Mrs. Jetson presses a button on her Space Age stove…and gets beautiful flatbreads. If it sounds like the future, the future is now. A Swiss start-up firm has created a machine that allows anyone to make fresh tortilla flatbreads instantly. The dough is contained in Nespresso-like pods, and with a single press of a button.
Flatbread evolution
It all started when founder Carlos Ruiz wanted to have fresh, warm tortillas at home and was inspired by Nespresso’s capsule technology. He wondered if it was possible to have dough inside of the pods instead of coffee, and found out that it was.
The pod concept seems to be revolutionizing the food industry. In this case, those who want fresh, warm tortillas will no longer have to open a plastic package of tortillas and warm them in a pan, microwave or in the oven, wondering how many minutes to cook it in order to not burn it. Instead, one can just put the capsule into the machine and press the button. The machine opens the pod, flattens the dough, cooks it, and a fresh, warm tortilla pops out in less than a minute.
Flatev’s team has won several startup competitions around the world, and has secured funding to the tune of 5 million USD for the idea. The name of the company comes from a combination of the words “flatbread” and “evolution”. The company now has two offices in New York and Zurich.
Pods
Pods will be available in two main varieties: wheat and corn tortillas, with cinnamon, bacon, chipotle, and plain flavours. The company is planning to extend the line with Indian rotis and other flavours. Its doughs do not contain any preservatives, and have been specially developed by food scientists. Pods can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and for longer in the freezer.
When and where
Flatev is planning to enter the US market later this year. The retail price of the machine is expected to be around $290 US, and $0.90 per pod. Pre-orders can be taken here .
Sources:
http://flatev.com/faq/
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/pod-based-dough-machine-serves-tasty-flatbread/story?id=23935475
It's a good idea, I like it!