Circus Group: Signs Preliminary Agreement With FLC

Hamburg / DE. (ca1) Circus Group SE, a leading AI robotics company specialising in autonomous kitchen systems, has signed a preliminary agreement with FLC Group, a leading provider of catering services for canteens and community facilities. The partnership aims to introduce Circus Group’s food production robot, «Circus Autonomy One» (CA-1), to kitchen hubs across Germany in a two-phase approach starting in 2025. These hubs will support the catering needs of refugee accommodations, emergency shelters, retirement homes, and other community facilities.

(Photo: Circus Group SE)

The collaboration kicks off with a beta phase, during which one CA-1 unit will be deployed and tested in a catering kitchen in 2025. This initial phase aims to validate the technology’s performance and integration within FLC Group’s operations. Following a successful pilot, both parties plan to expand the deployment to up to 100 CA-1 robots across multiple kitchen hubs, enabling large-scale production of nutritious meals.

FLC Group, which currently serves over 150,000 meals monthly to refugee accommodations and shelters, will leverage Circus Group’s advanced AI and robotics technology to scale its operations more effectively. Designed to produce up to 2,000 freshly prepared meals per day in a compact 7-square-meter space, the CA-1 units will improve efficiency, hygiene and consistency in food service delivery.

CEO Nikolas Bullwinkel: «We are very excited to partner with FLC Group in this collaboration. This partnership allows us to demonstrate the power of our AI-robotics in high-demand environments while directly supporting communities in need. By bringing our Circus Autonomy One technology to refugee accommodations and essential facilities, we’re taking meaningful steps toward equitable access to nutritious meals and making a real difference where it matters most.»

With an estimated cumulative hardware revenue potential in the range of EUR 20 million over the next few years, this partnership represents a significant step toward setting a new benchmark for food service in socially critical settings. The phased rollout aims to integrate Circus Group’s cutting-edge technology into FLC Group’s established operations, ensuring a broad and sustainable impact. The MoU is not legally binding and serves to define the key points of the future contractual agreement until the detailed and legally binding contracts are drawn up.