New products and AI technology are put to the test in Greene King’s ‘innovation pubs’

Greene King, the UK’s leading pub company and brewer, is putting the latest technology to the test in real-life pub environments to measure its effectiveness on customers, teams and operational excellence, as well as its money-saving potential.

Cooking, cleaning and communication tools are among innovative kit being trialled in day-to-day pub operations by team members and customers. This is part of Greene King’s new ‘innovation pub’ scheme, a programme designed to test a wide range of new products and smart technology to explore efficiencies across the business.

Teams at two managed pubs in Leicestershire, the Charnwood Arms and the Two Steeples, have relished the chance to work with the latest equipment and gadgets over the past eight months, with further tech to be put to the test in-pub during 2026.

State-of-the-art fryers, grills and extraction equipment, intelligent dispense cellar equipment, team headsets, camera monitoring and cordless backpack vacuum cleaners are among new technology and artificial intelligence (AI) equipment being trialled. Digitalising administration tasks to reduce paperwork, AI food waste capture technology, AI gantries and smart vending are also under the microscope.

The pub teams are making the most of real-time communication via headsets connecting front and back of house; ‘press for attention’ buttons at reception reduce dwell times for customers; intelligent dispense in the cellars has improved beer yield and quality; new energy efficient grills running off a three-pin plug and energy efficient and oil-saving fryers have proved they can handle all the kitchen demands from day to night. Additionally, a new intelligent airflow system adjusts extraction depending on the current level of cooking. Oil can be used for three times longer in the new fryers without impacting on quality of the food served. Cleaning has been made less cumbersome and more user-friendly thanks to cordless vacuum backpacks which are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

Further trials are underway with AI-camera technology which has enhanced the existing pub cameras, allowing for remote monitoring of CCTV footage.

Greene King’s Chief Operating Officer, Clair Preston-Beer, said: “We are pleased to be capturing the power of artificial intelligence and innovation in our pubs. We are putting this equipment through its paces in busy, live pub environments to really measure the positive impact and scalable potential in the wider business. Today’s customers rightly expect an outstanding pub experience - it is key to all we do – and we want our teams to have the best tools to work with. At the same time, we must be operationally efficient given the current costs of doing business. Operational savings give us the opportunity to invest further in our pubs and our people.

“Unlocking the potential of AI and innovation will enhance service levels, customer and team member satisfaction. We are seeing cost savings through, for example, reduced energy usage, less travel costs with more AI and digital information management, and we can use our cooking oil for longer – all this without affecting quality or service.”

The in-pub test and trials are part of Greene King’s ongoing multi-million-pound investment in innovation and efficiency, bringing in digital and emerging technologies and building on the successes of the new customer loyalty app and the Internet of Things devices. There will be a wider rollout dependent on the learnings at the two innovation pubs.

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For more information or any other media enquiries, please contact pressoffice@greeneking.co.uk.  

Notes to editors

Greene King is the country’s leading pub company and brewer with c.2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland.

At Greene King we are passionate about delivering our purpose to ‘pour happiness into lives’. That’s for our customers, our team, our pub partners, our suppliers and the communities in which we live, operate and serve. Founded in 1799 with offices in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire we employ around 40,000 people across the group with three divisions: Greene King pubs, Destination Brands & Ventures, and Brewing & Brands.

• Greene King pubs: Greene King pubs is our mainstream pub brand located where people and communities come together; pubs enjoyed in cities, towns and villages throughout the country with clear ambition to be “The Nation’s Most Loved Pub Brand”. Pub Partners runs our tenanted and leased pubs business and Hive and Nest franchise pubs.

• Destination Brands & Ventures: Destination Brands is a portfolio of distinct brands which includes Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Flaming Grill that bring friends and family together, delivering great service, quality and value for money for a range of eating out and drinking occasions. Venture includes Hickory’s, Premium (Crafted Pubs & Metropolitan Pub Company) and Hotels which operate autonomously of Greene King’s managed pub brands.

• Brewing & Brands covers the brewing sides of the business. Quality ales are brewed at the Westgate brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. Our industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best and our premium beers, Level Head and Flint Eye, brewed for the modern-day drinker.

For more information or any other media enquiries, please contact pressoffice@greeneking.co.uk.  

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