In an effort to bolster its 3-D printed food offerings, 3D Systems (DDD 1.58%) acquired The Sugar Lab, a start-up focused on creating customized 3-D printed confections, last September. 3D Systems has since unveiled the ChefJet and ChefJet Pro, two professional-grade sugar 3-D printers, which are expected to ship later this year. Targeting a wide range of culinary applications, the ChefJet series of printers are aimed at making 3D Systems a more serious player in the 3-D printed food space. Although it's too early to assess 3D Systems' market opportunity in dollars, it's clear that high-end restaurants, event planners, bakeries, cruises ships, and culinary aficionados are the intended target market for 3D Systems' upcoming food products.
In the following video, 3-D printing specialist Steve Heller asks Liz von Hasseln, co-founder of The Sugar Lab and creative food director at 3D Systems about the applications that 3D Systems' upcoming ChefJet series of 3-D printers will target. Going forward, 3D Systems investors should watch to see if the strong excitement around 3-D printed food actually translates into strong sales, and whether it could have a meaningful impact on 3D Systems' overall business.
