Randy 805 Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Hey guys, I've recently aquired a location at a retirement community and will be placing various machines there hopefully during the first week of January. The machines at this location will be serving both the tenant population as well as the 24 hour full time staff. The General Manager has requested that I place healthy options in the snack machine, not the entire machine mind you, but a good portion of it, however he's also requested that I try and maintain pricing in the machine at $1, mosty due to the reluctance of the older tenants to carry change and to keep them from making a request of the receptionist to make change for them. So my question then becomes, what are some healthy options I can offer that stay within this $1 pricing structure? In our initial conversation I mentioned that I could put some healthier options in the machine but that many times my cost for these options exceed $1...how can I best satisfy his request but still remain profitable? Some $1 options I've considered include - Vasrious flavors of Pop Chips, Sun Chips, Fig Newtons, Assorted Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, ect.), assorted Nature's Vally granola bars, Kar's Sweet & Salty Mix, assorted Nutri Grain bars, Low Sugar Wafers (Vanilla & Chocolate)..... What say ye? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJT Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Those are about the extent of it along with some baked chips. Plan on not selling many healthy items. How many employees? Hown many residents? How many snack machines? Size snack machines? Give me some info and I will help you set it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy 805 Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 Those are about the extent of it along with some baked chips. Plan on not selling many healthy items. How many employees? Hown many residents? How many snack machines? Size snack machines? Give me some info and I will help you set it up. Thanks. More than 100 tenants and around 80 employees. However there will be about 5 machines total, upstairs for the residents and staff 1 snack / 1 drink, downstairs for the staff breakroom 1 snack / 2 soda (one various Gatorade, water, Energy drinks, the other all canned soda). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Thanks. More than 100 tenants and around 80 employees. However there will be about 5 machines total, upstairs for the residents and staff 1 snack / 1 drink, downstairs for the staff breakroom 1 snack / 2 soda (one various Gatorade, water, Energy drinks, the other all canned soda). You will want to play this type of account very conservatively. Just having the numbers you're mentioning doesn't guarantee enough sales to support the machines. Think about it this way - if you had a white collar office account with 180 people, would you put 5 machines in for them? What if 100 of the office workers only work one day a week? I have seen assisted care accounts larger than this that do $5 per week in a soda and snack machine in the employee lunchroom. I have seen a different care facility with more tenants barely support one snack and two soda machines. Be prepared to pull one snack and soda out down the road if sales don't support the equipment. Don't let them dictate your pricing, especially on high cost products like the "healthy" stuff. You are entitled to make a profit on everything in your machine, regardless of what the location perceives will be a good price point for the tenant. You are the one making the investment in your "store" and you have to have a good return on your investment. If they want to subsidize your machines or do their own vending then they can dictate the prices. Otherwise you should do what's best for you. Good luck with the account, I hope you do very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I had a hospice with 150 employees made $150-$200 a month they wanted healthy and 2 machines on the other hallway. I declined and a month later they told me to pick up the machines there was 5 brand new touch screen machines lol. Someone saw the size and invested id say 20-25k in a 200 a month place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I had a hospice with 150 employees made $150-$200 a month they wanted healthy and 2 machines on the other hallway. I declined and a month later they told me to pick up the machines there was 5 brand new touch screen machines lol. Someone saw the size and invested id say 20-25k in a 200 a month place LOL! I feel sorry for that vendor! Well TKK you will be able to pick up some nice touch screen machines for cheap soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djstorman Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I have to say I don't feel sorry for that vendor that placed all those machines in that location. It is people like that, that drive good vendors from locations and when they go under they leave the location with nothing.. I usually just laugh at those vendors and when the location calls a few months later to get service I let them know that they need to call another vendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Hey guys, I've recently aquired a location at a retirement community and will be placing various machines there hopefully during the first week of January. The machines at this location will be serving both the tenant population as well as the 24 hour full time staff. The General Manager has requested that I place healthy options in the snack machine, not the entire machine mind you, but a good portion of it, however he's also requested that I try and maintain pricing in the machine at $1, mosty due to the reluctance of the older tenants to carry change and to keep them from making a request of the receptionist to make change for them. So my question then becomes, what are some healthy options I can offer that stay within this $1 pricing structure? In our initial conversation I mentioned that I could put some healthier options in the machine but that many times my cost for these options exceed $1...how can I best satisfy his request but still remain profitable? Some $1 options I've considered include - Vasrious flavors of Pop Chips, Sun Chips, Fig Newtons, Assorted Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, ect.), assorted Nature's Vally granola bars, Kar's Sweet & Salty Mix, assorted Nutri Grain bars, Low Sugar Wafers (Vanilla & Chocolate)..... What say ye? I think it may be time for you to consider a