To achieve the innovation we sought after, we have designed and prototyped a fryer solution which can automatically fry pre-packaged, par-cooked or fresh meals without needing expensive ventilation infrastructure to remove odours. This significantly reduces the investment needed and eliminates costly wastage arising from bulk-frying the food. The automatic frying process also reduces the training needed for operators who are cooking the food, ensuring that the cooking process is controlled by pre-set recipes.

Kombo King will supplement the cost-effective, efficient and consistent frying equipment provided to clients with connectivity previously unseen in local or international fryers – the Kombo King IoT connectivity (currently in development) uses uniquely developed hardware and software to relay useful information to cloud-based data servers. This information can be used to monitor locations, upgrade firmware remotely, monitor compliance, generate useful business information and generate supply chain efficiencies – particularly where these systems do not already exist.

The invention took ten years to realise, using product developers in SA and the current production is through a local manufacturer. It’s a truly South African product. Kombo King has been in operation since May 2011, with a focus on developing world-leading fryer technology since around the start of 2014. By the end of 2014, the well-established team of Zitulele ‘KK’ Combi and Ari Jacobson came together again to pursue the Kombo King concept. Prior to this, they had successfully built in sold Master Currency to Bidvest in 2007, having formed Master Currency in 1995.

Technology is only a reality in a live environment. Kombo King opened retail stores at Cape Town Station and Strand Street in Cape CBD. A chance meeting with PnP leadership led to an invitation to bring the innovation instore. The pilot grew within the Value Store division, and there have been many lessons and many iterations over the last three years in these stores. Steve Jobs famously commented “ship iterations”. Simply put get a good product out into the market and then perfect. This we did. The Kombo King retail stores have been closed and the fryers stand behind the deli-counter in four stores, with a further roll-out into three other stores, as part of a broader exposure to the PnP Group. PnP has now accepted that the Kombo King approach to fried food is the future.

Next came Engen as it rejigged its forecourt offering and soon thereafter King Pie. There is a substantial roll out into both brands.

The fryer has been approved by Test Africa, which sets standards in South Africa for such equipment and the go-ahead from the City Council in that our fryers don’t require extraction.Kombo King, as a technology company in the fast food industry, is always having to balance three priorities, speed, consistency and freshness in delivering a meal. This while ensuring the queues are managed in a satisfactory manner for the customer. No other equipment can do it better!

Kombo King is becoming an innovation leader in the massive fast food industry and is putting South Africa firmly on the innovation map.