Load up on all the classic snacks and trending flavors your customers crave. Offering a variety of well-known brands, Hormel Foods Convenience is the perfect partner for stocking your automated merchandising spaces.
2024 New Products of the Year
OCS Update:
How to use the simplest, most powerful business sales tool
Every great salesperson is a storyteller. e OCS business is the perfect stage for using this sales tool, but understanding the fundamentals and how to apply certain techniques can ne-tune a presentation and elevate the results.
Small operators fuel the growth of vending as they chase the American dream
Largely driven by promises of riches on social media, vending is becoming a popular side hustle. But for small operators, vending is a hands-on, legitimate and serious business that they maintain with pride.
Mondelēz and Automatic Merchandiser are pleased to recognize the 2023 Route Driver of the Year winner and runners-up.
Visit vendingmarketwatch.com for more on hot topics in vending, micro markets and office coffee service
Interviews, Expert Insight & Tips
OCS Operator
AS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS CONTINUES TO rise, there is a temptation to cut back from an established level of excellence. When it happens in the convenience services industry, the risk is great because the cost of replacing a customer is quite a bit more than keeping a loyal customer happy.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53080436
Podcast | Linda Saldana brings faith, passion and energy to her work in convenience services
In part 1 of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, host Bob Tullio sat down with Linda Saldana, co-founder of Seventh Wave Refreshments in Atlanta, to talk about her professional and closely connected spiritual journey. In part 2, Saldana is back to share her recipe for the secret sauce that helped her go from zero to millions in sales – in four years. VendingMarketWatch.com/53100065
Webinar | Vending and Micro Market Security: Theft Mitigation Strategies
Watch Automatic Merchandiser’s recent webinar, Vending and Micro Market Security: Theft Mitigation Strategies, on demand. The webinar explored how operators are dealing with theft and how key suppliers are using hardware and technology to keep the honest people honest and keep the less honest people from capitalizing on workplace and public refreshment amenities.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53096946
Micro Market
Urban Value Corner Store partners with Juxta to offer micro markets
Texas-based Urban Value Corner Store (UVCS) has selected North Carolina-based Juxta to pioneer its autonomous micro market solution within luxury apartment communities. The two companies are partnering to join Juxta’s autonomous micro market kit for indoor environments with Urban Value’s presence in upscale living environments. VendingMarketWatch.com/53098468
Vol. 66, No. 2
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Automatic Merchandiser (USPS Permit 017-280, ISSN 1061-1797 print, ISSN 1948-5697 online) is published 6 times per year in February/March, April, June/July, August, September/October, and November by Endeavor Business Media, LLC. 201 N Main St, 5th Floor, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Automatic Merchandiser PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. $47.50 per year; Canada/ Mexico $81.25 per year; All other countries $116.25 per year. All subscriptions are payable in U.S. funds.
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If you are launching a new product or equipment this year, be sure to submit the entry for next year’s Readers’ Choice New Products of the Year awards program.
WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL NAMA SHOW ISSUE OF Automatic Merchandiser. We look forward to seeing everyone at the show in May.
In this issue, we are pleased to announce the 2024 Readers’ Choice New Products of the Year Awards for vending, micro market and office coffee service. Last year, we opened up the nominations for new products, readers had a chance to cast their vote, and the winners and runners-up are all featured starting on page 14.
We are also excited to share the winner and runners-up for the Route Driver of the Year contest, presented by Mondelēz and Automatic Merchandiser. The award puts the spotlight on the hardworking route professionals who remain the backbone of the vending, micro market and office coffee service industry. Congratulations to the winner Peter Dogoldogol with Dependable Break Room Solutions, and runners-up Karen Wright with Imperial Vending, and Tom Almendarez with All Star Services.
You can also read about a couple of small operators (on page 24) who are fueling the growth of vending as they chase the American dream. And, we turn a bigger spotlight on a larger operation, First Class Vending, which has been thriving in the Southern California, Nevada and now Arizona vending markets due to Matthew and Michelle Marsh’s hard work, propensity for innovation, employee-centered approach and their desire to challenge the industry status quo. Read their story on page 36.
In the next issue of Automatic Merchandiser, we will release our annual State of the Industry for Vending and Micro Market Report, but we can’t do it without your help. Please go to bit.ly/AM-SOI-2024 to take our industry survey. This is a chance for vending, micro market and office coffee service operators to anonymously share your data for 2023 that we will compile and analyze to measure the industry’s overall performance and present the results to our readers. The deadline to complete the survey is May 3.
Lastly, we’ve also opened the nomination period for Automatic Merchandiser’s annual 40 Under 40 Awards, which highlight innovators who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to advancing convenience services for vending, micro markets and office coffee service. The 2024 winners will be featured in our September/October issue. Nominate yourself or a colleague by July 2.
As always, thanks for reading and for your participation in our programs.
TOP NEWS
Cantaloupe partners with Pee Dee Food Service to upgrade micro markets
[ TECHNOLOGY ]
CANTALOUPE INC. CELEBRATED A SIGNIFICANT milestone in its partnership with Pee Dee Food Service, an affiliate of Pepsi of Florence and a full-line vending, micro market and office coffee service provider servicing businesses in South Carolina. As a long-time customer and active user of Cantaloupe’s Seed vending management system, the company recently completed a swap of its 90 micro market kiosks to Cantaloupe technology – bringing the company fully onto the Cantaloupe platform.
Pee Dee Food Service operates 24 routes with 3,000 food and beverage vending machines and 90 micro markets, alongside office coffee service.
“The switch was driven by several factors, including the desire to avoid excessive fees and the need for technological upgrades that Cantaloupe was able to easily provide,” James Drost, sales manager of Pee Dee Food Service, said in the announcement. “Cantaloupe’s approach of no hidden fees and their commitment to upgrading our kiosks without extra charges was a game-changer. Additionally, the seamless integration of all our services into one operating system has provided us with full visibility into our sales data, simplifying operations and enhancing our customer service. We were also very happy with the way Cantaloupe walked us through the transition and worked alongside us at each of our markets to support each customer.”
