Vending Machines Blog

Eco Vending on a Roll

Ever thought about throwing your work down the toilet? Well now you can, and save the planet at the same time!

As you may already know, the Japanese are infamous for their strange and unusual vending machines, but this may raise the bar to new levels.

A new type of vending machine was unveiled a number of weeks ago at Tokyo’s Eco Products trade fair which feeds on waste office paper and outputs rolls of toilet paper! It is said that 40 sheets of A4 office paper is the amount required for a roll, and takes around 30 minutes from beginning to end (this process comprises of: shredding, mixing with water, pulping, flattening, drying and rolling).

Contrary to many gadgets born in Japan, this machine is far from compact – standing proud at 6ft tall and weighing just under 600 Kg – so don’t expect to tuck it away nicely in the corner of the bathroom!

Apparently, the White Goat, as the machine is named, costs about 6 pence to create a roll. Comparing this with the typical 40p per roll for a premium brand, it seems a substantial saving; but unfortunately the quality leaves a little to be desired when compared to its luxury brothers.

However, the factor most likely to hinder wide-spread adoption of this machine is probably its price. At a whopping $100,000 (around the £65,000 mark), toilet paper would need to be in extremely high demand in the office for this expense to be a viable purchase and realise any savings.

Posted in: Vending Machine News
Tags: toilet roll vending, vending, Vending Machine News, washroom vending

New Vending Machines for Sale

Recently, we added a number of new vending machines to our website. Our range of snack vending machines, food vending machines, drinks vending machines (hot and cold), plus combination vending machines have all been updated. These machines are all top quality and produced by leading, well-known vending manufacturers, but provided at unbeatable prices by Intelligent Vending.

We have made the decision to add these vending machines to our online catalogue to offer our customers even more choice. Many of the new machines have been well received by the market and we are sure our buyers will feel the same.

While you are browsing our site, make sure you don’t forget to take a look at our special offers page as well; full of great deals and promotions, this can be a great place to pick up a bargain and save money on some excellent products. The list of offers is frequently updated as new items become available.

Not only can great offers be found here for vending machines, promotions can also often be found for many of our other products, such as; washroom/condom vending machines, fly killers, air sterilisers, coffee machines and much more (offers on all these items available at time of writing).

Choosing the right vending machine can sometimes seem like a difficult decision, especially when faced with a large selection. If you have any questions or are unsure which vending machine would be best for your situation, we are always happy to help.

Posted in: Intelligent Vending Ltd
Tags: Intelligent Vending, offers/promotions

Cigarette Vending Machine Ban

Cigarette vending machines in England, Northern Ireland and Wales are close to being banned, following recent legislation changes approved by MPs. While Scotland has their own bill regarding this situation, both systems share similarities in their details.

If passed, both intend to first remove cigarette machines from larger stores in 2011, while smaller shops will have until 2013; the decision to implement the changes so far in the future is a result of the current economic climate.

Although welcomed by many, this plan has faced opposition from the tobacco industry and some retailers, who deny the validity of the arguments against them and protest that it will result in substantial loss of sales.

Proposed by Ian McCartney, the former Labour minister, the ban on cigarette vending machines is largely a consequence of suggestions that they are partly responsible for the uptake of smoking by new generations. It is thought cigarette vending machines are too appealing and accessible for children and also help to normalise attitudes towards cigarettes and smoking through brand familiarity.

Posted in: Vending Machine News
Tags: cigarette vending machines, vending machine information, Vending Machine News

US Beverage Industry to Include Calorie Information on Vending Machines

The subject of our last article was Barack Obama’s plans to attempt to reduce childhood obesity by removing sugary snack and drink vending machines from America’s schools. In a related effort, First Lady Michelle Obama has called for action from the beverage industry to help with her healthy families campaign.

It seems this call may now have been answered by the non-alcoholic beverage companies which are members of the American Beverage Association (including The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, Red Bull North America, Inc. and many other major brands). The ABA has volunteered a new initiative which intends to present calorie information on their products in a more clear and useable manner.

