Healthy Vending Machines — Healthy Vending Blog

Vending Machines and Socially Responsible Business

July 29, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

You might be asking “What the heck to vending machines have to do with socially responsible business?” My answer: everything. Vending machines play a key role in food distribution in our country, and food is obviously an essential part of life. That brown box down the hall from you in the break room holds more power than you think, for better or for worse….

Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.
Albert Einstein

I don’t bust out Albert Einstein quotes lightly. I only use them when I really need to drive a point home, and that point is this: everything you do as a company, down to the smallest choices you make, has an impact. Its often the little things that get overlooked, too. For example, how many companies out there claim to be socially responsible and yet still only provide their employees with unhealthy snack and drink options from vending machines that also have a huge carbon footprint? While these companies may be socially responsible on a large scale, what about the health of its employees and the health of the planet?

I know what you’re thinking: “Is this guy serious? Vending machines? We have bigger fish to fry!” Well, what I’m saying is how are you going to expect your employees to perform at their peak when they are putting crap in their bodies throughout the workday? And how can you really say you’re a “green” company when you won’t replace your traditional, energy-sucking vending machines with modern eco-friendly vending machines stocked with health food?

Let me hit you with hard numbers if you’re still not convinced:

A study led by University of Cincinnati on obesity’s effects on productivity on 341 manufacturing workers indicated that health-related losses in productivity were 4.2% for moderate to obese workers, costing the company $1,800 per year in absenteeism related costs!

So let’s say your company is made up of the average distribution of people in the U.S. (30% obese). If you have 1,000 employees then 300 are obese. 300 x $1,800 = $540,000 per year.

That’s half a million greenbacks!

While you can’t be responsible for the lifestyle decisions your employees make, the least you could do is provide them with healthy snack options while they work.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, Healthy Vending Machines, Philosophies & Beliefs, THE VENDING INDUSTRY, The Bigger Picture, Vending Trends

The Future is Here: Healthy Vending Machines

July 26, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

Am I the only one extremely disappointed that its 2010 and we are STILL not driving flying cars, watching hologram TV, and popping tasty meals in pill form? Its downright absurd! But I guess to be fair, there are some pretty cool things that have come out. For example: healthy vending machines. That’s right, I said it. There are actually vending machines that dispense health food and sports performance products!

These aren’t your typical big brown boxes with coils just outfitted with a different product mix, either. These healthy vending machines are high-tech! Here’s what I’m talking about:

An LCD Screen: If I could afford it, every wall in my house would be an LCD screen. A vending machine should be no different. Plus, how cool is it to have nutrition facts displayed on screen of the food products you’re about to buy? Its not like you can open the machine up and read the labels. If you have to put guesswork into your healthy snack options, then you’re probably not eating as healthy as you could be.

Cashless payment options: Like most of us, I am horrible at keeping cash around. And nothing is worse than walking by a vending machine hoping for a healthy snack and coming up with lint. Plastic money rules, plain and simple.

Sensors that guarantee that the machine vends correctly: This is as refreshing as the natural and organic options in these machines. You know the diagram on vending machines showing what NOT to do? (i.e. tipping the machines towards you?) Yep, I’ve been THAT guy. Because when I get ripped off by an ugly brown box, I feel stupid. And when I feel stupid, I get angry. Angry + Stupid = I am the guy in the diagram.

Eco-Friendly Design: We all love Mother Earth. (By “we” I am not including British Petroleum). These healthy vending machines use up to 50% less energy than standard vending machines. This means that when you use a traditional vending machine, you are actually harming your body and the environment. Whether you buy organic, natural, or simply healthier food from a healthy vending machine its a double-whammy of positive impact for your body and for the earth.

The bottom line is that while we still may not be able to swallow a complete steak dinner the size of an aspirin, the convenience of a high-tech healthy vending machine is a pretty cool substitute.

Filed Under: HEALTHY VENDING, Healthy Vending Machines, THE VENDING INDUSTRY, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: healthier food, healthy food, healthy snacks, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, natural, organic, vending machine, vending machines

Obesity Gets Knocked Out by Healthy Vending Machines Thanks to the Boys & Girls Club of Ada County, ID!

