5 Stick Gum (vs 6 Stick Gum)

[Charlie613]

Ok- 

Firstly please note that this subject has been discussed more than once here - most prominently here, with @AZVendor contributing 2 separate posts which, honestly, I don't fully understand how they work together... AZ if you can elaborate.

 

Secondly; we have several locations that do a (very) brisk gum/mints business- (multiples per day), and Vistar appears to be charging $.60 per unit at this point. Recently found out that local stores sell the 5 stick packs for .25 or a bit more. Obviously that would increase our margin substantially.

Bottom line: Is anyone at all familiar with a method to vend 5 stick from the standard Gum/mint tray on AP snack machines?

 

[cvending]

The clear plastic gate that flips up during the vend cycle is adjustable for different size packages. Loosen thew wing nut and close the top opening by moving the gate forward so that only one pack may fit through the opoening. Tighten the wing nuts

[AZVendor]

I believe I explained it very well in the post you referenced.  Read the post while in front of the machine and looking at your gum and mint drawer.  Get the manual and look at the parts diagram for it as well and you will see what I'm talking about.  Again, the 5 stick will always be problematic and 7 stick packages are better to use as they are larger.

[Charlie613]

@AZVendordid as instructed; my confusion originally was that on your post you explained how to do it, but then said it doesn't work.

I did exactly like you said. It fixes the double vend issue, but on test vending a few, after 4-6 vends, it invariable jams up. 

Do you know of a way to successfully vend 5 stick? 
The cost different between 5 stick and 6 stick is MORE THAN DOUBLE. It's crazy.

@cvending

[AZVendor]

5 stick packages are too small and flimsy.  The machines were never designed to use it.  Buy the 7 stick and raise your price.  That's vending.

[tblake05]

Does AP machines have a dual spiral like usi machines?

ive vended the 5 stick packs of like big red and juicy fruit in the dual spirals in the past.

I quit because they printed .25 cents on the packs themselves! Even buying them in bulk. As cost of the gum per unit went up, they kept the .25 printed on each pack. How can you charge .50 cents a pack when it’s printed .25 on the item itself? So I gave up on them and switched to orbit and charged more.

[AZVendor]

The .25 printed price was put there years ago to keep them from being sold in vending machines and, of course, at higher prices.  That's another reason we never even tried to sell them.  While AP had a 1/2 cycle motor option on their machines years ago, very few ever had it in them and there wouldn't be any parts available for that set up now.  USI used that set up on a vast majority of their machines so people could sell Rollo, Mentos and other stick candies.  Lots of people used it for gum and mints too.

[Charlie613]

On 2/10/2023 at 7:17 PM, AZVendor said:

5 stick packages are too small and flimsy.  The machines were never designed to use it.  Buy the 7 stick and raise your price.  That's vending.

Aha... so the issue isn't the size, it's more the flimsiness of the pack?

Pricing; Vistar seems to be at .59- raising gum and mints beyond $1 would be rough. 

[Charlie613]

21 hours ago, tblake05 said:

Does AP machines have a dual spiral like usi machines?

ive vended the 5 stick packs of like big red and juicy fruit in the dual spirals in the past.

I quit because they printed .25 cents on the packs themselves! Even buying them in bulk. As cost of the gum per unit went up, they kept the .25 printed on each pack. How can you charge .50 cents a pack when it’s printed .25 on the item itself? So I gave up on them and switched to orbit and charged more.

Dual spiral for 7th tray row? or you mean in one of the other trays? 
I like gum and mints since it's an "extra" tray and doesn't burn up spirals.

[AZVendor]

The issue is both size and flimsiness.  And the .25 markings on Wrigley packs.  The Vendors Exchange 7th Tray is a good option in AP machines as the products just lay in a tray pushed forward by a buried spiral.

[Charlie613]

I see. I compared the packing on the vend 6 sticks and the 5 packs. Actually seems pretty similar. 

Well, who knows.