recycler validator that takes bigger bills and makes change - this should remove your $1 ceiling. Take a good look at the staff and make sure you're stocking what they want as they'll be your best customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy 805 Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 I think it may be time for you to consider a recycler validator that takes bigger bills and makes change - this should remove your $1 ceiling. Take a good look at the staff and make sure you're stocking what they want as they'll be your best customers. Ya, I'm actually taking advantage of this aquisition to phase out my old National 145's and get newer National 147's with the Revision Door from V.E., they will all have CC readers and recyclers...I don't know yet if it's warrented for this specific location per-say, however I've decided that Telemetry & Remote Monitoring is the way I want to start building my buisness from now on, trying to jettison my (exceptionally) lower performing places and position myself to appear as a stronger contender for those bigger accounts who want newer or better machines, besides the Dual Coils of the 147 combined with the Guaranteed Vend option of the Revision Door should save me a lot of headaches with regards to missed vends I get now ocassionally with the 145's. I love the 145, very simple & strong workhorses, just outdated both in appearance & technologically speaking for the direction I'm seeking. I'm looking to sell them in the near future to help offset the costs I'm incurring from the newer machines. What's a fair price for the 145 in good working order? I typically see refurbished ones for sale for between $1100 - $1495 a piece which makes me think the possibly $500 is a fair askig price for a good working used model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Ya, I'm actually taking advantage of this aquisition to phase out my old National 145's and get newer National 147's with the Revision Door from V.E., they will all have CC readers and recyclers...I don't know yet if it's warrented for this specific location per-say, however I've decided that Telemetry & Remote Monitoring is the way I want to start building my buisness from now on, trying to jettison my (exceptionally) lower performing places and position myself to appear as a stronger contender for those bigger accounts who want newer or better machines, besides the Dual Coils of the 147 combined with the Guaranteed Vend option of the Revision Door should save me a lot of headaches with regards to missed vends I get now ocassionally with the 145's. I love the 145, very simple & strong workhorses, just outdated both in appearance & technologically speaking for the direction I'm seeking. I'm looking to sell them in the near future to help offset the costs I'm incurring from the newer machines. What's a fair price for the 145 in good working order? I typically see refurbished ones for sale for between $1100 - $1495 a piece which makes me think the possibly $500 is a fair askig price for a good working used model. $500 should get them out of your garage in short order. I too have been culling my slower accounts to make room for the bigger ones but the better accounts require the higher tech equipment so that's where I'm heading as well. Just installed a Revision Door on an AP7600 - it's not as easy as I'd hoped but I got it done and plan to upgrade the rest of my fleet in the same manner (now that I know how to do it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southeast Treats Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 For your product, if you can find Herr's Good Natured chips, they are working well for me right now.... small snack size and price, gluten free, baked, and they actually taste very good.... thye have several flavors, the cheddar and tuscan sell the best... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJT Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I had a hospice with 150 employees made $150-$200 a month they wanted healthy and 2 machines on the other hallway. I declined and a month later they told me to pick up the machines there was 5 brand new touch screen machines lol. Someone saw the size and invested id say 20-25k in a 200 a month place Happens all the time and to be honest it is sad. It is sad people get into these situations and loose money and sometimes a big portion of their live savings. Hospice accounts never do great because they always have churches and other groups dropping off free products for the residents and family visitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hey guys, I've recently aquired a location at a retirement community and will be placing various machines there hopefully during the first week of January. The machines at this location will be serving both the tenant population as well as the 24 hour full time staff. The General Manager has requested that I place healthy options in the snack machine, not the entire machine mind you, but a good portion of it, however he's also requested that I try and maintain pricing in the machine at $1, mosty due to the reluctance of the older tenants to carry change and to keep them from making a request of the receptionist to make change for them. So my question then becomes, what are some healthy options I can offer that stay within this $1 pricing structure? In our initial conversation I mentioned that I could put some healthier options in the machine but that many times my cost for these options exceed $1...how can I best satisfy his request but still remain profitable? Some $1 options I've considered include - Vasrious flavors of Pop Chips, Sun Chips, Fig Newtons, Assorted Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, ect.), assorted Nature's Vally granola bars, Kar's Sweet & Salty Mix, assorted Nutri Grain bars, Low Sugar Wafers (Vanilla & Chocolate)..... What say ye? As I've said before it largely comes down to what you define as healthy. Most of the items you have listed are avialable through Vistar or some other vending distributor. At a $1.00 price point you won't make a lot on the pop chips. Herr's has a popped chip in a 1 oz size priced at around .27 each. If you are going to get into the 100% organic and natural stuff you are right about it costing over $1.00 and in order to make any money on that stuff you will need to be at a $2.00 price point and from my expereince you won't sell much at that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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