Well I’m here to wipe the silly look of confusion off of everyone’s face, because healthy vending machines DO exist.  But I can definitely see why the phrase would seem contradictory, after all: vending machines are traditionally unhealthy in more ways than one…

Let’s step back in time to the first vending machines that dispensed food products: In 1888 the Thomas Adams Gum Company introduced machines that dispensed gum balls for coins on New York City subway platforms.  A revolutionary concept: create miniature automatic retailers that required no supervision and that conveniently placed products that people wanted where they happen to be walking by! Brilliant!

The vending machine evolved through the late 1800s and early 1900s to offer everything from cigars to stamps.  Did you know that there was even a completely coin operated restaurant called Horn and Hadart in Philadelphia from 1902 to 1962??? Customers would come in and place coins in slots below windows that displayed cold food, then they’d turn a chrome knob and the food would be revealed through technological magic (ok, not that magic, a slot opened up).

By the 1920s vending machines evolved into just soda and candy dispensers.  This is where I think the industry flat-lined in terms of its product offering. Sure, the machines themselves advanced along with the breakthroughs in related technology (lights, compressors, etc.), but the food and drink type basically stayed the same….why?

I think its because vending machine operators bought into a model that worked. And like my pappy used to say “if it ain’t broke, then get a beer from the fridge and hide in the garage from your mother so that she thinks you’re busy fixing it when you’re actually trying to get out of helping make dinner!”  Or something like that. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that people were provided with what they thought they wanted when they’re on the go and don’t have time to sit down and eat: sugary foods that “give them energy”.

So since 1920 the vending machine industry has been about as innovative as my brother, who just the other day decided to start wearing pants in public. Doesn’t that baffle you? Not about my brother’s daily indecent exposure, but that for 90 years vending machines have almost exclusively offered candy, soda, and cigarettes? Through all the health revolutions and nutrition awareness campaigns….these big brown boxes sat there displaying “tasty” crap for all the world to eat?

Well, thankfully its 2010 and there are healthy vending machines that dispense ONLY 100% healthy food and beverages.  No, they don’t dispense healthy cigarettes. There’s no such thing.

Do you know any funny oxymorons? I’d love to hear about them!

After holding my breath since June 10th, today I am proud to say that a MONUMENTAL bill has passed in the House of Representatives.  H.R. 5504 “Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act” was passed yesterday, and parents across the country are saying: “It’s about TIME.” This is a huge milestone in the promotion of healthy eating in the nation’s schools, as part of the war on childhood obesity (not-so-fun-fact: one out of five children are obese!  Next step is getting it approved in the Senate…

If this is news to you, then let me give you an overview of how fantastically awesome the bill is:

Summary: Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to revise the school lunch and breakfast programs, the summer food service program, the child and adult care food program (CACFP), and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC program). Reauthorizes appropriations for such programs through FY2015. Includes among such revisions:
(1) encouraging the direct certification of children who receive other public assistance as eligible for free meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs;
(2) establishing new mechanisms by which schools or local educational agencies (LEAs) with very high proportions of low-income children can receive federal reimbursement for free or reduced price meals under such programs without collecting individual paper applications from households;
(3) establishing a program awarding competitive grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to LEAs to establish or expand the school breakfast program at low-income schools;
(4) expanding the access of low-income rural areas to the summer food service program;
(5) requiring updates to meal patterns and nutrition standards for the school lunch and breakfast programs based on recommendations made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS);
(6) requiring the establishment of science-based nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools outside the school lunch and breakfast programs;
(7) requiring LEAs participating in the school lunch and breakfast programs to establish local school wellness policies for their schools that include goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity and education, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness;
(8) requiring reimbursable meals and snacks provided under the CACFP to meet the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans and certain authoritative scientific recommendations;
(9) encouraging WIC program participants to breastfeed; and
(10) requiring WIC electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems to be implemented nationwide by October 1, 2020.

Right here we have a trifecta of health, affordability, and efficiency to combat the current trifecta: few healthy options, low-income families, and inefficient bureaucracy. Sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), this bill is accordance with Michelle Obama’s mission of ending childhood obesity.

So what comes next? Implementation! Schools now have their work cut out for them.  It starts with baby steps: setting goals in regards to nutrition and physical activity programs, replacing junk food vending machines with healthier options, and competing for grants with other schools.  Revamping their school lunch program will be no easy task, but the clock is ticking as waistlines steadily expand.

Vending machines are generally overlooked as something detrimental to a workplace,  school, or gym.  After all, the store is too far away and these people need to snack! Heck, we’ll just plug it in, sign the contract, and everyone will be happy! This is the kind of short-sighted thinking that can have negative long term effects.

Let’s take a look at some of the negative impacts the traditional junk food vending machines have:

• Energy consumption: A refrigerated vending machine can consume between 2,500 and 4,000 kilowatt-hours  per year.  To give you some perspective, in 2008 the average home consumed around 11,000 kilowatt-hours.  So if those 3-4 vending machines at work could power your home for a year! The good news: new eco-friendly vending machines now use 50% less electricity!
• Product mix: traditional vending machines contain nothing but junk food.  Its no news flash to anyone that the U.S. and the world as a whole is struggling with the rise of obesity and its associated negative health impact.  28 out of 50 states have reported an increase in the percentage of obese people, and childhood obesity is one of the greatest threats to the next generation. The good news: healthy vending machines are steadily being placed in schools, gyms, and office buildings worldwide!
• Education: traditional vending machines give no indication as to the nutritional content of their foods.  You can’t bust the glass and read the label! Consumers then rely on what tastes good, which to the average person is unfortunately some type of sugary or salty snack with little to no nutritional value.  The good news: New, high-tech vending machines with large LCD displays and on-board personal computers power an interactive snack buying experience for the consumer.  Nutritional content is now at the touch of a button!