Keurig unveils plastic- and aluminum-free coffee pods and new brewer
Keurig Dr Pepper announced a multi-year innovation agenda for its Keurig single-serve brewing system, including a completely reimagined coffee system and a portfolio of new products and technologies. According to the announcement, the foundation of the company’s future vision is K-Rounds plastic-free pods, a new form of single-serve coffee.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53099449
NAMA
announces release of VDI 2.0 technical standard
NAMA announced the release of the Vending Data Interchange (VDI) technical standard, VDI 2.0, to improve two-way data exchange between vending management systems and micro markets with privacy enhancements. The new standard, named Vending Data Interchange 2.0, enables aggregated reporting, expands messaging and management capabilities, and establishes more stringent data security.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53098328
Five Star Breaktime Solutions acquires Carpet Capital Vending
in Georgia
Five Star Breaktime Solutions announced it acquired Carpet Capital Vending in Dalton, Georgia, increasing its presence in the North Georgia region. Established in 1999 by owner Eddie Gazaway, Carpet Capital Vending has provided vending services, small self-checkout micro markets and office coffee service. The company efficiently serves its customers through three service routes.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53097628
OptConnect customer care team receives service award
OptConnect, a leader in managed wireless services, announced it received the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) Outstanding Service Award. The ATMIA Awards aim to raise awareness of the creativity and hard work of industry professionals in promoting cash and ATM products and services to businesses and consumers worldwide.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53096699
Tech 2 Success celebrates its 10-year anniversary
Since its founding in 2014, Tech 2 Success has grown to a nationwide team serving organizations throughout North America. With a diversified technology offering, Tech 2 Success serves family-owned businesses as well as multi-billiondollar enterprises. To commemorate the milestone, Tech 2 Success introduced its 10-year anniversary logo that will be used in all materials through March 2025.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53098764
Seaga Manufacturing releases snack-and-drink vending machine
The new Quick Break QB4000 combo merchandiser from Seaga offers both snacks and drinks in a space-saving design. The QB4000 boasts a robust design that can handle any location. It is energy-saving and features a user-friendly interface for quick and easy transactions. It accommodates a wide variety of products.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53098546
Dot Foods announces $22M expansion to Idaho
distribution center
Dot Foods Inc., a large food industry redistributor in North America, announced it will make a $22 million investment in its Burley distribution center. The company will begin
construction this summer on an additional 66,800 square feet of traditional warehouse space to its existing facility to support growth in Dot’s business on the West coast. This includes significantly increased dry, frozen and refrigerated warehouse storage space.
VendingMarketWatch.com/53099921
How to use the simplest, most powerful business sales tool
Every great salesperson is a storyteller. The OCS business is the perfect stage for using this sales tool, but understanding the fundamentals and how to apply certain techniques can fine-tune a presentation and elevate the results.
By Bob Tullio, Contributing Editor
IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE anyone talked to me about the importance of business storytelling – using stories to communicate and connect with prospects and clients, helping to guide them toward making the right choices. I have spoken at the NAMA Show on the subject, written about it, and it is the topic in the March 19 episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation Podcast.
In the last decade, storytelling became cool, as sales gurus jumped on the bandwagon, doing whatever they could to complicate a simple concept. Despite what the experts tell us (to sell books and secure speaking gigs), storytelling is not that complicated, but it is absolutely essential – a communication skill that operators, their sales teams and their customer service people need to use. Storytelling expert Todd Dewitt
agrees. He speaks globally about the power of business storytelling.
AN EXPERT OPINION
“Business is about relationships,” said Dewitt. “We’re wired as a species to understand stories. We must learn how to deal with spreadsheets, charts, graphs, numbers and everything involved in big data these days. We can learn those – and we must learn those – but if you want to move someone, if you want to create change, you can’t just logically appeal to others. Stories matter in business because innovation and change rest on tapping people emotionally, and that’s what stories do.”
Dewitt added: “ ey might not remember what you say, but they will remember how you made them feel. at’s a useful thing to remember if you’re ever trying to make a pitch of any kind. When a speaker elicits emotion from their audience, they tend to remember the material better in general. ey tend to be more likely to take action when they have been emotionally stimulated.”
He also pointed out that a speaker who makes an emotional connection with his audience gets a higher rating. “You could
Credit: Jacob Lund/ Shutterstock
have a world-class speaker who is very polished and factual, but not emotionally connecting with the audience. They will be rated lower than a person who knows less but is great at connecting with the audience and stirring up useful, interesting emotions.”
WHY STORYTELLING MAKES SENSE
There is a good reason to use storytelling when communicating with prospects and clients. If a client or a prospect has an idea about how things should happen, but is looking in the wrong direction and needs to be put back on course, there are two ways to deal with the situation.
One, you can hit them right between the eyes by telling the client or prospect, “You are making a bad choice, and here is why it is a bad choice.” Or, you can tell them a story that will help them visualize and better comprehend your position. Keep the fundamentals of storytelling in mind as well.
• Your story should be true.
• There needs to be a main character.
• There should be a beginning, a middle and an end.
• Your story should be relevant.
• Do your best to make the story engaging, even compelling.
Dewitt said that storytellers need to avoid making certain basic mistakes, which he sees all too often.
“Acting is a problem. You’re just supposed to be you or the best, liveliest version of yourself. Don’t be too polished. There’s a place in business to be polished. Storytelling is not one of them. The other mistake I would say that I see a lot is selfaggrandizing. A lot of people say, ‘You know, when I first started,’ or some other lead in like that,” Dewitt said.
“There’s a place for that too, but it better be a small part of what you do because no matter who you are or how good a speaker you might be, you can turn people off quickly. If you’re going to talk about
yourself, you should be making fun of yourself, self-deprecating, a lesson you learned when you screwed up, something real and full of humility that people can relate to,” Dewitt explained.
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A FACTUAL APPROACH
Here is a fundamental example of a factual conversation compared to storytelling. A client tells you that they need to upgrade their office refreshment program to make it more appealing to the employees, but they want to keep costs under control. You can certainly list the possibilities for them – a singlecup brewer, cold brew coffee, flavored creamers, a stylish Borg & Overström water dispenser and a subsidized micro market.
A STORYTELLING APPROACH
Or, you can tell them a story about what another client did, xyz company, that’s similar to them, who shared the same objectives and concerns. “Jane, the office
manager really wanted to elevate their program, so we suggested a single-cup brewer using local roasters, and the reaction was incredible. Jane was thrilled there was no waste, but especially happy about the cost per cup. Plus, she was inundated with positive emails when they added cold brew and flavored creamers. The water system we brought in blew everyone away, and it was so well-received; bottled water was removed for additional savings. Then, Jane opted for a subsidized micro market because she had the same concern about the pantry service budget. It was a huge success. It’s turned out to be 25% of the cost of a pantry service, but by emphasizing the subsidy on the fresh and frozen food, employees are staying in for lunch more than ever –
another objective that was shared by both you and Jane.”
