Healthy Vending Rules Make Niche Vending A Problem

June 6, 2013

We’ve all seen the headlines, “Such and Such Place Considers Healthy Vending Requirements.” A quick search shows more than 60 news items in the past 90 days concerning healthy vending on VendingMarketWatch.com alone. While a number of them involve taxing traditional items to encourage different vending product choices, most involve some kind of healthy vending rule. The news reports are of local governments or school districts mandating that half or more of the products sold in vending machines in their buildings must meet a nutritional guideline. Announcements abound of organizations awarding schools or businesses for making changes in vending fare. And many items include the national “calories count” program enacted by the bottlers that show calories on the front of cold beverage machines.

How is all this affecting the independent vendor?

These rules are most heavily affecting the operator that serves schools. Elementary and grade schools have led the initiative to require different snacks and beverages in their vending machines, often banning certain products altogether. Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch figure about 2.5 percent of the full line vendors or candy/snack/beverages operations get 50 percent or more of their revenue from grade schools, and these mandates are their big concern. Add to that, the strict snack and food rules that the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to put on school vending machines nation-wide, including high schools, and revenues are likely to suffer even more.

Many of these “school” operators were able to increase the number of locations they served in 2012, averaging 30 per operator. And while their sales increased in 2012, according to upcoming state of the vending research, it lagged behind what vendors reported overall.

Operators serving schools are in a precarious situation. They can be profitable with the right product mix and by adding accounts - for the meantime - but the dark cloud of proposed legislation hangs over their businesses. Many have wondered if they can even survive such a aggressive product restriction since sales will drastically decrease. Therefore, it’s important to remember to diversity your locations. There’s no telling when one segment will be faced with challenges, such as the manufacturing segment over the last decade, and the school segment today. No longer can vending operators afford to keep all their eggs in one basket.  

About the Author

Emily Refermat | Editor

Emily has been living and breathing the vending industry since 2006 and became Editor in 2012. Usually Emily tries the new salted snack in the vending machine, unless she’s on deadline – then it’s a Snickers.

Feel free to reach Emily via email here or follow her on Twitter @VMW_Refermat.

Related

Nama Color 10747760
Management

NAMA Responds To USDA National School Vending Restrictions

April 10, 2013
NAMA submitted comments to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and Nutritional Standards for All...
Kshf Snack Food Infographic 10824580
Management

Report Calls For U.S. Department Of Agriculture To Regulate Vending Machine Snacks

Nov. 5, 2012
A new report by the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a joint initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows the majority of the nation...