Maybe that’s what the Cubs need: healthy vending machines in their training facility! It would explain a lot…Don’t hate on me, Chicago, I’m just trying to help.

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.

This machine is custom built for vending success. Not only will you make your standard margin on product sales, but you now have access to a completely new revenue stream by taking part in the booming digital advertising industry!

Through the H.U.M.A.N. Ad Network, ads can be uploaded remotely and customized towards any machine location. The Media Mogul comes with a 23″ HD LCD screen that looks great. It is such an eye catcher that product sales go up simply because people want to check out the machine.

This machine does not come with your standard coil trays either. It is equipped with the most sophisticated vending technology to date — a conveyor belt style delivery system. What does that mean for you? Higher capacity (meaning less work for you) and product versatility (you can vend anything that fits!). It is an entrepreneurs dream.

Products that are Actually Healthy AND Taste Good

When a healthy vending program fails to reach optimal success, it almost always has to do something with the products. The products must taste good and they cannot taste that much different than what students are used to. You can’t just change students’ taste preferences on the flip of a dime. Therefore, you must work with them. Take what products students like, find healthy items that taste similar, and offer those products to the students. Healthy snacks don’t have to taste like cardboard, and they shouldn’t!

Healthy products have made a huge stride over the past five to ten ears when it comes to taste. The problem is that many of the best products are not available via standard vending machine product distributors. A vending operator needs to build a network of new suppliers and distributors with different rules, policies, and prices, and many time they’re not willing to do that. HUMAN has never been involved with anything other than healthy vending. Therefore, our suppliers and our network is dialed-in to allow for the distribution of the healthiest, tastiest products that students love. We know what students like, and what they don’t, and that’s the foundation of our program.

With over six years of taste-test research (and many, many mistakes along the way), we know how to put together the perfect healthy snack and drink plangogram (product mix) for students. It’s been a learning experience, but without this experience, success would not be possible today. Without creating the optimal product offering, nothing else matters!

LCD Screens that Educate Students & Catch Their Attention

Beyond the fact that they make the machine look much better, cooler and more innovative, LCD screens also help increase sales at healthy vending machines by educating students about the products inside the machines, providing them with the products nutritional information, & offering nutritional tips & tricks that are useful to students throughout the day. This is all done vi streaming video that can be remotely loaded and, therefore, kept fresh. When getting students to switch to healthy vending, education is so important, and the best way to educate students without doing so in person is via digital LCD screens.

The 1-2-3 Punch

In order for healthy vending to work & succeed at your school, you need all of the above to exist. You can’t do one thing right and two others wrong. You can’t have the best machines and the worst products or vice versa. The entire program needs to make sense and needs to be built for healthy vending success. Healthy vending is not the same game as traditional vending–the delivery method, in that it’s automated, may be the same, but that’s about the only similarity that exists. Everything else is a 180 degree difference. A paradigm shift is needed.

At H.U.M.A.N., healthy vending is our game. Our only game. And our goal is to create healthy vending success where others either cannot, will not, or are not able to do so. I hope we’re able to serve your school and provide your students with a ton of value!

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!

The problem with these “quick fix” food/drink options is that they are usually unhealthy. An even bigger problem is that a large percentage of these fast and convenient options are being purchased from vending machines in schools. This sets the precedent at an early age for children to develop unhealthy eating habits. The federal and state governments are taking action to stop this trend.

Massachusetts is the most state to pass a school nutrition bill that requires public schools to serve healthier meals to students, and to overhaul vending options. A Massachusetts news articles reads, “The measure would ban candy and sodas from vending machines on school property and encourage the sale of non-fried fruits or vegetables, whole grains, nonfat and low-fat dairy products.”

What a coincidence! H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending will customize a machines planogram, or product mix, to meet any nutritional requirements put in place by state and local governments. With a product list of over 1,000 healthy snacks and drinks, H.U.M.A.N. has the necessary products to meet your specific dietary requirements. We can create a plan that is 100% Organic, SB-19 compliant, Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free, Low-Fat, Low-Carb, or No Sugar-Added!

According to the Chicago Tribune, President Obama has asked for an additional $1 billion in funding for school lunches. This is a valuable addition to the battle against childhood obesity. I suggest President Obama allocates a portion of this billion dollars to a healthy vending initiative! Most kids who bypass the cafeteria altogether and head straight to a vending machine end up with a bag of chips and a can of soda for their lunch meal. H.U.M.A.N. can and wants to help. Making school lunches healthier, will not help these rebellious students who spend their lunch money on honey-buns and a soft drinks from the vending machines. If we can’t change the kids, let’s change the food options! Surrounding these kids with healthy vending machines is a beneficial step in changing purchasing options at a young age. Why not buy a bag of  Stacy’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips and Hansen’s Natural Soda instead of a Snickers bar and Cherry Coke?

Checkout a couple articles about school nutrition in:

The New York Times

Patriot Ledger

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!