An ice cream maker is disclosed, comprising a cooling unit (4A; 10; 13) and a stirring container (4), characterised in that said stirring container (4) consists of a compartment where the ingredients for the final product are added in the form of cartridge or capsule (15) which is opened and stirred in upon production.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

Methods of manufacturing shelf stable pods containing food or drink to be rapidly cooled, include inserting a mixing paddle into an aluminum can through an open end of a body of the can and sterilizing the can and mixing paddle at temperatures below a stress relief temperature of the can in a first aseptic chamber. The method also includes filling the can with a sterilized food or drink in the aseptic chamber, sealing a sterilized base of the can to the open end of the body of the can with a food-safe adhesive to create a hermetic seal, removing the can from the first aseptic chamber while maintaining the hermetic seal outside the first aseptic chamber, and mechanically seaming the base to the can.

The invention is directed to a confection package comprising of a plastic mould product (1) comprising a horizontal planar surface (5), a first recess space (2) for a confection, a second recess space (3) for one end of a handle (6), a planar cover sheet (7), a volume of a freezable or frozen confection (8) as present within the first recess space (2), and a handle (6). An intermediate part (11) of the handle (6) is positioned below planar cover sheet (7) and positioned in a third recess space (20) provided with a base surface (15) on which the intermediate part (11) of the handle rests. The base surface (15) is provided with one or more grooves (22).

The invention is directed to a confection package comprising of a plastic mould product (1) comprising a horizontal planar surface (5), a first recess space (2) for a confection, a second recess space (3) for one end of a handle (6), a planar cover sheet (7), a volume of a freezable or frozen confection (8) as present within the first recess space (2), and a handle (6). An intermediate part (11) of the handle (6) is positioned below planar cover sheet (7) and positioned in a third recess space (20) provided with a base surface (15) on which the intermediate part (11) of the handle rests. The base surface (15) is provided with one or more grooves (22).

A self-serve kiosk system comprising a controller interfacing an order configuration interface and a scoop subsystem comprising a robotic arm having a scoop mechanism at a distal end thereof. The scoop mechanism has a coplanar rim about the interior and the controller controls the robotic arm in a particular manner to position the scoop mechanism in relation to an ice cream container in accordance with an order received via the order configuration interface, to lower the scoop mechanism into the ice cream container and to stroke until the coplanar rim hits flat against an opposing inner side wall surface of the container thereby entrapping a fixed volume of ice cream between the opposing inner side wall surface and the interior of the scoop so that a fixed volume of ice cream can be extracted from the ice cream container for dispensing.

A self-serve kiosk system comprising a controller interfacing an order configuration interface and a scoop subsystem comprising a robotic arm having a scoop mechanism at a distal end thereof. The scoop mechanism has a coplanar rim about the interior and the controller controls the robotic arm in a particular manner to position the scoop mechanism in relation to an ice cream container in accordance with an order received via the order configuration interface, to lower the scoop mechanism into the ice cream container and to stroke until the coplanar rim hits flat against an opposing inner side wall surface of the container thereby entrapping a fixed volume of ice cream between the opposing inner side wall surface and the interior of the scoop so that a fixed volume of ice cream can be extracted from the ice cream container for dispensing.

A thermally efficient container system having a lid and a base that has a chamber to include a frozen product, or a hot product. The container system includes an outer container including an outer tub and an outer lid. The outer lid can be coupled to the outer tub via one or more hinges. The container system also includes an inner container including an inner tub configured to fit into the outer tub and form a first cavity between at least a portion of the inner tub and the outer tub, and an inner lid configured to fit within at least a portion of the outer lid and adjacent to a proximal surface of the outer lid forming an enclosed second cavity between the inner lid and the outer lid. The container system can include one or more locking assemblies that are configured to secure the lid to the base.

A thermally efficient container system having a lid and a base that has a chamber to include a frozen product, or a hot product. The container system includes an outer container including an outer tub and an outer lid. The outer lid can be coupled to the outer tub via one or more hinges. The container system also includes an inner container including an inner tub configured to fit into the outer tub and form a first cavity between at least a portion of the inner tub and the outer tub, and an inner lid configured to fit within at least a portion of the outer lid and adjacent to a proximal surface of the outer lid forming an enclosed second cavity between the inner lid and the outer lid. The container system can include one or more locking assemblies that are configured to secure the lid to the base.