SINGAPORE – Workers in South Beach’s office tower can now get purchases such as ready-to-eat meals, drinks and snacks from a nearby 7-Eleven store delivered directly to them by a robot.

The fleet of seven robots by home-grown start-up QuikBot Technologies can navigate the maze of lifts, walkways and office gantries autonomously, and even hand items over to one another along the way. Orders are placed through the QuikBot app.

Bot delivery is part of a host of concepts now in operation under Hive 2.0, a high-tech retail innovation hub at Esplanade Xchange. The air-conditioned underground retail strip linked to Esplanade MRT station is operated by SMRT’s business arm Stellar Lifestyle.

The 297 sq m hub comprises 10 unique retail experiences by start-ups focusing on automation, robotics and digital retail services. It was launched on Jan 22 by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling.

One concept is 7-Eleven Shop & Go, the convenience store chain’s first unmanned and cashier-free store in Singapore where customers can tap into a gantry to pre-authorise their credit cards, pick items off the shelves, and exit. 

Their credit cards are charged accordingly, and a QR code can be scanned to get an itemised receipt.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology and smart cameras track and detect customers’ shopping behaviour in the store, which can currently hold up to five people at a time.

Other featured concepts include Mr.R Robotics, an adaptive robotics retail store where frozen, chilled and ambient products are picked up by a robotic arm once selected, as well as Le Tach Vending, a vending machine operator that stocks products like herbal teas, bak kwa and fresh fruit.

Ms Low noted that tools utilised by these busineses, such as AI, can help alleviate issues like the manpower crunch. “These innovations can help lower operational costs, boost sales and address manpower and logistics challenges often faced by retailers,” she said.

In October 2022, Enterprise Singapore unveiled an updated industry transformation map for the retail sector, with a focus on areas such as helping Singapore brands go abroad. A key strategy was to catalyse fresh experiential concepts and innovations to meet ever-changing consumer demands.

In the same month, the first iteration of The Hive was also set up. Ms Low noted how The Hive has since sped up the digital transformation of hundreds of retailers on Stellar Lifestyle’s network via the implementation of smart point-of-sale systems to their tenants.

“Consumers need novel ideas and experiences, so retailers that are quick and agile in adapting their business models and their products to meet ever-changing consumer needs will have a unique selling point, because they will be able to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and grow and transform,” Ms Low added.

Expansion plans

Speaking at Hive 2.0’s opening, Stellar Lifestyle president Tony Heng said: “What you see here today could scale across the train network in the future.”

The priority is to implement some of the concepts in SMRT’s transit retail spaces following their time in the test bed, he added.

He said: “As long as (the tenants) are confident after the validation period, we are prepared to move them to other spaces – depending on the profile of their customers and where suits them best.”

For instance, the 7-Eleven Shop & Go store will run for at least six months at Hive 2.0 while the company gathers and reviews feedback before deciding on where to implement it next.

The wheels are already in motion for QuikBot Technologies to roll out its seamless robot delivery system in other commercial establishments around the Republic.

From February, it will be rolled out at Suntec City, and eventually in office buildings like Marina One and Centennial Tower. There are also plans for the robots to service South Beach Residences and JW Marriott Hotel.

QuikBot founder and chief executive Alan Ng said the firm aims to serve 400 buildings in the next four years, servicing about 1.2 million professionals, managers, executives and technicians.

“Singapore is a stepping stone,” he added. “We are a smart city solution, so we are establishing our presence in cities like Dubai in the next three months, and then moving to Tokyo and Seoul.”