Vending machines and product labels are two main areas which will be focussed on by this initiative. Vending machine beverage selection buttons are set to contain details of product calorie counts, while information on products themselves will be improved by additions such as per-serving calorie totals on the labels of items with higher volumes.

Only vending machines controlled by respective beverage companies will be affected by these changes, but perhaps it may prompt other operators to follow suit if the idea is welcomed by consumers.

Posted in: Vending Machine News, Vending Overseas
Tags: drink vending, Vending Machine News

Obama for Healthy Vending Machines

Last week the Obama administration announced plans to set new legislation in place to remove sugary snacks and drinks from school vending machines. The motivation behind the campaign has arisen from America’s increasing levels of child obesity and diabetes.

Barack is not alone in this war on weight, either. Last month, the first lady, Michelle Obama, also declared plans to lead an initiative aimed at reducing obesity levels amongst their younger population. The “Let’s Move” campaign has been created to try and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles.

The response to this initiative has been generally positive and has received a great deal of support. However, for many American citizens, Obama’s plans to regulate vending machines in schools have not been met with such enthusiasm.

It won’t really come as a surprise to anyone that the food industry is particularly unhappy about this idea, some retaliating with counter-campaigns to try and keep the junk food in the vending machines.

Some other people argue that it will be too expensive and also that the majority will be unfairly disadvantaged as a result of problems among the minority.

Results from the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted in 1971-1974 showed obesity levels among school-aged adolescents, aged 12-19 years was at 6.1%. The latest figures from the 2003-2006 data set showed this figure had increased to 17.6%.¹

Read More …

Posted in: Vending Machine News
Tags: healthy vending, snack vending machines, Vending Machine News

Top Quality Vending

Vending machines are fantastic products. Not only are they great for a business as they generate extra revenue, but they are also great from a customer’s perspective as they are convenient and easy to use.

There is a much wider range of goods available from vending machines today, than ever before. Not only are the products more diverse, there is a dramatic increase in vending machines stocked with higher quality items. A good vending company will advise on product choice and supplier and will guide you in the right direction for building your own vending machine success.

Industry experts know just how important it is for our customers to have flexibility in their vending and we aim to assist them in this wherever possible. Many of our customers have strong beliefs or preferences and these can be met in many different ways.

For example, many fair trade suppliers are now offering food and drink products for vending machines. Stocking fair trade products not only benefits the owner of the vending machine, but also the customers, as they are giving back a little from something which they would be purchasing anyway.

Many different types of products are now being stocked in vending machines, as the vending industry steers away from just offering food and drink. While this can be a great way to innovate and generate more profit, it is vitally important to ensure you research and comply with any health & safety or licensing requirements which may be applicable to the products, prior to making them available for sale from your vending machines.

At Intelligent Vending Ltd we have an expert team of customer service advisors to help you with all your vending needs, so no matter how weird or unusual your choice of product, there is a vending option for you.

Posted in: Intelligent Vending Ltd, Vending Help & Advice
Tags: Intelligent Vending, vending advice, vending machine information, vending machines

Drinks Vending Machine Services

With the vast array of soft drinks available nowadays in our supermarkets, shops, cafes and bars, vending machines have had to up their game in terms of the types of products and product selection they offer.

As a reputable vending machine supplier, Intelligent Vending understand the need for customers to have a wide choice in terms of what products they can put in their vending machines. That is why we supply cold and hot drinks vending machines which can accommodate a multitude of drinks products for you to supply; some can even be customised to vend unusual products.

Hot drinks vending machines in particular have come a long way in the past few years, with people now demanding more than just your average instant coffee. The technology now available for providing various types of coffee and hot drinks is astounding, with advancements being so good they are strong enough to stand up against shop bought products. Check out our Flavia coffee machines and Flavia drinks for examples of such quality.