July 22, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

Muhammad Ali. Joe Louis. Sugar Ray Robinson.

Obesity and malnutrition would rather step into the ring with these boxing greats than the Boys & Girls Club of Ada County, Idaho.

The mission of the Boys & Girls Club is “to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”

Gotta love ‘em.

On July 20th, the Garden City and Meridian clubs joined the fight to promote health for its kids by implementing a state of the art healthy vending program through H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending. With a high tech machine installed at each club, the positive and measurable impact on the kids’ health has begun.

Star athletes from Boise State and nutrition experts participated in an educational event before unveiling the machines, speaking to the children about the importance of nutrition and exercise at the Moseley Center.

CHECK OUT THE NEWS COVERAGE OF THE EVENT!

Local H.U.M.A.N. operators Amy and John Hobbing are excited to be the first exclusive healthy vending operators in Idaho: “As leaders in the Treasure Valley have come to realize, poor nutrition and obesity are not just bad for kids, but its bad for business. One out of every three adults and children are now classified as overweight or obese. The cost of poor health is well documented: lost productivity, higher healthcare costs and a lower quality of life. We have decided to take a stand against poor health and help innovative organizations and leaders like the Boys & Girls Club bring the right kind of tools to help kids and adults with better nutritional choices. Lastly, we want people to know that good health can taste good!”

When I was a kid, I couldn’t tell you the difference between sodium and simple carbohydrates. Heck, most of the time I couldn’t even match my socks. Not surprisingly, not much has changed. In Garden City, the kids crowded around the colorful and high-tech machine feeding it quarters and excitedly retrieving their snacks as reporters quizzed them on what the basic ingredients were. The look on the kids’ faces said it all: “I don’t know, lady, I just know it tastes good!”

With a customized array of snacks chosen for both taste and nutritional content, kids and parents were not disappointed.

I have to say that nothing warms my heart more than seeing a kid chugging Hansen’s soda instead of Pepsi. My wife was offended by this because apparently our wedding video should take precedence, but that’s neither here nor there.

And as childhood obesity rates soar throughout the country, the Boys & Girls Club in Ada County, Idaho has scored a first round knockout.

Filed Under: H.U.M.A.N., HEALTHY VENDING, Happenings, Health & Nutrition, Healthy Vending Machines, Lifestyle, Vending News Tagged With: healthy food, healthy snacks, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, Successful vending, vending machines, vending machines in school, vending machines in schools

Top 7 Criticisms of Healthy Vending Machines in SF and Why They’re Wrong

July 21, 2010 By Jim Wolfe 1 Comment

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has come under fire for banning soda from vending machines on city property. I’m going to address the Top 7 Criticisms:

1. The government doesn’t have the right
2. There is no difference between soda and milk
3. People should be drinking water not milk
4. People are smart enough to decide for themselves
5. It’s dangerous for diabetics
6. It’s the wrong move
7. It won’t do anything

Filed Under: H.U.M.A.N., HEALTHY VENDING, Healthy Vending Machines, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: healthy vending machines

Get Schooled on Healthy Vending Snacks

July 21, 2010 By Scott Price 1 Comment

Do you know what kinds of products are offered in a traditional vending machine? Of course you do, unless you live under a rock. Now what about healthy vending machines? Do you know what kinds of products are in those? Probably not, right? Watch to get schooled!

Filed Under: HEALTHY VENDING, Healthy Vending Machines, Healthy Vending Products

H.U.M.A.N.: Creating Healthy Vending Success

February 9, 2010 By John Pinto Leave a Comment

Why We Succeed at Schools While Traditional Vending Companies Fail

Education, Marketing & Promotion at School

In the world of traditional vending, an operator will conduct next to no on-location marketing & promotions. They place the machine, fill it, and once in a while change out products that aren’t selling. That’s it. This is a flawed model regardless of the type of business one is running (what’s more important than marketing & education?), and it’s especially flawed when running a business whose goal is to implement healthier snacks & drinks at school.

