Let’s face it, with the ever-growing trend toward healthy living, it’s not difficult to see why it would be a good idea to capitalize.  Healthy vending machines are a cheap alternative to opening a store or creating you’re own healthy idea.

There is a healthy vending machine made by a company (which, I will not disclose in order to keep this site as neutral as possible) which, in my opinion, is far more superior than any other on the market.

Why?

Technologically-speaking, they feature a 23″ LCD display which advertises products (generating the operator an income) and attracts people.  After all, when was the last time you saw an LCD sitting atop a vending machine?  That’s not all!  These healthy vending machines also have a touch screen pad to order on, remote monitoring, and the ability to fix themselves.  Yes, these machines also self-monitor, but unlike the others, they’re capable of fixing jams all by themselves.  Oh, and in case you were wondering – of course they accept credit cards.

What really sets this company apart from the pack is the variety of healthy vending machines that they feature.  Let’s get a list going:

• Hot Food Vending Machine
• An Outdoor Vending Machine (Made to be banged up a bit)
• The Regular Healthy Vending Machine (nothing regular about it – picture on right)
• A Healthy Gourmet Coffee Vending Machine – good for the office crowd
• And a Healthy Frozen Food Vending Machine

When considering opening up shop it helps to have people who you can consult, or even work directly for you –  individuals that have been in the business for some time.  This allows them to help their prospects by giving them proven advice, negotiating on their behalf, and even seeking out locations.  One company has all of these and more:  from how-to videos featuring current and successful healthy vending operators to a dedicated team that will actually train you on the best practices in the business.

Ultimately, it will be you who decides what you’re going to spend and for what reason.  I can only caution you with an old saying, “You get what you pay for.”

Although there are hundreds of  healthy brands and products to choose from, I’ve taken it upon myself to compile a list of 5 products that will help attract customers to your healthy vending machine.

In the following video, HUMAN healthy vending machines Atlanta, Georgia based couple Andy and Shari Calicchio are interviewed, and after watching their video, it’s obvious why they would get into the healthy vending machines business.  Andy and Shari both express their interest in exercise and nutrition, which is essentially what led them to approach a school principal with the idea of replacing the evil, cheetos and fritos-dispensing vending machine.  In the video you can see them in the school, standing in front of the junk food machine that will be replaced.

When asked what kind of animal they would be Andy and Shari answered, “a lion” and “a tiger” respectively.  Without being cliche, any business is “dog-eat-dog,” and it takes an almost predatory-like business acumen to succeed.  Having said that, most people would be apprehensive to approach a school as the Calicchio’s did, which is why it is important to think outside of the box.  The plus side to this is that it is always easier to present and argue for a product that speaks for itself.  Given the choice between a machine that dispenses sugar coated snacks and sodas and a machine that dispenses healthy snacks and drinks – the choice is clear.  A school can make just as much, and in many cases, more money with a healthy vending machines business.

“Did you do the Motor Boat?”  Vince Vaughn, Wedding Crashers – The Calicchio’s Favorite Movie

Two major misconceptions that I seem to be hearing often are, one, “healthy products are bland and tasteless, and two, the products in healthy vending machines are just a little bit healthier than those other vending machines – so they’re not worth buying.”

MISCONCEPTION #1:  PRODUCTS IN HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE

As far as the cost of healthy products is concerned, it is a misconception that you will have to see to believe.  It costs $1.75 for a coke at the coca-cola vending machine at CSUN (Cal State University, Northridge).  It costs the same for a Dasani water, which as we know is owned by coca-cola – and, its freakin’ filtered water!

Now, let’s switch out the coke machine for one of those healthy vending machines and now my choices are healthy energy drinks, premium water (Fiji, Evian, etc.), and vitamin-infused water (vitamin water) all for around 2 dollars.  Hands-down the selection is better, and $0.25 more, for a healthier, better tasting product – “I choose Vitamin Water!”  After all, how much is your health worth?

The bottom line here is that healthy products are no longer as expensive to produce because of their relatively recent and exponential rise to popularity.  To us, the customers, that means MONEY SAVED.  And, it’s also good news for vending operators as they are now able to compete with their junk food dispensing counterparts.  I don’t know about you guys, but that definitely makes me happy.

