Guinness Book of Records - Chocolate!

A train made entirely of chocolate sets a new Guinness World Record as the longest chocolate structure in the world. The train is 112ft long, weighs 1,250kg and took more than 700 hours to construct. The sculpture, constructed by Maltese chocolate-artist Andrew Farrugia, is on display at a railway station in Brussels

 Two of our favourite things - chocolate and trains

Praise be!

We will check this out when we're next in Brussels! 

Not sure it would work in even the most technologically advanced, touchscreen, smartphone activated, robotic vending machine!

Yours in vending chocolate
Gillian & Neil

In praise of Chocolate

Hello everyone

Another week and for all our American friends, it’s a short but busy one.  First celebrated in 1621 as an autumn harvest celebration, it wasn’t until 1863 (in the midst of civil war) that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a set Thursday in November be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day.  Enjoy!

After that dose of history, let’s return to today’s topic; chocolate.  Even older than Thanksgiving, we have a great deal to thank the Aztecs for; Emperor Montezuma is long associated with this amazing product that stands the test of time and enjoys frequent innovation and reinvention.   So, in praise of chocolate, let’s start this chilly wintry week!

Some of you reading this may scratch your heads and take us aside to say, “we thought 24vend were all about health and stuff like that?”.  Indeed, you are absolutely right, but that doesn’t mean we can’t love chocolate.  The desire to be well, healthy and nutritionally positive does not negate the occasional indulgent decadence of polyphenol and flavenol rich chocolate.

Our stance is one of choice, education and responsibility (Corporate or Personal).  If we educate, inform and provide consumers with the knowledge that enables them to make good choices from the wide range of products available, then it is down to them to make a responsible decision about what they really need to consume.   I, for one, do not desire to live in a world where I’m told what to consume; we should rise to the level of responsible sellers, rather than run the risk of dumbed-down do-as-you’re-told decision-making through onerous regulation. 

No, it’s not simple, but if it were, life would be dull.  I would rather be challenged every day to be curious, learn and develop than settle for a world of monochromatic predictability.

So, can chocolate and health rub shoulders in a healthy lifestyle?  Absolutely, yes!  In the last few days, there have been a number of articles in praise of chocolate and you can read some of them here, and here!  

Nobody every said you should live on chocolate, and nobody actually makes you buy it; of course it’s marketed and advertised; if you buy into a world of consumerism (last time we looked!), then that’s business.   But, if the pre-frontal cortex drives you to a few moments of chocolate heaven, praise be!

Enjoy your week, good people of the Vending Village

Gillian and Neil

The Friendly Vending Geeks @ 24vend

You'd be nuts not to read this!

Nuts!  Those of a certain age will remember the classic advert and whilst not a big fan of TV advertising, it's one of those golden oldies (a little like Smash!).

Anyway, we're not here to wax lyrical about mahoosive advertising budgets and times gone by.  We're definitely right here, right now and Fat Boy Slim is always on our playlist!

Nuts

Certainly, if you are allergic to them, life can be very tricky.  Sorry about that.  If, however, you are able to eat them, why not eat more of them..  here are a few nutty facts (strange, but true)...

Cholesterol - we all need some and many of us have too much.  Briefly, there are two types of cholesterol; LDL ("bad") and HDL ("good").  There is research to suggest that there is a relationship between eating more raw (unprocessed) nuts and a reduction in the levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.  One report showed those eating around 70g/day reduced their LDL ("bad") levels by 9.4%.  Pretty impressive (references below, OK).

Fibre - if you want a healthy digestive system and everything that goes with it (sparing you the details!), you'll need to be eating plenty of fibre.  Well, once again, raw nuts (unprocessed) are pretty nifty in this area too.  Another great thing about fibre rich foods is that they increase the feeling of fullness and satiety as well as stabilising blood sugar levels.  What's not to love?

Anyway, this is a blog about all things vending (as well as the occasional opinion!) and 24vend is delighted to be able to offer you a machine that can vend nuts really niftily.  Going great guns in the Netherlands and shown in a megascreen cinema complex not far from Amsterdam, maybe you can add it to your portfolio?

Get in touch if you want to know more about nuts or even nut vending machines

Virtually Yours in Vending

Gillian & Neil

(reference:  Jenkins DJA et al  Dose response of almonds on coronary heart disease risk factors; blood lipids, oxidised low-density lipoproteins, lipoproteins(a), homcysteine and pulmonary nitric oxide; a randomised, controlled, crossover trial.  2002 106(11):1327-84)

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 

The times, they are a changin'

Hello!

The times they certainly are "a changin'" and not just as Bob Dylan predicted.  Health is now making headways in the vending vernacular and that's  a good thing, isn't it?

If you haven't already booked your place for Monday's Being Healthy conference in Manchester, there is still time.  You have to be in it to win it and we're a friendly bunch, so why not?  Not curious enough to be part of the conversation?  Too set in your ways to think that you might learn something - tut, tut!  Never too old and never too curious!

It was really great to hear about Gem Vending using QR codes to provide nutritional information to vending consumers - top marks to them for embracing both technology and the consumer.  Nice work!  If you haven't read all about it, head over to Planet Vending and get yourselves in the know

Of course, you'll be very welcome on the day if your plans change!