Telling a story that allows the listener to visualize the scenario makes a difference. Dewitt notes that it is a good idea to have an arsenal of stories prepared, wellrehearsed and ready to use in many situations. ■
About the author VendingMarketWatch. com contributing editor and industry consultant Bob Tullio is a content specialist who advises operators in the convenience services industry on how to build a successful business from the ground up and advises suppliers on how to successfully connect with operators. Tullio’s YouTube channel, b2b Perspective, is designed to “elevate your business in two minutes.” Visit www. tulliob2b.com or email bob@tulliob2b.com.
2024 New Products of the Year
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 READERS’ CHOICE NEW PRODUCTS OF the Year award winners and runners-up in 12 categories – healthy snack, protein and meat snack, salted snack, cold beverage, cookie and pastry, OCS product, OCS equipment, food, equipment, candy, micro market solutions and technology.
Automatic Merchandiser would like to thank everyone who submitted a nomination for our Readers’ Choice awards for vending, micro market and o ce co ee service, as well as to those who took the time to cast their vote for their most successful or most requested products, solutions and equipment. e following winners and runners-up received the most reader votes as the most popular new o erings in 2023.
HEALTHY SNACK
Winner: Oh Snap! Cranberry Sweeties
Oh Snap! has done it again with more healthy goodness and real naturally sweetened fruit in a convenient single-serve pouch. It starts with plump cranberries, removing the tart juice and then infusing them using a proprietary process, with real fruit juices and natural avors. Cranberry Sweeties aren’t only delicious, they are also gluten-free, fat-free, vegan and only 50 calories for guilt-free snacking. With consumers continuously looking for healthier and better-for-you options, Sweeties are a great snack on their own or as a tasty complement to salads, yogurt, oatmeal and more.
Runner-up: Dave’s Killer Bread Bars
Automatic Merchandiser announces this year’s winners and runners-up in 12 product categories.
By Molly Rogers, Editor-in-Chief
Experience the irresistible blend of taste, texture and nutrition from a leading organic bread brand, Dave’s Killer Bread from Flowers Foods, in convenient grab-and-go snack bars. Indulge in three fantastic avors: Cocoa Brownie Blitz, Trail Mix Crumble, and Oat-Rageous Honey Almond. Non-GMO and USDA organic, Dave’s Killer Bread believes that you don’t have to sacri ce taste to get organic, whole grain nutrition.
Oh Snap
smoky avors, it’s sure to awaken the tastebuds and satisfy any appetite. Jack Link’s beef sticks are made with 100% beef, marinated with hints of garlic and black pepper and then smoked over real hardwood – a perfect balance to complement the rich, velvety real Wisconsin cheese. e new craveable 2.45-oz combos are available in Original and Jalapeno avors.
Runner-up: Trail’s Best Beef and Salami Triple Sticks
Monogram Foods introduces two new 1.5-oz triple meat sticks: triple salami and triple beef. ese exciting new items are high in protein and will deliver incremental sales and pro ts to both vending and micro market channels. Trail’s Best has long been a leader in high-quality protein snacks for the vending industry.
coming back for more. ese fun-to-eat avored Corn Nuts
Kernels deliver a savory, on-trend avor pro le that consumers love.
Runner-up: Uncle Ray’s All Dressed Obsession Potato Chips
Uncle Ray’s All Dressed Obsession Potato Chips o er a smooth blend of tomato, onion and vinegar that satis es the senses.
Starting with the highestquality ingredients and bringing them together with care helps uncover the real
Winner: Corn Nuts 4 oz Mexican Street Corn
Jack Link’s
Hormel Foods
Monogram Foods
Uncle Ray’s
COLD BEVERAGE
Winner: Karma Energy Water
Karma Energy Water revolutionizes refreshment with its groundbreaking blend of 150mg natural ca eine, Cognizin Citicoline, adaptogens and vitamins. Designed for those craving a balanced boost, this beverage sets itself apart with a commitment to clean ingredients – free from arti cial sweeteners, colors, avors and preservatives. Each sip delivers a refreshing and invigorating experience, ensuring a perfect synergy of natural energy and mental clarity. With 100% daily value of vitamin C and B-complex, Karma Energy Water stands out as an essential companion for those prioritizing holistic well-being.
Runner-up: Two Bears Canned Coffee Beverages
US Products introduced Two Bears Canned Co ee Beverages. Two Bears has honed its cra in roasting the nest beans, cra ing ash-brewed non-dairy frothed lattes and creating delectable unsweetened oat milks, so every sip is a moment to savor. Inspired by the wonders of nature and proudly representing its Canadian heritage, Two Bears has a commitment to innovation, breaking boundaries and achieving excellence.
or visit 365retailmarkets.com/mm6-mini
Karma Water US Products
COOKIE & PASTRY
Winner: Mars Ice Cream M&M’s Cookies & Cream Sandwich
M&M’S Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches are a deliciously fun and colorful way to enjoy a cold novelty treat. e nostalgic taste of cookies and cream ice cream is sandwiched between two scrumptious chocolate cookies covered with M&M’S Minis Milk Chocolate Candy – perfect for any snacking occasion. M&M’S Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches are one of the newest innovations released in 2023 as part of the expanding ice cream portfolio and currently a new, leading frozen novelty item in convenience services.
2025 Readers’ Choice New Products of the Year awards
If you are launching a new vending, OCS or micro market product in 2024 and would like to enter your product(s) for next year’s awards, watch for our announcement in October on VendingMarketWatch.com for details on how to submit a product for the awards program. Once nominations are received, readers will have a chance to cast their vote.
Please note that all products considered for the award must be launched in 2024.
Categories include: Salted snack, healthy snack, protein or meat snack, cold beverage, equipment, cookie & pastry, candy, food, technology, OCS products, OCS equipment & systems, and micro market solutions.
Runner-up: Little Debbie
Cookies & Creme Brownies
An irresistible blend of fudgy goodness and cookie crumbles, Little Debbie Cookies & Creme Brownies are a delectable creation from Little Debbie and feature fudgy brownies covered in white icing and topped with chocolatey cookie crumbles. ese individually wrapped delights are tailor-made for vending machines, pantries and micro markets.
Mars
McKee Foods Corp.
OCS PRODUCT
Winner: Hershey’s Hot Chocolate
Sunny Sky Products – a producer of dispensed beverage solutions o ering hot, cold, frozen and beverage enhancer products – brings consumers the iconic avor of a Hershey’s chocolate bar in a cup. Made with Hershey’s cocoa, this drink will ful ll any consumer’s chocolate cravings, perfect for chocolate lovers everywhere. Level up your cocoa with Hershey’s Hot Chocolate.
Runner-up: Lavazza x Rifle Paper Co.
