Nestlé Deploys Robots to Sell Coffee Machines in Japan

In Japan’s crowded electronics shops, selling coffee machines isn’t easy—customers have questions, need demos, and often just walk past. So in December 2014, Nestlé tried something different: deploying a small army of humanoid robots to help pitch its coffee gear.

Nestlé placed Pepper robots—over 1,000 of them—inside electronics stores across Japan to assist with selling its coffee machines. These robots can answer common questions, interact with customers, and even help identify buying preferences.

What Is Pepper and Why Is Nestlé Using It?

Pepper is a 120-centimeter-tall humanoid robot made by SoftBank. It has a white plastic body, a humanoid face, and a tablet-like screen on its chest. Its manufacturer claims Pepper can understand roughly 80% of spoken conversations. Equipped with basic artificial intelligence, Pepper is designed to engage customers in dialogue, answer their questions, and help them feel more comfortable with their purchase decisions.

How Are the Robots Being Used in Stores?

The Pepper robots were first introduced in a promotional event in early December. During the event, Pepper was seen asking a TV host questions like, "What kind of coffee do you like? The first option: eye-opening coffee. The second: an after-dinner coffee." This lighthearted interaction was part of a broader effort to attract attention and stimulate customer engagement around Nestlé’s coffee machines. Pepper’s role is not just to entertain—it actively assists in guiding customers through options and collecting their preferences.

What Does Nestlé and SoftBank Say About the Initiative?

In a joint statement, Nestlé and SoftBank said the robots help "discover customer needs through conversation and dialogue." The partnership aims to enhance the retail experience by providing a novel, interactive way to engage potential buyers. Pepper is not merely a gimmick; it’s positioned as a tool for better understanding consumer behavior in real time.

Where Else Have Pepper Robots Been Deployed?

Pepper was first unveiled by SoftBank in July 2014. Since then, it has been used in 74 SoftBank mobile phone stores across Japan, where it helped collect customer feedback. Its deployment in Nestlé’s partner electronics stores marks a new application beyond telecom: retail sales support for consumer appliances, specifically coffee machines.

What Are the Technical Capabilities of Pepper?

Pepper’s artificial intelligence system is designed to adapt over time. Engineers claim it can expand its conversational abilities by listening to customers and learning from interactions. Though its understanding is limited to around 80% of typical speech, it represents a step forward in retail-oriented robotics. The robot can gesture, speak, and display information on its chest screen to aid communication.

When and Where Will Pepper Be Available for Purchase?

Pepper will be available for public purchase starting in February 2015. The retail price is set at 198,000 yen (approximately 1,670 USD), with an added monthly service fee. This makes it one of the few humanoid robots available for both commercial and personal use, aimed at businesses and tech enthusiasts alike.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pepper and who manufactures it?

Pepper is a 120-cm humanoid robot with a white plastic body and a tablet-like chest screen, manufactured by SoftBank. It is designed to recognize and respond to human emotions and carry out conversations.

How many Pepper robots has Nestlé deployed in Japan?

Nestlé has placed over 1,000 Pepper robots in electronics stores across Japan to assist with selling coffee machines and interacting with customers.

What can Pepper do in a retail environment?

Pepper can answer customer questions, recommend products, engage in dialogue, and help identify customer preferences, improving the retail experience for buyers of Nestlé coffee machines.

How well does Pepper understand human speech?

Pepper’s AI is reported to understand around 80% of normal conversations. Its understanding and responses are based on programmed language recognition and conversational algorithms.

Where else has Pepper been used before Nestlé?

Before being used by Nestlé, Pepper was deployed in 74 SoftBank mobile phone stores in Japan, where it was used to collect customer feedback and assist shoppers.

When will Pepper be available for consumers to buy, and how much does it cost?

Pepper goes on public sale in February 2015 for 198,000 yen (about 1,670 USD), with an additional monthly service fee required for operation.