Get in touch if you want to know how we can help you jog along the journey of health; at least one of us is a REPs qualified fitness instructor so we can grow your vending business and get you fit on the inside at the same time.  Not many in the vending industry that can toot that particular trumpet!!

Any road up!  See you next week at Being Healthy or Vendex

The times, they are a changin'

The Friendly Vending Geeks
Gillian & Neil
24vend

LEDs are for life, not just for Christmas!

Hello everyone

Building on yesterday's theme of vending and technology, we just wanted to let you know about our LED range of products.

Off the shelf and bespoke solutions for vending (or any other application that needs lighting) are available and we work with you throughout the project to make sure you get what you want.  Highly efficient, environmentally friendly and 5 years as a warranty has to be a good place to start the conversation.  We also use UK partners for sourcing and electronics.  Cool Britannia!

Bearing in mind that Marmite have sponsored this year's Oxford Street Christmas lights, we thought we'd share part of their 250, 000 LED display.  Love it or hate it, you don't have to use that many in your application!!

Whilst you may head to IKEA for your great value tea-lights (and meatballs, of course), why not talk to 24vend for all your LED needs.  We are the friendly vending geeks and we love to chat.

Bring out the best in your Brands, let us light up your life!

Remember, LEDS are for life, not just for Christmas

Yours in lights
Gillian & Neil
24vend

And now for something completely different!

Good morning all

Welcome to our all readers!  After all our talk of health and wellbeing, it seems fitting that we tell you what other products and services 24vend can offer.   Something completely different that we think you’ll like!

Our heartland is, you may be surprised to read, in all things technical.  Whilst we have a passionate interest in all things human, we love gadgets, gizmos and techy-geeky stuff.  We use that term in the most self-deprecating of manners; because we can!

24vend is today with a handful of other technical experts working with the EVA on all things Cashless.  Cash, in its broadest sense, will always be King, but we reckon that Cashless is actually Queen!  The Joker sits smirking as he just wants paying for his mendacity and the Ace? Those who embrace all forms of payment.

We’re proud to be members of both AVA and EVA and whole-heartedly support the development of our industry to be not just good but great!  Whilst beyond the point where it’s OK to be “down with the kids”, we do have a pretty clever mobile phone payment system that is super simple, super clever and well, super!  You might want to talk to us about this if you have any interest in being social, digital and mobile (to coin a phrase).

In the words of Fat Boy Slim, “We've come a long long way together, Through the hard times and the good. I have to celebrate you baby , I have to praise you like I should”  As the coin said to the mobile wallet!

Why not join us on your journey to cash and cashless?  Everything to gain and nothing to lose!  We’re but a (mobile) phone call away.

Get in touch

The Friendly Vending Geeks

Gillian and Neil

Look up at the Stars

A flood of winter sunshine is gleaming on us as we write today’s news from the pews!  We’ve been busy packing goody bags ahead of next week’s Being Healthy conference.  A few more items to go, but first a cup of tea and a blog!

I wanted to thank and mention those that have helped make our goody bags interesting, different and tasty! 

Coeliac UK (of which I’m Vice Chair) very kindly donated the bags themselves and a quick word for those that may not be aware.  Coeliac disease affects around 1 in 100 people (UK) and is an autoimmune condition.  A lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet is the way that those with the disease (including me!) stay healthy and well.  The charity obviously supports research in medical areas to improve diagnosis amongst other things.  It is also very important that food choices are available, affordably and tasty, particularly out of home – this is an area that I have worked very closely with the Charity in my role as Vice-Chair.  It is relevant to Being Healthy and vending as labelling and choice are paramount.  A coeliac can’t “cheat” on their diet and certainly can’t play roulette (Russian or otherwise) by hoping that the consumer information is right; it has to be!  Food for thought indeed.  A Charity I’m proud to support.

·       Warburtons, British and family owned are tempting us with baked pitta chips.  They also offer gluten free goodies but none available in vending (yet)(a not so subtle hint!).  Lower fat and salt compared to other savoury products, this is an interesting challenge to the regular “top shelf” items!

·       Multiple Marketing, another British based, family owned business, will be supplying a range of products, many of which are “school” compliant.  This is an interesting area for many in vending and often in debate – more about that at the conference (you have to be there to hear it!)

·       OhSoLovesYourTummy are a new player in the market with a fantastic probiotic, low calorie chocolate.  Can’t face a yoghurt drink to provide what your tummy needs, then look on further than this innovative, scientifically proven chocolate.  Mmmm, music to my ears!

·       Innocent smoothies are well known to all but never to be missed!  Supporting Age UK with their knitted hats every winter, they are a great example of companies giving back and making you smile as they do

·       24vend will also be supplying some healthy surprises!  Only those that book their place at the conference will be able to share the mystery!

We also wanted to make a special mention to some new friends of ours Planet Vending.  Friendly (like us!) and taking a fresh look at vending.  They include our blogs and thoughts about vending as well as lots of other useful and important points of view - head over there soon and tell them we sent you!

I’m sure many of you reading this will remember 2012 for great sporting achievements at both the Olympic and Paralympic games.  Stephen Hawking, one of the great scientists and thinkers of our time, gave us a phrase that I would like all of us in vending to take to our hearts  “Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Be curious”

Why not be curious and join the conversation next week?  You have nothing to lose!  

See you in Manchester on 12^th November

Curiously yours,

The Friendly Vending Geeks @24vend