Being Healthy 12 - separating the fat from the fiction

Despite classic British weather (wet and wet!) and Monday motorway madness, a group of motivated, interested and engaged Vending Operators trekked to the architecturally amazing Imperial War Museum in Trafford Park, Manchester for the Being Healthy Conference.  

For those who haven’t to IWM North, it’s located in an area of fabulous urban regeneration, bearing monument to a golden Industrial past whilst embracing re-invention as a business and tourist destination.

Re-invention is also at the heart of 24vend’s passion in getting the Vending Elephants out of the room!  Health and wellbeing are big agenda items however you look at them.  This conference, whilst modest in its ambition, wanted to get the dialogue open, objective and focussed on opportunity, not issue!

For those not there, you missed a fantastic line-up of speakers and some excellent conversation.  Let’s summarise:

TraceyGraham, Abercromby Vending.  This is a fantastic and heartening story of an enlightened business owner identifying an opportunity and, quite literally, making it happen.  With her knowledge of catering, Tracey oversees the creation of food and snacks that can be vended and her brother Thomas makes sure the vending operation runs like a dream.  What is so inspiring is that Abercromby Vending have won the Healthy Living Award in Scotland and are getting really positive attention from the Scottish Government.    Consumers love it and Tracey tells the story of a customer phoning from a Hospital to thank her for the fantastic, tasty and healthy products that they have bought from one of their vending machines.  Word of mouth and don’t we all want that.

ChrisCarter, Selecta UK and Ireland.  Chris told the European story of “positive living” through vending machines.  Selecta in France, Switzerland and the UK offer consumers products that can help make them achieve their healthier lifestyles.  France and Switzerland are very interesting initiatives as they are supported by their respective Ministries of Health; positive Government involvement and a mark of confidence and signposting for the products that meet certain guidelines.  This level of consumer education and information really helps; nutrition is not an easy subject even for the well informed, so anything we can do as responsible vendors to help increase knowledge has to be a good thing.

24vend gave a whistle-stop update on what’s happening in USA.  Believe us when we say, it’s a lot.   Even if it is partly driven through the requirements of Employers to support their staff on the road to better living, the growth of franchises that focus entirely on offering health, healthier and better products in vending machines is something to which we say Bravo!  HUMAN Healthy Vending is winning contracts, placing machines and making available a fantastic choice of products in vending.    Growing as a business, achieving a place in the Forbes 500 fastest growing list, HUMAN Healthy Vending is breaking records and vending stereotypes.  So, to the nay-sayers who don’t believe that health has no business in vending, perhaps it’s time to open your hearts and minds to a different perspective?

LizMorris, Working Families brought hearts and minds to life.  The pre-frontal cortices of the audience were educated and informed about how productivity and vending are both very important in a workplace context.   Savvy employers are learning how cortisol, serotonin, and circadian rhythms can help or hinder productivity.  The programming of humans to enjoy “comfort” foods is at odds with our need to eat to sustain performance.  It was fantastic to have a Neuroscientist put the facts behind the reasons why we crave certain foods in specific situations.  Of course, in moderation, comfort foods can be positive, but more frequent positive eating can make for better living.

Last but not least;

Nathan Kulik joined us to tell the Innocent story.  This was enlightening not just from the perspective that it’s a great story of 3 mates who snowboarded from holiday to global fame and a £43mio business, but also from learning about the strength of the brand and the smoothies and juices that they make.  The 7^th most loved UK company packed full of fresh, responsible, healthy goodness in a vending machine near you.  Inspirational!

The panel session for the presenters was lively and only a little contentious.  We foraged debates around commercial realities in vending, working patterns in UK businesses, the difference in culture across Europe that drive our eating habits as well as Government interventions in nudging consumers to different or better behaviours.  

There was agreement and acknowledgement that Vending Operators can learn from each other, that fresh products need to be handled differently and that consumers will phone to tell you how great your options taste – trust me, if they are telling you, they are probably telling their friends!  What a contrast from the typical image of vending (“stole my money”, “nothing for me” and “last resort”!). 

Probably the most important message from this session (aside from how passionate the vending fraternity is!) was a HUGE shout out to manufacturers to reformulate, create and deliver great tasting healthy and healthier products.  So, to any brands out there not currently in vending, get in touch.  Your vending Operator needs you!

Our plan is to run a similar conference in late Spring 2013.  We’ll build on the fantastic strides already taking place and have taken a personal challenge to find new products to bring for sampling.

Get in touch if you would like more information on this conference or any other product or service that 24vend can offer to help grow your business.

Gillian & Neil