Holiday Blend
Lavazza and Ri e Paper Co. partnered in 2023 to bring something more special than just a cup of great co ee. An omni-channel launch across retail, e-commerce, foodservice and OCS (in Flavia’s Freshpack), Lavazza Holiday Blend featured Ri e Paper Co. co-founder and CCO Anna Bond’s hand-painted illustrations including a city holiday scene and the colors of the Italian ag. e collaboration combined the festive holiday spirit of Ri e Paper Co. with Lavazza’s expert cra smanship and premium co ee to bring a special co ee blend with notes of toasted almond and warm spice to sip in the holiday season.
OCS EQUIPMENT
Winner: Coffea X-DUO
Introducing the Co ea X-DUO, a revolutionary co ee and tea machine designed to elevate a consumer’s beverage experience. Boasting a cutting-edge patented vacuum brewing system, this innovative brewer seamlessly blends the rich aroma of Co ea co ee with the delicate avors of premium teas. Users can enjoy the convenience of dual functionality, e ortlessly switching between their favorite co ee or tea selection (hot and iced) with the touch of a button. e sleek and compact design of the X-DUO complements any modern OCS, while its user-friendly interface ensures a hasslefree brewing process. With the Co ea X-DUO, technology meets taste for the ultimate beverage indulgence.
Runner-up: Flavia Creation
300 + Chill Refresh
Lavazza introduced the Flavia Creation 300 + Chill Refresh, a mid-sized all-inone workplace beverage system that cra s both hot and cold café-style beverages including co ee, tea, lattes, hot chocolate, cold brew co ee, avor-infused waters and more. With the Flavia Chill Refresh, no ice is needed to make cold, refreshing drinks. e Flavia Creation 300 + Chill Refresh has a compact footprint and smart technology to keep up with mid-sized workplaces and spaces, while its intuitive digital interface makes it easy to cra rich beverages calibrated for perfectly balanced avor.
Sunny Sky Products
Lavazza
Coffea Group
Lavazza Premium Coffees Corp.
FOOD
Winner: Raybern’s Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich
Raybern’s upgraded Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich boasts thinly sliced white meat chicken on luscious pretzel bread, creating an elevated taste sensation. e chicken, carved with precision, seamlessly blends with smoky bacon, ranch dressing and gooey cheddar cheese. Handcra ed, individually wrapped and microwaveready, this sandwich o ers versatile delight for lunch, dinner or on-the-go snacking. Raybern’s Chicken Bacon Ranch is the epitome of balance and convenience, promising to satisfy cravings with its perfectly cra ed and irresistibly avorful composition.
Runner-up: Smucker’s Uncrustables 5-Day Shelf Life
Indulge in the timeless goodness of Uncrustables frozen PB&J sandwiches – no prep, no mess and no crust. Whether it’s lunchtime, snack time or beyond, these delightful sandwiches o er a hassle-free treat. Choose from grape jelly or strawberry jam options, all served on wheat bread, providing a delicious twist. Now, with a generous 5-day shelf life, they’re a convenient and tasty choice for any occasion.
Raybern’s
The J.M. Smucker Co.
EQUIPMENT
Winner: Máka Mia Pizza Automated Pizza Machine
Máka Mia Pizza introduced its new Mia V4.5 Robotic Pizza Shop in the U.S. market. is new process serves pizza in less than three minutes using Máka Mia’s proprietary ingredients and recipe with precision robotics. e Robotic Pizza Shop features two hearth ovens that will cook and serve pizzas in less than three minutes, without human assistance. e automated store is designed for retailers with signi cant foot tra c, including college and university communities, airports, hotels, amusement parks, convenient stores, and stadiums and sports facilities.
Runner-up: CoolBlu FLEX
AVS Connect introduced the innovative CoolBlu FLEX, a versatile double-door cooler option that o ers a cost-e ective ownership experience. Whether you need a dedicated cold beverage merchandiser or a combination ambient/refrigerated cooler for smaller to mid-sized spaces, CoolBlu FLEX delivers. With its dual-locking doors, there are endless placement possibilities. e cooler is NAMA-certi ed, ensuring top-notch quality and reliability. Plus, all CoolBlu FLEX coolers come prepped to seamlessly integrate with AVS Connect, Cooler Café, Pico, and Savant devices, making it a smart choice for businesses seeking a convenient, connected refrigeration solution.
AVS Connect
Máka Mia Pizza
CANDY
Winner: Ghirardelli
Impulse Bar
Ghirardelli takes pride in its time-honored tradition and passion for cra ing premium, high-quality chocolate. e delightful harmony of creamy, slow-melting milk chocolate and indulgent, buttery caramel lling is now available in a 2-square Impulse bar – a delectable testament to its commitment to excellence – and perfect for vending and beyond.
Runner-up: Haribo Goldbears 2oz
Haribo Goldbears new Snack Pack feature the unmistakable original that have delighted fans around the world since 1922 but now in a vendable 2-oz size. With avors ranging from pineapple to strawberry, the ve colorful Goldbears represent one thing above all else: irresistible joy that’s fun to share.
MICRO MARKET SOLUTIONS
Winner: EasyTrade program by Easy Ice
e EasyTrade program by Easy Ice empowers convenience services operators to ditch the hassles of ice machine ownership by trading up their existing ice equipment. Easy Ice will pay fair market value for used ice equipment and help convenience services companies every step of the way when transitioning their ice equipment to an Easy Ice subscription. e subscription model ensures that operators always have the right ice equipment for their customers’ individual needs and allows them to concentrate on their core business without worrying about losses due to inevitable (and expensive) equipment issues.
Runner-up: U-Select-It’s Scan & Go Market
U-Select-It’s Scan & Go Market streamlines the purchasing experience for consumers with a seamless checkout experience, while providing a level of product security for operators. is innovative hybrid approach is ideal for almost any type of location. Scan & Go Market represents a signi cant evolution in self-service retail, providing consumers with convenience and empowerment while ensuring a level of product security needed for operators to maximize pro t.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Haribo
Easy Ice
TECHNOLOGY
Winner: 365 Retail Markets’ MM6 Mini Kiosk
365 Retail Markets’ MM6 Mini kiosk packs maximum versatility and a premium consumer experience into a mid-range form factor. Its size is perfectly suited to serve smaller locations or be clustered together to improve throughput in larger ones. Options for wall or countertop mount, as well as cashless and cash payments, further address a location’s unique needs. A feature-rich application choice of micro market, dining or hybrid consumer selfcheckout gives operators the ultimate deployment exibility. An ample 15.6" screen size helps consumers easily navigate transactions, view o ers and access their market account, while a durable design and easy serviceability keep locations online.