MISCONCEPTION #2:  THE STUFF THAT COMES OUT OF HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES IS TASTELESS AND BLAND?      WARNING:  SNACK PORN COMING UP

Does this look bland to you?

Healthy vending machines vend all kinds of great tasting snacks and drinks.  From energy bars to water from one of the last  remaining artesian aquifers in the world (Fiji) to hot healthy food.  Stop listening to people who knock healthy food or snacks – chances are they’re stereotyping based on a bad experience.  Just point them in the direction of the nearest healthy vending machine and tell them to try again!

MORE SCHOOLS ARE REPLACING THEIR JUNK FOOD VENDING MACHINES WITH HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES

HEALTHY STUDENTS = GOOD GRADES

One way schools are benefiting from introducing healthy vending machines into their food curriculum (so to speak) is by helping create healthier students.  Students, who are healthier, by definition, eat less sugar and are therefore less distracted when they are in class.  Let’s let history speak for itself.  50 years ago ADD and ADHD, also known as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder respectively, were, for the most part, unheard of.  The majority of doctors and scientists attribute the fact that ADD and ADHD are much more prevalent today to excess sugar consumption.  Healthy vending machines allow students to get their “sweet” taste buds satisfied, while still eating healthy.

HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES INCREASE SCHOOL INCOME

Given today’s economic issues and their subsequent effect on our educational system, schools have no choice but to become more and more self-sufficient.  The issue most schools have isn’t how they can make money.  After all, the income possibilities are more than we can list here.  The REAL issue is, how they can make money while helping students achieve their potential – in their health as well as education.

THE ANSWER:

The healthy vending machines business can bring a significant amount of income to a school.  However, before we delve into income, let’s briefly touch upon another, more beneficial outcome as a result of bringing healthy vending machines to your school.  Your students health will change for the better.  Healthy vending machines are fully stocked with popular, delicious, and healthy products.  They look cool, dispense hot food, cold drinks, healthy snacks, and freshly brewed coffee (for the teachers of course!).  As a school you will be able to close the junk food-selling snack shop (save yourself from paying someone an hourly wage or keeping an inventory).  Healthy vending machines are low maintenance (they correct their own mistakes), take credit cards, and feature some very cool technology (touch screens!).  All of this increases your school’s bottom line, which in turn, will help your students with new class materials, more field trips, and what most students hope for – a really, really, cool prom!

HOT FOOD

+

COLD DRINKS

=

1 HEALTHY VENDING MACHINE

A RECESSION DOESN’T MEAN LOCK YOUR MONEY IN THE NEAREST SAFE AND WAIT FOR THE “ALL CLEAR SIGN.”

TODAY WE HAVE THE “NEED” TO BE HEALTHY AND THE “DESIRE” TO SUCCEED.  THE RECESSION-PROOF HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES BUSINESS IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.

Check Out Some of my other blogs on starting a healthy vending machines business, the do’s and don’ts of the healthy vending business, as well as the essential practices of a healthy vending machines business.

HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES SET TO DELIVER A KNOCKOUT BLOW TO THE JUNK MACHINES BUSINESS…

We’re all business-minded individuals whether we want to admit it or not – I’m in the “I want to admit it” group, are you?  What I mean by this is that we’ve all found ourselves criticizing another business while we’ve read about it, passed it by, or experienced whatever the business had to offer (products or services).  We critique the location, viability (i.e. “How does this place make any money?), and products/services.  I’m sure we can find plenty more, but let’s stick to what I’ll call “the BIG 3″ and apply them to the healthy vending machines business.

The Locale, ‘Cause Location Matters …

Let’s face it, humans are creatures of habit.  We go to pretty much the same places on a frequent basis – whether it’s part of our routine or it’s just because we have a good time when we’re at the location or place of business.  I know, the business-minded people that frequent this blog are already saying, “How do we figure out how many people frequent a location or are in my demographic?”  The bottom line is you’d be a fool not to try to take advantage and figure that out – don’t be lazy, do the extra research, and don’t settle for a location that’s questionable.  You already know what to look for, but repetition never hurt anyone.  Make sure your location has ample foot traffic with people coming back more than once per week.  If possible make sure your location provides for visibility (whether you’re street facing or right inside the lobby of a big business building – even inside of a gym.  C’mon, you know where I’m going with this!