Healthy snack brands are often times less recognizable than traditional vending machine fare — students need to be taught about the items. Most importantly, they need to taste the items and learn for themselves that healthy snacks & drinks can and should taste good! These are not your grandma’s healthy foods — they taste just as good as traditional vending fare, but are just a whole lot healthier. Via sampling events, coupon giveaways, digital & standard signage, and consistent promotional strategies (all optional but highly recommended), H.U.M.A.N. operators get to know students and integrate directly into the school’s healthy vending initiative. This has a huge impact!

Innovative Machines Made for Healthy Vending

Selling healthy snacks from a standard, ugly, and boring vending machine is like trying to sell a new car from a used auto parts lot. It’s not going to work. Healthy vending success is all about creating a paradigm shift in the students’ minds regarding what vending, or automated retail, is all about. If the delivery channel is the exact same as standard vending, the students’ minds will expect the same products & experience. The delivery channel needs to change.

By using only new, unique looking machines with customized graphics that tell students “these machines are cool, premium, and good-for-you,” students are much more likely to approach them. And when they do approach them, they’re going to expect something different than traditional vending, and this is what we give them. That’s the whole point! Additionally, by adding innovative technology such as LCD screens, cashless card readers, and automatic conveyor sensor systems, the machines’ “cool” factor is maximized in a big way.

Running out of time today! So check out the next blog post for Part II of this bloviation…

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Healthy Vending Guidelines, Healthy Vending Machines, Healthy Vending Products, Philosophies & Beliefs, Vending Tips & Tricks

The Future of Retail: Automation

February 4, 2010 By John Pinto Leave a Comment

Having face-to-face interactions in business is becoming more and more obsolete. Of course, companies still have huge call centers and high rise buildings with employees that interact daily… but how often do these company employees speak in-person to their customers? In most cases, not often.

Some may argue the need for face-to-face interaction is becoming less of a necessity. With limitless Internet access and easy-to-use search engines, like Google, consumers are becoming educated on products in a short period of time. This has allowed online retail stores to see unprecedented profits. The one problem with ordering products online, is not being able to see the item. This is a turn off for some buyers as these people would likely feel more comfortable going into a store. Retailers, both online and in store fronts, are noticing a gap in the marketplace. What about 100% Automation?

The vending industry is being shaken up by different initiatives put forth by a few major brands.With the advancement in technology, companies like Best Buy, Apple, and Sony are breaking into the world of automated retailing. Vending machines are no longer your standard black box machines with unhealthy snacks and drinks. They are becoming mini automated retailers with interesting, eye-catching graphics that can sell anything and everything. These interactive “stores” require little servicing, no employee supervision, and can be open 24/7. What a business!

From the start, H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending has been pushing the limits in automated retailing. Not only do we have a great product catalog with over 1000 healthy snacks and drinks, but also, our machines are capable of vending just about anything that fits. Our custom, healthy vending machines are being used in locations across the country to serve customers what they want! In our gym locations, for example, we offer our nutritious snacks but also incorporate tanning goggles, lotions, head phones, workout towels, gym clothes, and much more into our location-friendly planograms!

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Healthy Vending Machines, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture, Vending News, Vending Trends

How To CRUSH It In The Vending Industry…

January 29, 2010 By John Pinto Leave a Comment

Many people think the vending industry is simple. Simply stated, it’s not!

When looking at all facets of vending, the most valuable factor is finding the right location. Smoothly operating machines equipped with healthy snacks & drinks, in addition to great service, mean nothing without solid location placement.

Having constructive marketing materials and the perfect pitch are two important aspects of this placement process. Here at H.U.M.A.N., we have developed a location acquisition process that directs us to prime locations. We use a combination of direct mail, fax blasts, e-mail blasts, and telemarketing to narrow down a list of 1,000 locations to just 25 optimal healthy vending sites. Next, we have a H.U.M.A.N. team member, not a third party, travel to the placement site. This member explains to the location personnel the goals of our healthy vending program and why we have considerably more to offer when compared to a standard “junk food vending machine.”

So what comes next? After visiting a potential placement site, our team is sure to follow up. Our team is easy to contact and easy to talk to. Once a contract is signed, the new healthy vending machines are ready to be placed in their new home!

