.

"Adding a prestigious partner like The Ferri Group is exactly the kind of growth we're focused on at Miso as we expand the avenues through which restaurant and hospitality operators can access our signature Flippy Fry Station robot," said Bruce Friedman, Chief Revenue Officer of Miso Robotics. "When a 50-year-old rep firm is telling us their own customers are begging for AI and automation over standard equipment, it's proof that the shift we've been building toward is here."

"We're proud to represent Miso’s Flippy Fry Station robot," said Joe Louis Ferri, Principal of The Ferri Group. “The restaurant kitchen of the future needs to be equipped with smart products that can adjust in real time, save on unsustainable labor costs, and make the hardest jobs in the kitchen easier and safer for workers. Flippy has proven itself to be that solution at the fry station and to deliver new profits. We’re excited to see how our restaurant and foodservice partners bring it to life in their kitchens.”

According to Restaurant365's just-released 2026 State of the Restaurant Industry Mid-Year Report, 62 percent of restaurant operators have now implemented or plan to implement AI in at least one back-office function – more than double the rate reported at the start of the year. Among operators already using AI, the report found the majority saw reduced food and labor costs, and nearly nine in ten reported saving time every week. Separate data from the National Restaurant Association found more than a quarter of operators are already using AI in some form.

As those numbers climb, equipment representatives like The Ferri Group are hearing it directly from their own customers with increasing requests for automated and AI-powered robotics solutions, rather than the latest version of a standard oven or fryer.

For Miso, the partnership expands its distribution reach at a moment when the company is rapidly scaling Flippy’s commercial footprint nationally. The new third generation of Flippy recently entered its eighth U.S. state, automating one of the most dangerous and hardest-to-staff jobs in commercial kitchens, while delivering consistent food quality and day one ROI and new profits.

To kick off the partnership, Friedman will present the keynote address at The Ferri Group's Autumn-ation on September 22 in Fairfield, NJ. The free foodservice robotics and automation event brings together equipment, food, technology, and distribution professionals from across the industry to get practical about how automation is changing the commercial kitchen. Learn more and register here.

About Miso
Miso is the leading creator of AI and robotics solutions for modern restaurant, hospitality, and foodservice operators. Powered by the largest AI and robotics patent portfolio in the food industry, the company’s technology platform solves the industry’s most pressing operational challenges, while also delivering new profits. Its flagship product is Flippy Fry Station, a 24/7 AI robot that automates the most dangerous, least desirable, and hardest-to-staff job in food preparation. With the newest generation recently entering its seventh US state, Flippy delivers perfect food quality every time, improved worker safety, and day-one ROI. Miso’s newest AI product, Zippy, is an all-in-one restaurant revenue generator that includes employee rewards, real-time sales analysis and forecasting, and everything else needed to quickly manage labor much more easily and efficiently. The company recently acquired restaurant operations company Zignyl, and the technology and intellectual property of Zume Pizza. With strategic backing from Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) and collaboration support from NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), Miso has become the restaurant industry’s proven and trusted solution for modernization.

About The Ferri Group

The Ferri Group (formerly Pecinka Ferri) represents leading foodservice equipment and supply manufacturers across MAFSI Region 3, providing culinary expertise, training, and business solutions to the hospitality industry. With a hands-on approach and deep industry knowledge, The Ferri Group bridges the gap between innovation and execution - helping clients bring their culinary visions to life through trusted equipment, education, and support.

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Miso

Restaurant AI

Miso Robotics delivers AI automation for restaurants and hospitality. Flippy automates the fry station, reducing labor dependency with consistent execution at twice the throughput of manual operations. Zippy is your employee revenue engine, turning frontline performance into measurable business outcomes in real time.

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