Category: Food and Beverage , Building Automation

AmRest

Wroclaw, Poland

Challenges

Distributed Facility Management: Independently managed restaurants across multiple countries limited centralized visibility, operational control, and operational consistency.
Fragmented Building Systems: Multiple BMS, HVAC, refrigeration, and energy systems created disconnected data and prevented enterprise-wide visibility and analysis.
Limited Scalability: Legacy systems and inconsistent data management made it difficult to standardize operations and support continued global expansion.

Results

Centralized Operations: Unified HVAC, refrigeration, and energy systems across 700+ restaurants in eight countries, enabling centralized monitoring, remote management, and fewer site visits.
Improved Efficiency and Sustainability: Reduced energy waste, optimized maintenance, extended equipment life, and supported sustainability through centralized monitoring and automation.
Accelerated Digital Transformation: Standardized data, visualization, and reporting created a scalable foundation for digital transformation across AmRest's 2,100+ restaurants.

“The project goals related to both cost savings and increased control over the restaurants have been met. In fact, some of these goals are still ongoing because implementing a solution like GENESIS accelerates the evolution of existing processes in a positive direction.”

— Łukasz Grabowski, Global SCADA & CAFM Manager at AmRest

Key Points

Centralized Oversight Across Locations – GENESIS unified HVAC, refrigeration, and energy systems across more than 700 restaurants in eight countries (Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and the Czech Republic), enabling remote monitoring and reducing the need for frequent on-site service.
Improved Efficiency and Sustainability – Centralized monitoring and automation reduced energy waste, extended equipment lifespan, and optimized operational workflows, supporting AmRest’s long-term sustainability and digital transformation goals.
Scalable Platform for Global Expansion – The standardized data collection, real-time visualization, and automated reporting capabilities of GENESIS provided a scalable foundation, paving the way for global rollout across AmRest’s 2,100+ restaurants.

— Łukasz Grabowski, Global SCADA & CAFM Manager at AmRest

Real-time Trends

Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, AmRest is one of Europe’s leading multi-brand restaurant operators, managing over 2,100 restaurants across 22 countries under global franchises like KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Burger King, as well as its own brands, including La Tagliatella, Sushi Shop, and Blue Frog. With a workforce of over 48,000 employees, AmRest operates in a highly dynamic and fast-expanding environment, requiring efficient management of its dispersed technical infrastructure.

Project Summary

As AmRest expanded, managing its geographically distributed facilities became increasingly complex. The company relied on a mix of local BMS systems, PLC controllers for HVAC and ventilation, separate cold storage controllers, and an external energy management system, making centralized oversight difficult. In particular, key challenges included:

Decentralized management: Each facility operated independently, limiting visibility and control.
On-site service model: Issue resolution typically required in-person visits, presenting an opportunity to improve responsiveness and streamline maintenance workflows.
Multiple systems: Different platforms were used to collect and store operational data, creating an opportunity to establish consistency in data management and enable largescale analysis.
Maintenance framework: Service and maintenance activities were managed separately, highlighting the value of a centralized system to improve oversight and efficiency.

Recognizing the need for a more unified operational approach, AmRest sought a SCADA-based automation solution to strengthen facility management, enhance real-time monitoring, and improve operational efficiency. The company decided to begin with its 300 locations in Poland. This initiative aimed to streamline facility management, improve operational efficiency, and lay the foundation for a scalable, global deployment.

AmRest partnered with Elmark Automation S.A. for its expertise in automation solutions and its affiliation with Microsoft and Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions, a seven-time Microsoft Partner of the Year award winner. As the authorized distributor in Warsaw, Poland, Elmark was the ideal choice to fulfill the project requirements. Through this partnership, GENESIS SCADA platform from Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions was selected as the automation platform for the project.

With a strong presence in the industrial automation market across Central and Eastern Europe since 1989, Elmark has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, reliable solutions with precision and accountability. The company’s experienced specialists, equipped with modern technology, confidently handle complex challenges while maintaining the highest standards.

Real-time Trends

Overview of Restaurants

Software Deployed

To optimize system performance, AmRest deployed several key software modules:

GENESIS64™ - Robust and advanced SCADA platform to provide a comprehensive, real-time view of HVAC, refrigeration, and energy systems across multiple locations
Hyper Historian™ - Advanced historical data collection and trend analysis to optimize technical systems
AnalytiX™ BI - A powerful tool for large-scale data analysis and operational reporting
BridgeWorX™64 - A workflow engine automating system processes, alarms, and responses
Energy AnaltyiX™ - An integrated solution for real-time energy monitoring and cost optimization

Additionally, the system leveraged the IoT-friendly MQTT protocol, along with REST API web services, and Microsoft Azure virtual machines to enhance cloud-based monitoring and automation.

Overview of Restaurants

Parameters Settings

Realized Benefits

AmRest realized significant benefits with its deployment of the GENESIS SCADA platform, including:

Remote Facility Management – Operators can now monitor and control HVAC, refrigeration, and other critical systems across more than 700 restaurant locations in eight countries without on-site intervention.
Faster Issue Resolution – The system provides real-time alerts, allowing proactive responses to technical failures before they escalate.
Operational Cost Reduction – Improved energy efficiency and automated maintenance workflows led to significant cost savings.
Scalable and Standardized Data Management – Unified data collection, visualization, and reporting enables large-scale insights and process improvements.
Optimized Energy Consumption – Integration with the existing energy management system reduces energy waste and improves sustainability.

The GENESIS deployment transformed how AmRest manages distributed facilities, providing the visibility, standardization, and control needed to support efficient operations at scale.

Parameters Settings

Conclusion

The successful implementation of GENESIS at AmRest highlights the transformative power of automation and digitalization in the restaurant industry. By centralizing infrastructure management, optimizing energy usage, and streamlining maintenance, the company has enhanced operational efficiency while significantly reducing costs.

The success of the initial deployment established a foundation for continued expansion across Europe. Today, the GENESIS SCADA platform supports more than 700 restaurants, demonstrating the scalability of a centralized automation strategy across a large and geographically distributed restaurant portfolio.