Changing Trends in Vending FUTURE TREND 3: Vending machines

that can customize, cook and prepare food. For instance, a recent vending machine trade show in Chicago featured the “24/7 Pizza Box,” a vending machine that’s a robotic oven that prepares a pizza in three minutes.

Another example is Reis and

Irvy’s robotic frozen yogurt vending kiosks sold by Fresh Healthy Vending International, Inc. Customers can choose from nine flavors and six toppings. A robot then dispenses yogurt orders at a rate of up to 60 ser- vings per hour.

FUTURE TREND 4: Vending machines

that provide other products related to food. Many other businesses, such as Starbucks, have moved toward bundling related goods and services after their initial product line was successful. Want something to drink? How about a travel coffee mug or t-shirt as well?

FUTURE TREND 5:. Online vending

machines. Tis doesn’t mean purchas- ing vending machines over the Internet, which you can already do. Tis means vending machines that are connected to the Internet to allow ordering or purchasing over the web or a smart- phone app.

An example is Innovative Solutions’

activated vending machines that deliver products based on Tweets rather than money.

FUTURE TREND 6: Vending machines

in new locations. Potential market opportunities include airplanes and trains. Changes in vending machines could further expand potential locations. If, for instance, vending machines were to offer healthier food, they could have an even greater presence in schools.

FUTURE TREND 7: More interactive

vending machines. A vending machine may not be able to serve as a date ... yet.

But many of the above future trends will make vending machines more interactive.

Additionally, vending machines

could have more features that make them more “human,” such as the ability to remember and personalize orders and a voice like Siri that greets consumers and tells them how attractive they are.

As you can see, several major trends

mean that vending machines cannot remain the same. With changing circumstances

come new business opportunities. Be ready for them!

Scott McCoy is senior vice president of FMC Ice Sports as well as the ISI East region director and commercial facilities section

representative on the ISI board of directors.

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