tiago Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Hi! My name is Tiago, and i started my vending business in october 2012, i started small ( with two saeco sg200) and i'm currently strugling with a humidity problem on the containers (common problem i guess). I thank you in advance for any tip you can provide me about this problem, and any other tips you may find useful. Sincerily, Tiago Inocêncio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Welcome to the forum tiago. If you need help with your coffee machines post it in the Full Line section so people will see it. Also read the past posts - there's a lot of info on that model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Sorry for the misplaced post. Thanks for your tip, i'll check it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiana Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Welcome! I was originally thinking about a coffee machine, too, and I'm still interested in one for a particular location I'm currently servicing. Of course, I don't know much about them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Hello! How's your business working out? Do you think snack machines are more profitable that coffe machines? Here in Portugal the vending business is very competitive, i'm trying to stand out but i have no idea how. regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiana Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I honestly don't know enough about coffee vending to say whether they are more profitable than snacks or not. I have some idea of the margins in office coffee services (delivering coffee to businesses) and it's pretty high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 My issue with snacks is the expiration date, in the hot beverage vending it's "safe" to say that the product will be sold way before it's expiration date! You should go ahead and invest in one machine for that location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiana Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I think it would be a good fit. Right now, there's a table right next to my snack machine (approximately the width of a cofffee machine) that some of the warehouse employees set up to hold a tiny coffee maker. Aside from having to bring in their own supplies, such as coffee filters, ground coffee beans and cups, their coffee is free. It also helps me sell cinnamon rolls and jumbo honey buns. If I were to take the table down and set up a coffee machine, I would have to figure out the right value proposition--that is, why is it in their best interest to start paying $.25 a cup now? Easier to use? Maybe they don't have to worry about bringing in coffee or filters anymore? Just have to figure that part out, first. I would also imagine there's a relatively long waiting period in regard to the break-even point after purchasing the machine and selling coffee by the cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Maybe you should do some kind of survey on that location, to see if the employees would like to have a vending machine (and therefore don't have to worry about bringing the coffee,filters,etc) or not. That should help you make a decision and a profit estimation (if you ask in the survey what's the average number of coffee per day). Yes, the break-even point can be a long waiting period, but you can do your best to minimize it, such as buying a used machine for a good price, and use the profit estimation to see if it's worth it. Hope it was useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiana Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Great advice. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 If I were to take the table down and set up a coffee machine, I would have to figure out the right value proposition--that is, why is it in their best interest to start paying $.25 a cup now? Easier to use? Maybe they don't have to worry about bringing in coffee or filters anymore? Just have to figure that part out, first. Some points you could use are: - No mess as everything is in the machine - Quick & easy to use as just a push of a button - Impress clients - Shows staff they are valued & helps build morale - No pilferage as nothing is left out - Great value coffee per cup with no wastage - Ability to charge for certain drinks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 My issue with snacks is the expiration date, in the hot beverage vending it's "safe" to say that the product will be sold way before it's expiration date! You should go ahead and invest in one machine for that location. A lot of snack items have pretty long expiration dates, if you have 5-10 snack machines out with careful management of product expirations will not be a issue. Admittedly, the problem for most people is getting to that level. If I were to take the table down and set up a coffee machine, I would have to figure out the right value proposition--that is, why is it in their best interest to start paying $.25 a cup now? I don't run many cup drop coffee machine, but in most cases you are looking at something like a cost of .12-.15 cents cost for the cup and coffee, a little more if your machine will do cappuchino or expresso so you probably need to be at .50 cents a cup minimum in order to have any chance at getting a ROI within a reasonable amount of time and that's not including your cost to provide service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 I'm starting with the coffee machines, but maybe in the future (if things are going well) I'll consider adding snack machines. Thanks for all the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Hi! My name is Tiago, and i started my vending business in october 2012, i started small ( with two saeco sg200) and i'm currently strugling with a humidity problem on the containers (common problem i guess). I thank you in advance for any tip you can provide me about this problem, and any other tips you may find useful. Sincerily, Tiago Inocêncio Hi Tiago, Did you ever sort out your humidity problems you were having? When you say "humidity problems" what exactly were you referring too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Hi Kiwi, Yes i did, but i'm still searching for a better one. The problem was that the sugar,chocolate,etc were becoming "petrefied", wich resulted in bad drinks. My solution was to put littlle bags (made of a very permeable tissue) with rice inside so it could absorb many of the moisture. However its not the best solution since you have to constantly change the rice, and it does not solve the entire problem, it just makes it a little lesser. Are you having this kind of problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Hi Kiwi, Yes i did, but i'm still searching for a better one. The problem was that the sugar,chocolate,etc were becoming "petrefied", wich resulted in bad drinks. My solution was to put littlle bags (made of a very permeable tissue) with rice inside so it could absorb many of the moisture. However its not the best solution since you have to constantly change the rice, and it does not solve the entire problem, it just makes it a little lesser. Are you having this kind of problem? We do experience problems with humidity but not to the extent you are describing.. I have only seen this when I have purchased a used machine from someone who haven't emptied the product canisters & the product has been left in their for a long period of time & it has set (petrified) like concrete. What brand of product are you using & is it made to be used in vending machines? You will have problems with products that are not designed to be used in vending machines as they don't have anti-caking agent in them. We still have some issues with sugar here so we use castor sugar