Sidework

Sidework (formerly Backbar) is a San Diego-based company that makes an intelligent beverage dispenser for the food service industry. The Sidework dispenser can dispense nearly any modern beverage — specialty coffees, energy drinks, dirty sodas, refreshers, and cocktails — in approximately 10 seconds. Unlike traditional dispensers, Sidework accepts any ingredient in any container format (refrigerated, ambient, thick liquids), combines them with precision to 1/20th of a liquid ounce, and is self-cleaning and fully refrigerated. Its accompanying software allows operators to configure custom recipes and menus, integrate with point-of-sale systems, and add new menu items in minutes. The hardware-software system targets cafes, quick-service restaurants (QSR), and full-service restaurants (FSR) seeking to automate and scale complex modern beverage menus without specialized barista training. The company rebranded from Backbar to Sidework in October 2023 when it raised $10M in funding.