Appliance Innovation (AI), a leader in advanced foodservice engineering, is accelerating nationwide deployment of its Automated Fresh Brew SimpliciTea platform— a high-performance beverage platform proven to deliver measurable financial returns, operational savings, and category-changing results for beverage programs.

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SimpliciTea has already been deployed at scale across major national retailers, including installation of its 425th unit at QuikTrip. Additional national chains are evaluating the platform through pilot programs supporting continued expansion across convenience retail locations nationwide. The platform delivers measurable profit growth, reduces labor dependency, and transforms beverage operations in high-volume environments.

Unlike traditional batch brewing systems, SimpliciTea brews tea fresh on demand, eliminating the waste, downtime, and labor associated with batch preparation.

Operators using SimpliciTea report measurable operational gains, including:

• Up to 90% reduction in labor requirements and product waste
• Self-cleaning operation that reduces daily maintenance
• Fresh and consistent taste in every cup
• Expanded offerings with multiple sweetness levels and flavor options
• Rapid payback timelines within the first year of installation

“Operators need solutions that actually make them money,” said Phil McKee, Founder and CEO of Appliance Innovation and inventor of TurboChef. “With SimpliciTea, we’re seeing systems pay for themselves within the first year while generating $25,000 in additional annual profit. Those numbers come from real installations operating every day.”

In addition to operational improvements, SimpliciTea delivers built-in beverage analytics that provide visibility into consumer preferences. The system tracks selections such as flavor choices and sweetness levels, allowing operators to optimize product mix and better align beverage programs with customer demand.

As beverage programs become an increasingly critical profit center, early adopters report measurable gains in efficiency, product consistency, and profitability.

“Iced tea is a critical category for our business, and we saw a clear opportunity to improve both product quality and operational efficiency,” said Stephanie Hurt, former Head of Innovation & Product Development at QuikTrip. “With the SimpliciTea platform, we’ve reduced waste, simplified daily operations, and expanded flavor and sweetening options while maintaining consistency across every location.”

SimpliciTea is now available nationwide for operators seeking to expand beverage programs, improve operational efficiency, and increase profitability.

For more information, visit getsimplicitea.com.

About Appliance Innovation

Appliance Innovation (AI), headquartered in Richardson, Texas, develops advanced foodservice equipment designed to improve speed, labor efficiency, consistency, and profitability. With more than 100 patents and a track record that includes technologies such as TurboChef, the company creates next-generation systems for commercial kitchens and beverage programs.

Its Automated Fresh Brew portfolio includes SimpliciTea and COFU (Coffee Of The Future), delivering customizable beverages through compact, self-cleaning platforms for high-volume environments. The AFB SimpliciTea 1500 received a 2025 Kitchen Innovations Award from the National Restaurant Association.

For more information, contact Theresa Hunt (thunt@thepointgroup.com)

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