Healthy vending "Business Opportunity"

[lowcountry Dan]

Hello Everyone,

Like many of you, I try to keep up with things in the business. I heard and ad on the radio for Fresh Vending.com. As you might imagine, it's a franchise or "business opportunity". It's based on the hype of being the future of snacking. It bothers me to see fad businesses pop up, just like the "green" craze. The food police will not give up until they make us submit to their will.

I met with a guy at the first of the year, and I inquired about his "healthy vending." I was like many people and thought it would be a sure fire hit. He laughed and said, "Well, some people don't like the products. You can't make people eat cardboard." The angle is, you can put them in the schools because the government wants them. Taking away anyone's choices is fundamentally wrong to me. This is just another example of government meddling in business. If you are in business, it seems like there is no where to hide from the dictates of the government. Very troubling, to me. In conclusion, it seems like a gimmick to get into schools and get favorable treatment. It's like stacking the deck. If there is truly a market for "healthy vending", the consumer should decide.

lowcountry Dan

[dogcow]

Hello Everyone,

Like many of you, I try to keep up with things in the business. I heard and ad on the radio for Fresh Vending.com. As you might imagine, it's a franchise or "business opportunity". It's based on the hype of being the future of snacking. It bothers me to see fad businesses pop up, just like the "green" craze. The food police will not give up until they make us submit to their will.

I met with a guy at the first of the year, and I inquired about his "healthy vending." I was like many people and thought it would be a sure fire hit. He laughed and said, "Well, some people don't like the products. You can't make people eat cardboard." The angle is, you can put them in the schools because the government wants them. Taking away anyone's choices is fundamentally wrong to me. This is just another example of government meddling in business. If you are in business, it seems like there is no where to hide from the dictates of the government. Very troubling, to me. In conclusion, it seems like a gimmick to get into schools and get favorable treatment. It's like stacking the deck. If there is truly a market for "healthy vending", the consumer should decide.

lowcountry Dan

healthy vending depends on how u define healthy, look at the NAMA 35-5-35 or whatever it is "healthy" vending program it is a lot of

the same stuff u already sell in the snack machine except now you can label it healthy. i offer healthy vending because

just like cold food or anything else that isn't meat and potatos of vending you have to offer it.

The way I deal with it is primarily avoiding accounts that demand healthy vending like schools and YMCAs. One of the memebrs here

got into a healthy vending franchise that was interesting but he stopped posting right after his machines arrived.

anyway as far as your political point, kids arent allowed to do what they want because they are kids, and the schools

have healthy vending because that is what parents are demanding, so no i dont think its an intrusion of government

into people's private live

[Vending How Chris]

Hey Dan,

Yes this is very much an opportunity in CA, where the government has decided that some school districts can only have healthy snacks. The thing is, their requirements for healthy are such that there is now an analog for almost every non-healthy snack. (I.e. Baked Doritos instead of regular Doritos.) The formula is mostly based on a ratio of certain ingredients (such as sugar) to the total calories of the snack, Thus, things like Rice Krispie treats are considered "healthy."

I wanted to clarify, because when you think of healthy, you often think of fresh. In vending, they aren't the same thing, Fresh food would need a cold food machine which is costly to run and and restock, whereas healthy items as defined by the government sanction, are really just a sub-market that is rapidly expanding,

Chris

[sbishop]

If you have someone asking for healthly vending tell the that your machine has a 35% healthy mix(or what ever number you come up with) and that the healither options are marked( you can order green price labels if you want.

I landed a Skilled nursing facility. The admin said "ONLY HEALTHY STUFF". I said sure, because I kewn that it would not last. I loaded that machine down with all the baked chips and train mixes and not a single candy bar of pastry. Less than a month latter he stoped me and said "If you don't put some snickers in that machine these women are going to kill me!!" I kept the baked chips and loaded my normal mix.

The biggest issue is the lack of flexability of a Health branded machine. Grab a old machine that you have is storage and paint ti green and get a local print shop to print up a viynal sign for the our side, if you feel the need for a healthy machine!!

[mission vending]

Hey Dan,

Yes this is very much an opportunity in CA, where the government has decided that some school districts can only have healthy snacks. The thing is, their requirements for healthy are such that there is now an analog for almost every non-healthy snack. (I.e. Baked Doritos instead of regular Doritos.) The formula is mostly based on a ratio of certain ingredients (such as sugar) to the total calories of the snack, Thus, things like Rice Krispie treats are considered "healthy."

I wanted to clarify, because when you think of healthy, you often think of fresh. In vending, they aren't the same thing, Fresh food would need a cold food machine which is costly to run and and restock, whereas healthy items as defined by the government sanction, are really just a sub-market that is rapidly expanding,

Chris

With the Tx Dept of Agriculture square meals program, which is what is required in schools, I can call Funyons and Andy Capp Hot Fries healthy because they are less than a ounce but cannot offer Kars Unsalted Nut N Yogurt mix

[falls]

I figure if the machine is working it's 'healthy'

In reality I find I have to throw most of my 'healthy' options as they just don't sell.

I try to cover all the bases with a snack machine and try to include at least one row of each of nut bar, trail bar, nut mix, sugar free candy, but sales are very patchy e.g. nut bars might be good for a week or more while one person is around, otherwise I sell one in 4 weeks.

Sugar Free candy is similar, but even then I have to buy retail to get small enough quantities to avoid expiry date issues.

I generally also have 50 or 100g packs of Peanuts or Cashew Nuts but they have quite long expiries - they certainly aren't a quick seller.

All this is based on me trying to offer a product range that everyone can use - it is certainly not a commercial decision. Commercially I'd probably have 6 lines of chips, 8 chocolates, and a couple of lines of packet lollies.

I'm the same with drinks, one of my machines is an early BevMax, and I think from memory there are only 4 duplicated lines in the whole machine ie I've got something like 40 different products in the machine.

Since I walk past all my machines everyday I can keep a fair track of what needs refilling and do it on the fly.

[mission vending]

I'm the same with drinks, one of my machines is an early BevMax, and I think from memory there are only 4 duplicated lines in the whole machine ie I've got something like 40 different products in the machine.

That's what I like about the glassfronts the opportunity to offer a great variety. I generally run about 30-35 selections. From juice to sodas to energy drinks to sports drinks.