Runner-up: SMRT1 Health POD
SMRT1 Health POD from SMRT1 Technologies combines traditional vending and adds a 49" touchscreen to provide a completely interactive healthcare experience to provide both retail and free products. Combined with anonymous interaction data, the dispensing analytics can be accessed remotely anytime for oversight of inventory, machine status and business operations.
You can find all of these products in the Product Guide at VendingMarketWatch.com/directory.
365 Retail Markets
SMRT1 Technologies
WINNING ISN’T EVERYTHING. EXCEPT
WHEN IT COMES TO SNACKS. The AMVM Readers’ Choice Salted Snack New Product of the Year isn’t kind of a big deal. It’s the real deal big deal. And if you’re not stocking up on CORN NUTS® Mexican Street Corn snacks, you’re missing out on a lot of crunchy munchy. Taste what everyone’s crunching about at NAMA Booth #334
Check out the whole CORN NUTS® family
Small operators fuel the growth of vending as they chase the American drea m
Largely driven by promises of riches on social media, vending is becoming a popular side hustle. But for small operators like Nakia White-Hazel and Anthony Cuccolo, vending is a hands-on, legitimate and serious business that they maintain with pride.
By Bob Tullio, Contributing Editor
ARECENT ARTICLE IN THE WALL STREET Journal, “Chasing Passive Income, Americans Turn to Vending Machines,” points to vending as a strong investment trend of the 2020s. ere are plenty of slices of the vending pie to go around, as the article notes that “America has 3 million vending machines, an $18.2 billion industry, with the average machine generating about $525 in monthly revenue, according to the National Automatic Merchandising Association” and that “more than half of operators bring in less than $1 million a year,” according to Automatic Merchandiser’s State of the Industry for Vending and Micro Market 2022 report.
“Vending machines might seem an unlikely candidate for a trending investment of the 2020s, but the idea has captured the imagination of Americans dreaming of easier money,” Joe Pinsker writes in the Journal article. “Some pursue chips and soda as a side hustle because their regular paychecks aren’t enough for them to get by. Others bet on vending machines as a ticket to upward mobility, to quitting their jobs and becoming their own boss.”
FINDING A SERVICE NICHE
Al Hernandez of ACS will con rm that there are many new entrants into the vending and OCS business. A er more than a decade with Royal Cup, Hernandez started his own company in October 2020, which specializes in providing installation and service support for predominantly small operators in the Southeast, mostly Georgia. Currently, ACS serves 150 operators, o ering a much-needed solution for small operators who are o en short on time and sta .
Hernandez acknowledged that his company has found a nice niche, o en responding to service calls in just a few hours, giving even the smallest operators a much stronger service department than they could have on their own. He also o ers a warning for entrepreneurs who are attracted to the vending business. “ ere’s a lot to learn – it’s not as easy as some of the YouTubers make it seem, but we’ve seen companies that started just three years ago, and now they’re doing really good, so there’s always the possibility of success,” Hernandez said. “But you are going to have to work really hard if you want to succeed.”
TOUGH TIMES FOR NEW OPERATORS
In an interview for Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, Jennifer Fox – of Fox Vending in the Chicago area – said she wonders if it is a good time to be a new vending operator because the cost of doing business on items like insurance has created a major barrier for entry. “Just look at your set costs, the uctuating cost of fuel. e fact that your fuel bill could double within a year, which it does every summer. I can’t go out and double my prices to recoup that. at’s just right o the bottom-line. ere is just so much overhead,” Fox said.
Nakia White-Hazel and her husband jumped into the vending business in 2019 when they started their company, Life’s Sweet & Savory Vending.
MAKING IT WORK IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
Despite the challenges, small operators are nding ways to not only survive but also ourish. In the beautiful Lowcountry region of South Carolina, Nakia White-Hazel and her husband jumped into the vending business in 2019 when they started their company, Life’s Sweet & Savory Vending. A er navigating their way through the pandemic, the company has centered their operation around a U.S. military base. With only four employees, White-Hazel and her husband are totally hands-on. “We are both out there working morning and night, dealing with every aspect of the business,” she said.
A former teacher, White-Hazel said she is a South Carolinian through and through, which gives
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her small company a competitive advantage, leading to lots of referral business.
“We were born here, educated here, raised here – we have conversations with our clients about local events or history and the growth of the area and what we’ve seen change over time,” White-Hazel said. “We are into our community and events. I think that is a big thing for our company of how we embrace being from the Charleston area as part of our makeup.”
CONSTANT REINVENTION
White-Hazel said that from her standpoint, being a small operator today means constant reinvention. “When we got into the business, we were all about vending machines –these types of vending machines, those type of vending machines – and we have realized over these years, times are changing,
“When we got into the business, we were all about vending machines … and we have realized over these years, times are changing, technology is changing, and you must change with it – you have to know when to pivot.”
–Nakia White-Hazel, Life’s Sweet & Savory Vending
technology is changing, and you must change with it – you have to know when to pivot.”
Embracing technology is one way that White-Hazel has changed. “We did not have card readers on all of our vending machines at first, then we finally realized, it’s time. Let’s go ahead and make that happen – let’s get those devices on the equipment. It has definitely helped,” she said. “We have also moved into the micro market business, and we are operating single-cup brewers.”
For White-Hazel, it is all about a slow and steady growth strategy. “We don’t want to rush it and make huge mistakes. We would rather go slow so that we can identify problems and take care of them quickly. We want to make sure we are keeping our eyes on everything,” she added.
SMALLER IS BETTER
Anthony Cuccolo – of CSB Services in central New Jersey – is perfectly content to be a small operator. He scaled his business down to get smaller, eliminating several operational headaches that come with size. In 1969, his dad bought the company from his supervisor who was ready to retire. The family business continued to grow as the company expanded from office coffee service, vending and water to catering, cafeterias and eventually, micro markets.
“In 2013, I decided to downsize so I sold part of the company off,” said Cuccolo. “We only operate a couple of routes. It’s truly a family business. We’re not a big company at all. I streamlined it, consolidated and condensed it to be more profitable,” he said. “My mom always used to say, ‘bigger doesn’t mean better, it means bigger,’ and I kind of took those words to heart.”
Cuccolo continued, “I think I’m more content with where I’m at right now. It’s controlled, it’s profitable, and I enjoy what I do again. There was a time there when I was running ragged, and you’re just trying to maintain the size and the employees, and I just got to the point where it wasn’t worth it anymore. I needed to make a change, but this is all I know.”