From a business aspect, sales may be worse, better, or equal to what was expected. Many vending operators and companies believe they can do very little to improve their machine sales. H.U.M.A.N. argues the opposite. Of course there are different marketing initiatives that can be done to improve sales at specific locations! A few of the H.U.M.A.N tactics are listed below:

1) Free Vending Dollars: We pass out vending coupons to customers at different locations, allowing them to purchase products for free. This gets consumers to use the machine, so the next time around they are more likely to make a purchase on their own.

2) On-Site Internal Marketing Campaigns: We conduct e-mail blasts, fax blasts, and hand out flyers on-site to make potential customers aware of there new healthy vending machine and what it has to offer.

3) Sampling Events: Typically, healthier brands are not as recognizable when compared to traditional junk food brands. Hosting on-site sampling events allows people to try these new-aged healthy products. Just 10 years ago, many healthy snacks tasted like cardboard, but now, with the advancements technology and product development, companies are sending products in the marketplace that are not only healthy for you, but also, taste amazing!

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Entrepreneurship, Healthy Vending Guidelines, Healthy Vending Machines, Philosophies & Beliefs, Vending News, Vending Tips & Tricks

The “Super Human” Vending Machine Is Dominating a Stagnant Industry

January 26, 2010 By John Pinto Leave a Comment

From the moment you see a H.U.M.A.N. vendor, it’s obvious this it’s not your average vending machine. H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending machines were engineered specifically to make YOU, our vending partner, more money in healthy vending…period.

We use an effective blend of new technology, attractive graphics, and optimized product offerings to maximize your revenue potential and reduce the time you need to spend on & in your business. This allows you to spend more time doing what you love to do. Isn’t that what life is really all about?

The 3 Primary Goals of the H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending Machines are:

1. First and foremost, maximize revenues and profits for our vending operator partners.

2. Make operating and maintaining our machines easier for our vending operators.

3. Create happy, healthy customers and fight obesity and malnutrition though charitable giving.

How the Super Human Machine doubles to triples your profits!!

Advertising: The LCD screens, internal PC computer, and advanced ad-serving system allow you to display a variety of digital video ads on your machine. An additional profit stream!

Education: Consumers are provided with the product info, nutritional advice, and health tips via your machines’ LCDs, leading to increased loyalty and purchasing frequency. Increased customer loyalty!

Interactivity: Touch-Screen controls and LCD videos allow customers to interact with a previously inanimate object, improving the customer experience. Improved purchasing experience!

Appearance: Digital LCD screens attract more eyes to your machine and enhance its image. leading to a higher perceived value and intrigue of machine and its contents. Higher margins and increased sales volume!

Technology: Limitless updates and software enhancements, cashless payment capabilities, advanced remote monitoring system, interactive SMS messaging and much more. A machines that is ALWAYS on the cutting-edge!

Filed Under: Healthy Vending Machines, Vending News

The Future of Childhood Obesity: First Lady Puts Nutrition First

January 22, 2010 By John Pinto 1 Comment

Throughout presidential history, each First Lady of our nation has chosen to align herself with an issue they are passionate about.

Nancy Regan focused on the “Just Say No To Drugs” campaign, Laura Bush spent her time helping with “child literacy,” and now, Michelle Obama is taking a stand against “childhood obesity.” Childhood obesity has skyrocketed in the last 10 years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children (over 9 million) 6-19 years old are overweight or obese–a number that has tripled since 1980.

Mrs. Obama is in a great position to influence millions of people. So far she has made many efforts helping the cause through promoting highly publicized events. Some of these include working with state and local governments to build playgrounds (encouraging kids to move and run around), going on talk shows to offer healthy eating tips while educating viewers about the potential dangers of bad nutrition. She has also been on nationally televised cooking shows, teaching people how to make healthy snacks and meals for their family.

I am a huge fan of these initiatives and they have already changed many Americans for the better. I know the next best step! Let’s help implement a government fund that aids in the placement of healthy vending machines! My proposal is to subsidize all healthy vending companies for machine shipping costs. This keeps initial start-up costs lower for the healthy vending machine distributors, which will allow more people to purchase them, ultimately enabling more machines to be placed. Healthy snack options need to be convenient and affordable. What better way than to help the spread of mini automated health stores across the country. H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending supports the movement, let’s do it!!

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