Vending from frozen to thaw

[ebuff]

Hi there!

I am an innovation management consultant and I look for technologies for my clients.

one of my clients, a large food manufacturer is looking to bend its product - stores frozen, vended thawed. I am just trying to get oriented and will greatly appreciate advise and referrals. Do you know of such machines? Anybody is trying to develop something like that?

I am also reaching out to Japanese manufacturers. In fact I am going to be in Japan next week for two weeks and would be interested to connect and meet some relevant companies (in Tokyo and Osaka). Would appreciate some suggestions and leads.

Thanks a lot!

[orsd]

Typically, products like that will be stored at the warehouse frozen, and thawed before placing in refrigerated or ambient machines.

For instance, some pastries come frozen for max shelf life, but are vended thawed.

 

[ebuff]

Might work... who makes those machines? Could you make an intro? Thanks!


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[AngryChris]

Any snack machine will be able to vend PRE-PACKAGED items at room temperature as long as the shape is vendable. For really odd or large items, the USE alpine with elevator is ideal here, but Japan's automated machines are far more diverse.  This website is composed almost entirely of resellers. We probably can't help even a fraction as much as the machine manufacturers can. Try contacting USI at vendnet.com ...  I am unfamiliar with non-US companies.

[AZVendor]

If these are snack products then make sure they fit into a standard 10 or 12 count snack spiral in any snack vending machine.  If these are actual food items and not considered snacks then they can be just about any size except long because most machines designed to vend food have larger compartments or spirals.  The key to good acceptance by vendors is the product's shelf life when thawed out.  Vending prefers 2 weeks of shelf life but 7 days would be the minimum but would probably cut your customer base in half.  To sell this to vendors you'll need to get it in the hands of vending product brokers so it makes it to the sources most vendors use.

[Southeast Treats]

Frozen and/or refrigerated machines are readily available, and most companies can customize them for special products.  There have been machines developed that include a microwave in the dispensing path if you wanted to serve the product heated.  USI/Wittern Group probably does more to develop custom machines than the other domestic manufacturers like Crane, AMS, and Fastcorp.   The problem for most operators with using imported machines is worry about ongoing tech and parts support.