According to Cuccolo, scaling back to a four-person operation was an excellent decision. “I have a thumbprint on everything we do. I wear multiple hats, so it can get crazy at times, but I’m in touch with every customer, whether it’s through text, email, phone call or in person. I have a pulse on what’s going on, and the retention of our customers has been a lot better since the downsizing,” he said. “We’re here to make money, but there’s a human side to this too, and that’s what I enjoy the most – meeting people, taking care of their needs, learning who they are as people.” ■
With only four employees, Nakia WhiteHazel and her husband – with Life’s Sweet & Savory Vending –are totally hands-on.
Dedication to excellence
Mondelēz and Automatic Merchandiser are pleased to recognize the 2023 Route Driver of the Year winner and runners-up. The award puts the spotlight on the dedicated, hardworking route professionals who remain the backbone of the vending, micro market and office coffee service industry.
By Molly Rogers, Editor-in-Chief
THE ROUTE DRIVER OF THE YEAR WINNER, Peter Dogoldogol, has been in the vending industry for over 20 years, and he received several nominations by his colleagues at Dependable Break Room Solutions, which serves a large area of Southern California. Dogoldogol services about 100 to 150 vending machines as well as micro markets, office coffee service and pantries, traveling over 500 miles per week.
“Peter, a seasoned route driver with an impressive track record spanning more than a quarter-century, embodies the pinnacle of exceptional customer service at every stop along his journey,” shared Anibal Beltran, director of operations at Dependable Break Room Solutions. “His dedicated commitment to fostering positive interactions has become a hallmark of his presence. Elevating his role beyond the mere duties of a driver, Peter consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty, weaving a tapestry of extraordinary care for each and every client. Peter is a paragon of time efficiency, a true master even on the most demanding days of his heavy workload. In the realm of route audits, Peter stands as an unwavering beacon of accuracy. Each assessment reveals his precision. His performance is a shining example of dedication, as he effortlessly navigates through challenges and intricacies, leaving no room for error. Peter is not just a member of our team, but an embodiment of our core values, a living testament to the power of dedication and unwavering commitment.”
Dogoldogol’s dedication to excellence extends beyond his immediate responsibilities, as he also imparts his wealth of knowledge to guide and inspire new drivers. And, he has contributed immeasurably to retaining a multitude of clients.
“For each route that Peter has had over the years, the one thing we hear from his customers is how much they enjoy having him as their driver,” said Tom De Paola, director of client relations and sales. “He makes a personal connection with everyone. He takes complete ownership of his route. Peter genuinely cares about his customers. He is in constant contact with our team, asking for product swaps and products the customer needs.”
Peter Dogoldogol, Dependable Break Room Solutions
Presented by Presented by
Ruben Cortez, the director of purchasing with Dependable Break Room Solutions, also shared how Dogoldogol takes great pride in his work and especially in providing the best customer service possible: “He goes beyond his job title of just being a route driver. He is a true professional in every sense of the word. Peter will take his time to examine every piece of equipment on his route to ensure it is working properly. If a customer is having an issue with a piece of equipment out in the field, Peter will do his best to troubleshoot it before having to make a service call for a technician to come out and service the equipment. If Peter gets the said equipment fixed, he will go to the customer, show the customer that the equipment is now working properly and show them what the issue was and explain to them how to avoid this issue going forward to the customer.”
Steve Tomes, general manager, also shared that “Peter understands guest service and always makes that his focus while in the accounts he services. Regardless of his daily challenges on the route, he never compromises when addressing the needs of our clients.”
And, Romario Medina, manager of merchandising and consolidation, added: “Peter is a hardworking, honest, dependable person with a great personality and a joyous attitude. He is a perfect candidate for the 2023 Route Driver of the Year award. Peter is loved, not just by the customers because of his wonderful customer service, he is also loved by everyone he works with.”
2023 Route Driver of the Year Runners-Up
TOM ALMENDAREZ, ALL STAR SERVICES INC.
Tom Almendarez from Fort Gratiot, Michigan, has been with All Star Services since 2014. “During this time, he has become the standard by which all other drivers are compared to,” shared Fred Kading, Northern district manager. “He has a massive route that he services to the highest degree. Tom is loved by his customers and revered by his peers.”
Almendarez services vending, micro markets, OCS and pantries, while maintaining a level of accuracy that has earned him the position of top trainer in the company when onboarding new employees.
“His route without wavering is the highest volume route in the company, based on a single-person, fiveday-a-week route,” Kading continued. “His work is impeccable, and customer service is second to none. In his 10 years with our company, his attendance and safety record are flawless. Tom takes complete
ownership of his route, staying engaged in combating food waste, low-volume accounts and service intervals. He is an exceptional worker who has given years of impeccable, reliable service.”
Almendarez added, “I’m grateful for the recognition as a runner-up for Route Driver of the Year, and I want to express my thanks to Fred for the nomination.”
KAREN WRIGHT, IMPERIAL VENDING LLC
Karen Wright started her vending career in 1994 and has grown with the company throughout the changes of being CM Vending, Jackson Brothers Vending, and now Imperial Vending in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Wright services 100 to 150 vending machines and micro markets. She is a dependable, reliable and respected driver at Imperial Vending and well-known by her customers for her consistency, communication and especially the excellent service she provides them. Karen also has several tenure awards as well as perfect attendance plaques.
“Karen will service an account twice in one day just to make sure they have enough to get them through the weekend,” said Amy Metcalf, operations manager at Imperial Vending. “In my experience, drivers such as Karen are rare, and that is why I am so excited for the chance to give her the recognition she deserves.” ■
Karen Wright, Imperial Vending LLC
Tom Almendarez (on left) with Fred Kading, All Star Services
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How First Class Vending became an
With its forward-looking, customer-focused approach, First Class Vending challenges what it means to be a conventional vending company in the 21st century.
By Adrienne Klein, Contributing Editor
WHEN MATTHEW, RYAN and Michelle Marsh started
First Class Vending in 1994, they never envisioned what it would become three decades later. In just 30 years, First Class Vending has grown from two employees to more than 300 employees; from one location and warehouse to nine warehouses across three states; from soda-only vending machines to full-service vending, micro markets, OCS and frictionless stores.
The company has been thriving in the Southern California, Nevada and now Arizona vending markets due to the ownership’s hard work, tenacity, propensity for innovation, employeecentered approach and its desire to challenge the vending industry status quo.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
First Class Vending’s story begins in 1994 when Matthew and Michelle were in college. Matthew purchased vending machines and placed them in fraternity houses around campus, “to earn extra money to take Michelle on dates,” Matthew said with a chuckle.
