Global technology company Glory has announced the launch of an IoT-enabled vending solution with Germany’s largest railway operator Deutsche Bahn. Passengers at two busy stations in the Munich area will now be able to select fresh, locally sourced produce, either in advance via a web app accessible through their smartphones or directly at machines.
The first of its kind at any railway station in Germany and branded “Zugvogel” by Deutsche Bahn, the Glory solution combines Internet-of-Things hardware with cloud-based software.
The connected nature of the solution allows not just convenient consumer ordering through the app, but remote monitoring of the temperature within the refrigerated unit and sell-by dates of the individual items to ensure freshness, together with detailed stock levels to maximize availability of popular products while avoiding waste.
With increased consumer interest in understanding more about their food choices, details of ingredients, allergens and the source of the items available are displayed both through the app and via a large screen on the machine.
As part of heightened focus on sustainability and environmental impact, food traceability is becoming more important for many consumers and every product purchased through the Zugvogel machines can be tracked back to the original, local producer.
Following the initial two installations, Deutsche Bahn is planning to deploy further units at stations in Munich City and potentially across Germany.
