Shaking things up in Bali, Makr Shakr will install robotic bartender Toni at a new resort on the island in 2023. Rose Dykins reports
Makr Shakr, the world’s leading manufacturer of robotic bartenders, is bringing its intriguing mixology experience to an upcoming resort chain in Bali in 2023, to coincide with Indonesia’s tourism relaunch.
Makr Shakr’s flagship robot Toni will be mixing the drinks at the tropical beach location, creating an efficient, social experience for guests. Toni will operate from a new bar situated 200 metres from the shoreline of Bali’s Nelayan Beach in the peaceful village of Canggu.
The drink-mixing robot can hold up to 150 different bottles of spirits, juices, mixers and garnishes, is programmed to prepare a vast range of classic and cutting-edge cocktails based on commands sent by the Makr Shakr smartphone app, which lets users choose their perfect drink.
Toni’s two mechanical arms make it able to measure and mix cocktails to follow a recipe with extreme accuracy, with sensors that let them shake, stir, muddle and pour.
Emanuele Rossetti, chief executive office of Makr Shakr, says: “To many, the automated arms of Makr Shakr might evoke impressions of a sci-fi movie. But by replacing electronic music with crashing waves, the new bar will show people a softer side of robotics.
“The movements of Toni perfectly encapsulate the exuberance of Bali’s natural setting and its diverse communities. It is also a prolific conversation starter, bringing people closer together with a magnetic show in front and drinks in their hands.”
Makr Shakr’s Bali debut marks another step of the brand’s expansion into South East Asia. In early 2023, two of its robotic bartending units are set to be installed in two different terminals of Singapore Changi Airport. Meanwhile, over in the US, a new Toni is also set to get to work to Dallas in 2023.
Launched in 2014, and based in Turin – the birthplace of Vermouth – Makr Shakr’s robotic bartending systems combine robotics with Italian design.
The company aims to empower people by immersing them in new robotic interactions and make customers into mixologists by allowing them to create their own cocktails while the robots perform each step of the mixing process and follow their instructions.
Makr Shakr initially created its Bionic Bar concept, which serves cocktails across certain Royal Caribbean cruise ships, malls and hotels internationally.
The company then launched Toni as the first robotic bartender to cater for the mass market. With Toni, Makr Shakr aims to further encourage people to think about the changes introduced by the trend for “robotisation” and the social implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolustion.
In recent years, Makr Shakr’s robotic arms have served more than a million perfectly crafted drinks and produced a record of 800 cocktails in one night.