When the pair graduated college and got married, they decided to take out a loan and purchase a small momand-pop vending operation. While Michelle went on to work in the social services field, Matthew ran the vending company, with himself and one driver.
“I moved the first 600 machines myself on the back of a 4x8 trailer,” he recalled. “I put a vending machine on the
All images courtesy of First Class Vending
back and wouldn’t go home until I found a place for it.”
Ryan, Matthew’s brother, joined the company in the early days after he graduated college and played a significant role in growing the company over the years. As
the company grew, it expanded throughout the Los Angeles area to include Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.
“We started with vending machines that didn’t have dollar
Matthew Marsh, circa 1994 – humble beginnings when First Class Vending only sold 12-oz cans. He says that 30 years of vending could make your hair fall out.
bill acceptors,” said Matthew. “I had to manually cut holes in the machine to add acceptors.”
After a few years in the business, Ryan became a partner at First Class Vending. Year after year, the company continued to see growth. Even during economically uncertain periods, the organization, under Marsh’s leadership, dug in and embraced the challenge. In fact, when the 2008 financial crisis hit, Matthew saw an opportunity to expand. While other vending operations were closing their doors, in 2009, Matthew opened a First Class Vending branch in Las Vegas with one manager, one employee and no customers.
“We started over grassroots,” recalled Matthew. “And this nonfamily business became a family business over the years.”
After eight years of commuting back and forth from Los Angeles to
OPERATION PROFILE
First Class Vending
Founded: 1994 CA / 2009 NV
Headquarters: Bell Gardens, CA / Las Vegas, NV
Number of employees: Over 300
Website: firstclassvending.com
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Coffee on the Go
In order to showcase its coffee offerings, First Class Vending opened a warehouse and showroom at its Las Vegas operation for hotel and restaurant managers to sample the product for themselves. “That makes a huge difference,” said Matthew.
In Las Vegas, traveling to the showroom isn’t difficult for prospective clients, so many are willing to make the drive. “We have customers all week long coming in, and we teach them everything they need to know about coffee, from how the machines work to running whole coffee houses.”
During the pandemic, the company converted a 1968 Airstream into a mobile showroom for customers who preferred not to travel. “Now we have the ability to go to them and have different coffee tastings,” said Matthew.
Las Vegas, Matthew and Michelle moved permanently to Nevada in 2017, and Michelle left her work in social services and joined the company full time.
Today, First Class Vending has operations in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, a branch that was opened in 2021 during the pandemic. While Ryan oversees the California division, Matthew works with customers and oversees the sales team. Michelle, meanwhile, has embraced her role as owner and president of the First Class Vending Nevada branch, working on daily operations and employee retention.
HAPPY EMPLOYEES, HAPPY CUSTOMERS AND SUCCESSFUL COMPANY
For their organization to be successful, Matthew and Michelle believe in supporting and promoting an enjoyable environment, which has meant focusing on employee retention and customer retention. “Happy employees lead to happy customers,” said Michelle. “When it
comes to employees, we realize that everybody has something going on in their personal lives, so if we can make this company an environment where employees feel supported, then that translates into a more efficient workforce.”
When Michelle joined the company full time in 2017, she began observing every department to see how management could change to have better communication and teamwork despite the many moving parts. She began pragmatic practices to build employee confidence and retention. First, she began meeting with every employee one-on-one at the Nevada branch once per year to hear feedback.
“It’s not a meeting about job performance or raises,” she said. “This is about any feedback that they have, and I try to implement changes based on the feedback that I get. I don’t want to see people coming to work with a question mark over their head or feeling resentful.”
Next, she tries to make sure she is in every interview, so she has an idea of the potential employee’s background. It’s the personal relationship that management
creates with its employees that makes First Class Vending different from many other competitors. Despite having more than 200 employees at its Nevada operation,
The fleet is ready to roll. First Class Vending values having full-time auto mechanics on the payroll. It is more cost-efficient and keeps the trucks rolling faster.
Michelle continues to write birthday and anniversary cards each month for employees.
“It really helps to work as a team when everybody feels like they are part of something,” she emphasized.
“We have really gotten a lot of good feedback from employees about the changes we’ve made.”
Matthew looks back to his history at the company, working from the ground up, as one reason he’s committed to supporting employees. “I’ve held and performed almost every position in the company, so I understand what the employees have to do, and I understand the hard work that they are doing,” he said.
And, the company remains committed to its employees because, “if we aren’t solid in the backend, then we aren’t going to retain the customers,”
Michelle added. “We like to tell folks in interviews that all companies sell the same bag of Cheetos, but if a customer likes you, they like us.”
Matthew says that the Pick Line is one of the best inventions brought to the industry in the past decade.
First Class Vending’s coffee showroom and training center is a hit with their customers. The team recommends that they visit in the morning as they are likely to leave highly caffeinated.
Not only is the company committed to its employees but it also shows a commitment to customers by offering the newest innovations to make their purchasing experience even better.
THE EARLY ADOPTION OF MICRO MARKETS
From the beginning, First Class Vending hasn’t shied away from trying new things, including technology. The company works with clients to test new technology, specifically in its Nevada operation. “If it works, we are happy and may integrate it throughout our company. If it doesn’t, we send it back. We aren’t afraid to try things,” said Matthew. “There are a lot of headaches that come with trial, but if you don’t try, you don’t know.”
First Class Vending was an early adopter of micro markets, opening its first Avanti market shortly after they were introduced. They used the micro market concept to acquire new business, and once they proved to be successful, the company began converting traditional vending accounts over to micro markets. Matthew says that since customers can touch and feel the product, they tend to spend a bit more money in micro markets.
Today, any First Class Vending account that hasn’t been converted to micro markets has been due to the fact that it wasn’t a good fit for the location. Micro markets have grown so big for First Class Vending that the company operates more micro market than vending routes in Nevada.
Although Matthew has had good experiences with micro markets,
he acknowledges that theft can be an issue if a vendor isn’t managing accounts properly. “I have seen a trend in the industry where some people have been talking about transitioning back to vending in high-theft accounts,” he said. To combat this, First Class Vending has a surveillance team monitoring micro market theft.
From its inception, First Class Vending has worked hard to provide customers with superior offerings. That has also meant pivoting operations to fit customer needs as they change. That includes reintroducing office coffee service (OCS) in 2018 after selling off OCS accounts in the early 2000s to focus on vending.
OCS AND BEYOND
Thinking back to the early 2000s, Matthew recalls a period where operators were choosing to focus on either vending or OCS, not both. Those operators focusing on vending sold off their OCS routes, and the OCS operators sold off their vending routes. First Class Vending sold its coffee routes and decided to focus
on vending, because at the time, it’s what they did best.
