VendingMarketWatch Blog

These past two weeks, VendingMarketWatch.com has presented a series of podcasts on the State of the Vending Industry Report. Six podcasts have already been posted, and if you haven’t had a chance to listen them, go to http://www.vendingmarketwatch.com/podcast/.
The podcasts offer a more intimate experience for our readers. They allow readers to hear operators, suppliers and consultants address the key issues they face.
There are a lot of individuals out there who want to succeed in today’s business environment. The audio podcasts let you hear them explain in their own words how they are doing this.
The operators interviewed in these podcasts are all serious minded individuals who love the vending industry and want to be successful. They offer different strategies, such as hiring outside consultants, diversifying into new services, investing in some new positions, and investing in new technology.
What strikes me about these podcasts is the honesty with which operators express their concerns about the vending market. There is no sugar coating the difficult challenges.
Some operators address the type of software they use in managing costs. Part of the discussion specifically addresses managing food costs, which is one of the most challenging areas.
Operators, when interviewed for an article, try to be positive when questioned about meeting challenges. In the podcast interviews, they pull no punches.
Managing costs has become the major initiative among operators in this economy.
The “no nonsense” approach that come across in these podcasts is what operators need to hear.

We Ohioans have a long history with our burgers. It is an area in which we fancy ourselves as leaders. Before we had the Big Mac, there was the White Castle Slider, whose fame quickly expanded beyond the Buckeye state. Then came Wendy’s square burger. Dave Thomas generously shared it beyond our borders. Then came Pierre’s Big AZ burger, which, while born in Ohio, was always intended for nationwide consumption.

But none of them have anything on the “Big Yaz,” burger, which remains an Ohio phenomenon.The “Big Yaz” burger is a concoction of Firelands Food Systems in Sandusky, Ohio. Six ounces of barbecued hamburger covered with bacon strips and pepper cheese. It has been a favorite among the company’s customers for six years.

Company owner Steve Hall, Sr. has always worked hard to distinguish his food program among his heavily industrial customers. In search of a new and better burger, he tapped his associates – colleagues, employees and suppliers – for suggestions. One person whose opinion he knew he could trust in matters of taste was Bobby Yasinow of Vendors Exchange International Inc.

When Yasinow told him what makes a good burger, Hall knew he had a winner. Thus was born the “Big Yaz BBQ Bacon Burger.”

This creativity on Hall’s part is one of the reasons he has succeeded over the years. He continues to grow in a region that has been hammered by the recession. He has been a leader on the technology front from the very beginning. He was one of the first operators in the country to use glassfront beverage machines, and he has been a pioneer in cashless vending.

But one of his most important attributes is in recognizing the importance food plays in vending. As I’ve stated before, technology offers our industry a lot of promise, but if we cannot restore the food portion to its former prominence, we will continue to lose relevance in the consumer’s eyes.

As for future plans, Hall is playing it close to the vest with the “Big Yaz Burger.” Only Firelands Food Systems’ customers can get it. Marketing the product beyond his existing customer base might make Hall wealthier, but it would compromise the privilege of being a Firelands’ customer, and that’s the last thing Hall wants to do. Which is all fine and good. But I, for one, think the packaging doesn’t give the burger its due. I think most customers would agree that to do justice to the epicurean experience of “Big Yaz,” the packaging could be a little more exciting. Considering what personalities can do for a brand, I suggested a picture of Bobby Yasinow, with full smile. Hall remains unconvinced.What say the rest of you?
Steve Hall, Sr., left, of Firelands Food Systems in Sandusky, Ohio, serves a “Big Yaz BBQ Bacon Burger” to Bobby Yasinow of Vendors Exchange International Inc

As the record summer heat sizzles on, consider what that cold bottle of water on your desk means to you. Look deep inside that invigorating bottle opening and envision the full depth of opportunities.
This past holiday weekend, those of us who attended outdoor gatherings plowed through the ice bucket in search of bottled water. At my gathering, the host found he was running low on water within the first hour. All the soda, beer, and juice became an annoyance as we reached for those precious bottles of water. Water won any imaginable taste test hands down!
Summer’s not over. Now’s the time to state your position, loud and clear.
State your case. The anti-bottled water forces don’t stand a chance. Those academic arguments against bottled water sound drier than the Sahara Desert. We humans are creatures in search of relief from nature’s cruel elements.
Since the beginning of time, our species has been on a perpetual quest to refine its environment. In 2010, we can shelter ourselves from our primordial need for basic sustenance (and maybe listen to those academic statements about bottled water) for most days of the year. But that sheltered existence only lasts so long, then poof! Summer arrives. Mother Nature strikes again! I’m thirsty, give me water!
Your moment has arrived. Grab your digital camera. Take a picture of someone in the pool or in the lake and email it to your customers. Take pictures of your kids throwing water balloons at each other. Then follow it up with a picture of someone emptying a bottle of the precious nutrient over someone else’s head. Courtesy of your company.
Believe in your mission. As a bottled water provider, you are a hero! There is nothing anyone can say or do to change that fact!