When deciding what type of drinks products to place in your vending machines it is important to think about your clientele. There is no point having a selection of herbal teas if the majority of your customer base will be drinking builder’s breakfast tea, for example.

Choice is there for a reason and that reason is to enable our customers to tailor their vending machines to their specific customer base. Just because the choice is there does not necessarily mean that you have to choose everything available. Consider your options carefully and look at trialling new products for a couple of months until you find the right mix that works for you.

Posted in: Intelligent Vending Ltd, Vending Help & Advice
Tags: Intelligent Vending, vending advice, Vending Machine Supplier, vending machines

Vending Machines for your Business

Vending machines for businesses are a great way of keeping staff happy, whilst also providing additional income. Not only can vending machines generate profit, but they can sometimes help save money in other areas as well. Consider the time your staff will spend chatting in the kitchen area while making a round of drinks, then work out their hourly rate and multiply by frequency – as I’m sure you can imagine, this can quickly work out to be a costly exercise.

A traditional self catering staff kitchen requires a constant supply of tea, coffee, biscuits, snacks etc. – plus of course the cost of items such as kettles. By installing vending machines in your business premises, staff will be able to purchase their own goods, at their convenience, with little upkeep required from the employer. You can even install your hot drinks machine in the office area to avoid wasted time.

Whatever the size of your business, it is likely visitors and guests will attend for meetings or appointments. While the customary hot drink on arrival is always welcome, it is also nice to be able to offer a selection of snacks and food items – vending machines are probably the best way to achieve this.

Providing a selection of snack, food or drink items without a vending machine is typically impractical, and very costly. Vending machines can help to impress visitors, keep staff happy and all without costing you a fortune in on-going costs.

At Intelligent Vending Ltd we have an almost unsurpassed range of vending machines available, and have models suitable for almost every possible location.

If hot drinks are your thing, then we suggest you check out our Flavia® machines and drinks; which are proving to be extremely popular with all the cold weather the UK is currently experiencing.

Please give us a call or contact us for more information on vending machines for businesses.

Posted in: Vending Help & Advice
Tags: vending machines

Sensible Self Management Vending

Vending machines compliment most businesses and can provide a healthy additional revenue stream. Introducing vending machines into your company or office environment can also have other benefits too, such as boosting staff morale and impressing visitors or business associates.

If you are a business owner and you like the idea of vending machines in your workplace, then sampling a selection of products to start with can be a good idea. When choosing a vending machine supplier, it is important that you are looking for a vending company who can offer you support and a flexible vending solution.

At Intelligent Vending we offer our customers a varied selection of vending machines. Our self managed vending machines are ideal if you would like to select your own products. That way if a certain product does not sell particularly well, you have the flexibility to change it as and when you like.

Another great thing about self managed vending machines is that you can change the products provided to coincide with seasons or events; for example, you could include more comforting food for the colder months or festive chocolates near Christmas and Easter (etc.).

Self managed vending machines allow owners to keep 100% of the profits and retain 100% flexibility. If self management is an option for your business, it is certainly worth serious consideration.

Posted in: Intelligent Vending Ltd
Tags: self management, vending, vending machine

Vending Tips: Product Selection

In our first vending tips article we spoke about vending machine location and some of the benefits and potential downfalls of which to be aware. The aim of this article is to focus on vending machine product selection, with ideas of how this can be optimised to be more effective.

Choosing the right products to vend from your machines can mean the difference between profit and loss, and so is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Product Selection: Gather Data

Firstly, it is important to detach yourself from any personal preference towards particular products. Not everyone will share your opinion of the best snack/drink/brand of mints/etc. Providing products people actually want will yield better results. This is perhaps an obvious statement, but achieving it is not always so simple.

Read More …

Posted in: Intelligent Vending Ltd, Product Help & Advice, Vending Help & Advice, Vending Service
Tags: product selection, vending, vending machines, vending tips