Business Week recently reported on the growth in healthy vending machines and the rising interest among existing vending operators in healthy options, driven largely by the federal law that required school districts to establish local policies aimed at improving student nutrition and reducing childhood obesity.
For the full story click here.
Editor's Insight: This story indicates that the federal child nutrition bill has driven the demand for healthy vending services. What remains to be seen is how long these dedicated healthy machines remain.
Put yourself in the school administrator's shoes. The government announces it will soon have a new set of requirements for vending machines. A company that specializes in "healthy" products knocks on your door. It's a no brainer.
The Food and Drug Administration has not yet released its proposed rules for school vending machines.
Whether or not these dedicated "healthy" machines will succeed long term remains to be seen. 01-19-11 Elliot Maras