“Some of the coffee companies sold off their vending routes to us, and we basically did a big switch,” said Matthew. “We focused on vending while they focused on coffee.”
That model seemed to work for a short period of time before it was disrupted by the introduction of micro markets. “One day I found out that I lost a vending account to an OCS operator because they
were doing micro markets,” recalled Matthew. “It surprised me at the time, but that’s when I knew we needed to open coffee again. In my opinion, the industry changed back to all-in-one services because of micro markets.”
First Class Vending reintroduced coffee service seven years ago. In Nevada, the company now operates traditional OCS, restaurants, hotels and more recently, a cafe. “Anything that touches coffee in Nevada, we
When customers ask, what is the best machine and the best coffee, the team tells them that coffee is a personal taste, come down and choose yourself.
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JOB COMMITMENT • INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT • CONTRIBUTION ACHIEVEMENT IN THEIR POSITION • INNOVATION IN THE FIELD
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do,” Matthew explained. “We service a high percentage of restaurants with espresso, co ee and iced tea machines, which makes us di erent from other operators.”
In addition, First Class Vending o ers third-party maintenance for restaurants that have their own equipment, due to the acquisition of a local mechanical OCS repair company. First Class Vending recently opened a cafe in partnership with Death Wish Co ee in a Las Vegas hotel, supplying the store a range of cups and sugar to co ee and espresso machines.
Across the board, Matthew prefers selling quality co ee and does everything he can to avoid selling customers the value brand.
Jo Ann Lichtman
Manufacturer’s Representative for Vending, OCS and Micro-Market Products
2019 Forest Creek, Libertyville, Illinois 60048
(847) 680-4790 • 800-801-7453
(847) 680-4796 FAX
Email: joann@lichtmanandassociates.com
“We prefer selling local and specialty co ee,” he said. “We want our customers to understand that the price between a value brand and a premium brand, when you break it down by the cup, is not much of a di erence.”
e company prides itself on carrying brands that other vendors don’t, including a local Nevada roaster, Royal Co ee Roasters. Despite leaving the co ee business for several years, Matthew was not intimidated by the changes his company may have missed. “ e co ee bean hadn’t changed, and the addiction to ca eine hadn’t changed, either,” he said. “What had changed was the technology and equipment, and it had only gotten better.”
He noted that the adjustment to the new equipment and logistics was simple.
One thing he was sure to implement, however, was having separate routes. “A true OCS operator cannot throw co ee boxes in the back of a vending truck and expect a vending route driver to deliver it,” he said. “We have two separate routes, and we send two trucks to the same location because they go on di erent frequencies. Some of our co ee drivers are also really good at sales, and they will help promote seasonal items that we have and new products that come up.”
Today, the company has grown to more than 20 OCS routes in Nevada.
FRICTIONLESS STORES REMAIN
AN AREA OF TRIAL
Matthew and Michelle have always welcomed new ideas and o erings, and that’s what led them to First Class Vending’s rst frictionless store. e company launched Zippin, a checkout-free store, six months ago, and has plans to open two more frictionless stores in the Harry Reid International Airport in the next two months. As with any new technology and o erings, frictionless stores have proven to be a learning curve for the First Class Vending team. e barrier to entry so far has been cost.
“We are lucky enough to do a partnership with Mars, so they are helping us test out these markets to determine where they want to go with it in the future,” said Matthew. “And we are trying to learn what systems work and what doesn’t work for us, as well as the ROI we are looking for.”
He believes that as more companies come out with this type of selling model, the price will come down to
Michelle and Matthew Marsh in the warehouse.
make it more a ordable. “We’ve got one foot in and the other foot will go in soon as we see more sales and see if the pricing goes down,” he said.
Despite the barrier to entry, he believes the concept is working well so far, and he sees a future in it. “ ey are designed for honest people to make a purchase and for dishonest people to not be able to use them,” he continued. “ at part of it works.”
Another issue he has seen come up is the label that these stores are given. “We’ve had customers treat this like vending and micro markets and say we are good to launch the concept, while others don’t know what to call it and then designate it as retail, which requires extra permits. So, it matters who you’re working with and what they consider it,” continued Matthew. “Is it a retail store? No. Is it vending? No.”
Another thing he has noticed is that the so ware of the frictionless store isn’t integrating with traditional vending so ware, which he believes
will need to happen before more operators in the industry adopt this new model.
VENDING OF THE FUTURE
Since 1994, First Class Vending has shown a proclivity to succeed. When Matthew rst started with soda machines, he doubled his business by adding a snack machine next to each one. When micro markets were introduced, he
became an early adopter and still believes in them today.
“Vending isn’t just vending anymore,” Matthew said. “It’s micro markets, locking coolers, and walk-out technology such as frictionless vending.”
roughout its 30 years in the industry, First Class Vending has rede ned and re-evaluated the services it provides, all for the bene t of the customer. “We have been pivoting since day one,” said Michelle. “We have been re-evaluating on a continuous basis because we don’t want to be on autopilot and we don’t want to become comfortable.” ■
Mike Ferguson has over 34+ years Vending & OCS industry experience, as an ex-operator and owner turned intermediary business broker to assist you in selling your business. I speak fluent Vending and Office Coffee.
For the team at First Class Vending, only time will tell if frictionless stores are the next evolution for the industry.
SOCIAL HUBS
The Ball Aluminum Cup announces installation of a Cycle #ReverseVending Machine (RVM) at Copper Mountain Resort. bit.ly/3PF7uIw
Apex Restaurant & Market Solutions adds executive chef. Blake Hammond brings more than 20 years of culinary experience to the corporate #foodservice company. bit.ly/3ThRgHv
Inter Miami CF integrates Zippin #technology at Chase Stadium with four new #checkoutfree stores. #unattendedretail bit.ly/3USJ4P8
Daiohs USA and First Choice Coffee mourn the loss of its founding father, Shinichi Ohkubo. bit.ly/43gw9Zo
Automatic Merchandiser is proud to recognize leaders in the vending, micro market and office coffee service industry in our second annual Legends of the Year awards program. Congratulations to the 2024 award winners! bit.ly/49FUYAu
Thank You for 10 Years of
growth and innovation made possible by
you.
This year, we’re celebrating the ten year anniversary of our first NAMA show, where our PayRange technology was first introduced to the vending industry. Originally invented by a vending operator for vending, we want to take a moment to thank you, our patrons, for helping us grow and innovate over these last ten years. We’re here today because of you.
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PayRange booth at the 2014 NAMA Show
