An inventor from Wisconsin just poured $4.3 million into making coffee appear in under 30 moments. Grant Gyesky’s Octane Coffee has already served the initial drink from a additional automated stand in Brookfield.
Demand was so brisk that signs for two more kiosks popped up near Milwaukee’s airport within a week of opening. The sudden surge fits wider market trends in quick-service coffee. A new State Trade report shows drive-thru coffee visits rising 17 percent across the Midwest in 2024. Analysts note franchise opportunities growing fastest where workers face long commutes but limited time.
Octane slots into this niche by placing kiosks beside heavily traveled roads and grocery centers. The new Brookfield stand operates inside a square steel box the size of a shipping container.
Customers skip the line by ordering on the phone app while driving. GPS tells the robotic barista when they’ll arrive, so espresso starts pouring about ten seconds before the car reaches the window. The system requires zero staff on site, cutting both wages and square footage. Partnerships with Milwaukee roaster Stone Creek Coffee and local cold-brew label Pilcrow handle supply, keeping cups under five dollars each.
Local planners in Greenfield and Hales Corners have now received site plans from the company’s representative, Kent Schwitzer. Traffic studies filed with the city show peaks topping 210 cars between seven and nine thirty on week days. Residents at a public hearing raised mild privacy concerns about app tracking but no formal objections. The council vote is set for next month.
Meanwhile, franchise opportunities circulate quietly on industry boards. Several brokers confirm Octane is shopping a license model priced near $180,000 to cover kiosk, robot arm, software, and initial ingredient pack. This innovative approach mirrors the global coffee culture evolution, where establishments adapt to meet the demand for convenience and efficiency.
Market trends indicate strong investor interest in automation, especially after recent quarterly gains by rival CuppaGo and the milestone revelation of a fully robotic McDonald’s test unit in Texas. No signed deals are public yet, but managers hint Boston and Denver inquiries arrived after the latest viral TikTok video shot at the Pewaukee flagship. It gained 2.4 million views in 48 hours.