instead as it is finer & tend to flow better. You will also need to make sure the extraction fan is working & the extraction hose & bowls are clean. How often are you going to service your machines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Hello! How's your business working out? Do you think snack machines are more profitable that coffe machines? Here in Portugal the vending business is very competitive, i'm trying to stand out but i have no idea how. regards If you want to stand out, get one of your buddies in Brazil to send you some of their coffee - your customers will love you until they get tired of bouncing off the walls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 If you want to stand out, get one of your buddies in Brazil to send you some of their coffee - your customers will love you until they get tired of bouncing off the walls Is that what my problem is.. I only use 100% Brazilian beans in my coffee machines! The guy who roasts them for me is from Brazil & is a mad GOPHER but makes the best coffee i've ever tasted. He only uses Brazilian bean whereas other roasters use Brazilian as a base & mix in other beans from different parts of the world to make their blends. He also only makes one blend as he says.. in his crazy Brazilian accent.. "I make one blend - the best blend" I can send you some to try if you want me too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Is that what my problem is.. I only use 100% Brazilian beans in my coffee machines! The guy who roasts them for me is from Brazil & is a mad GOPHER but makes the best coffee i've ever tasted. He only uses Brazilian bean whereas other roasters use Brazilian as a base & mix in other beans from different parts of the world to make their blends. He also only makes one blend as he says.. in his crazy Brazilian accent.. "I make one blend - the best blend" I can send you some to try if you want me too? A couple of my friends in school were Brazilian volleyball players and they'd always bring some back with them - that stuff was rocket fuel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 ahaha, here in Portugal we have a big coffe tradition, and we drink it mostly in the expresso form, i'm deducing that's why you're calling it rocket fuel! I serve my machines weekly and i do use vending produtcs of the best quality, when i said the product petrefies i may overeacted in the word i used, it wasn't petrified like an not emptied product canisters that has been left in their for a long period of time & it has set (petrified) like concrete. It's more like in the sugar it forms little cubes, or in the case of the chocolate, the windmill would be turning in the middle of the canister and the chocolate would stick to the side wall's. That ocurred in the winter, in the machines i have located in Sintra. Sintra is a very humid place in Portugal. It has its own microclimate. Check it here: http://www.portugal.com/places/cities/sintra/ What's your thought about the rice bags? Did you solve your problem in another way? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Everybody in Hawaii uses rice in the salt shakers and sugar dispensers and it works pretty good but Hawaii's not an overly humid place most of the time - only in the dreaded Kona weather. It might be you just need bigger bags but I'm not sure they would fit. You might try fitting your own screen in the bottom of the dispenser and not using bags which would allow the rice to spread out better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 ahaha, here in Portugal we have a big coffe tradition, and we drink it mostly in the expresso form, i'm deducing that's why you're calling it rocket fuel! I serve my machines weekly and i do use vending produtcs of the best quality, when i said the product petrefies i may overeacted in the word i used, it wasn't petrified like an not emptied product canisters that has been left in their for a long period of time & it has set (petrified) like concrete. It's more like in the sugar it forms little cubes, or in the case of the chocolate, the windmill would be turning in the middle of the canister and the chocolate would stick to the side wall's. That ocurred in the winter, in the machines i have located in Sintra. Sintra is a very humid place in Portugal. It has its own microclimate. Check it here: http://www.portugal..../cities/sintra/ What's your thought about the rice bags? Did you solve your problem in another way? Regards The problem you are experiencing with the chocolate is what we refer to as funneling.. to fix this problem you will either need to switch your chocolate to another brand or find out if saeco sell a spare part that will solve this problem for you. I don't use the saeco SG200 so I have never had to look into this myself but the models I do use have two different solutions. Necta (similar design to saeco) have what they refer too as a canister beater which agitates inside the canister free chocolate from the side walls. Coffetek have springs that attach to the mixing wheel which scrape the product from the sides of the canister as the wheel turns. There are only to manufactured chocolate products that I know of that will prevent this from happening. One is made by ICS in Holland & the other is made by Douwe Egberts. What type of chocolate are you using? I doubt that you can fix the problem you are having with the sugar. You may find that if you using castor sugar may help but my best advice would be too use a knife or a stick to break up the sugar every time you visit your sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Thank you, your reply was very useful! The brand i use is duccolato a portuguese brand. I will try to find a new windmil or make some adaptations to the old one. That canister beater you're talking about seems perfect, i dont know the Necta machines but they sure look like they know what they're doing. I will try to find out if castor sugar is sold in Portugal but i dont think so Again, thank you for the help. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I had never heard of duccolato until you mentioned it Is duccolato chocolate popular in Portugal & are you using their dulatte milk in your machines also? Have you heard of ICS before? Their hot beverage products are used alot by Autobar machines in Europe & according to the ICS website they have a distributor in Portugal.. http://www.ics-vendi...=western-europe You may want to ask if you can get a sample bag from them so you can see if it will fix your problems. I am not sure how ICS compares to duccolato in taste & price/kilo but I am 99% sure this will fix your funneling problems. Maybe someone on here who uses saeco machines might know if they sell canister beaters for the SG200 if you are wanting to continue to use duccolato.. you could try to PM Greatdane as I am sure he will be able to tell you the answer to that. I wouldn't worry too much about the castor sugar as it is the same as normal sugar but finer. The reason we use it is mainly because it melts quicker in hot water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiago Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 I think duccolato is not very well known outside Portugal, i also use their milk and i have no problems with it. No, i have never heard of ICS outside Vendiscuss, i will look into it, and contact them to receive a sample bag. I will first try their products, if it doesn't solve the problem i will PM Greatdane to see if he knows about the canister beats for saeco. I tought you use castor sugar because it didn't create sugar rocks on the canister Thanks for all the help, have you solved your humidity problem? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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