Viability:  ”Show Me The Moneyyyyyyy!”

This one is straightforward.  You want to know that the business you’re going to invest your money and life into will make you money back, and, the real hope is that it makes you a GOOD amount of money back – right?  Well, there is no way to guarantee your business will prosper, or even worse, make your investment back.  Warren Buffett, you know, the richest man in the world, has not been able to accurately predict the stock market, his investments, and many other things.  BUT, he has been able to predict these things with better accuracy than any one of us.  He does this with research!  When you’re ready to invest in a business you should ask to see documentation on your potential investment (tax forms, quarterly reports, etc.).  Be ready to show you’re ready to invest because most companies are private and will not show just anyone their tax forms (especially with all the fraudgoing around!).

“I Can’t Wait to Come Back Tomorrow and Try That!” – said, the Satisfied Customer

Customers know what they like.  Given the recent health craze, it’s probably a good idea to stock a lot of healthy and, more importantly, tasty products.  Here is where healthy vending machines kicks the other vending machines’ ass:  all of the products are tastes tested and doctor approved.  I’ve done some research on this, and they actually have a board of doctors and other professionals who provide input.  That’s unheard of!  A vending machines business with a board of doctors backing it and actually making decisions on which products are good for you or not.  Makes me feel warm and toasty inside to know I’m not eating junk – FOR SURE!

STOP MAKING YOUR BOSS MONEY!  START A HEALTHY VENDING MACHINES BUSINESS WITH A MINIMAL INVESTMENT AND BE YOUR OWN BOSS!

If you’re like the majority out there, myself included, then chances are, you’re working for someone else.  You’re working eight hours a day with an average of about 5 – 10 hours of overtime per week.  Now let me ask you this question:  Is there SOMETHING you WISH you COULD DO, but CAN’T – ALL because you DON’T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY?

Most of us will say yes, “I want to take my family to Disney World” or “I want to move my family into a bigger house.”  Whatever your reason may be we all want to achieve the ever-so illusive peak of financial independence.  Although that may never be a reality for most of us, I will share with you a secret about a business that has already separated itself from its’ competitors – more specifically the lucrative healthy vending machines business.

Most business cost over 100 thousand dollars to set up and you’re on the hook for the lease you signed.  Some are legitimately worth that much, but most are businesses that the owner is eager to get out of.  Unless the owner is a 70 year old multi-millionaire, in which case it’s obvious you’re doing the right thing.  However, you should still be wary as the 70 year old may just be folding his cards at the perfect time – so to speak.  You get the point; it’s tricky to buy a profitable business.

MY SUGGESTION:

The already successful healthy vending machines business has created a market all its’ own.  Vending machines that combine health and charity – does it get any more ingenious than that?  As a vending operator, you are contributing to your consumers’ health and giving back to causes that combat obesity, diabetes, and child hunger.  I know what you’re thinking, “That’s great and I’m happy to do it, but what does that mean in terms of profit?”  Check out my post titled “So You Want to Start a Successful Healthy Vending Machines Business?”

The Trials, Tribulations, and Future of the Lucrative

In the previous post we discussed some of the milestones of the vending machines business and ended with a few problems facing the present-day vending operator.  More importantly, we ended the blog with a question:  What does the future hold for the vending machines business?

Given the fact that the current business model is obsolete and just doesn’t provide the income that once enticed people to open a vending machines business. Let’s briefly consider 3 businesses that are profitable and/or booming in the present and see if we can somehow apply it to the vending machines business:

Business – The health industry has been at a constant incline since the Richard Simmons began his wacky routine in the 80′s.  Today, with role models like “the Situation” from that TV show people are more inclined to exercise and eat healthy.
Application – How can we apply thee?  Let me count the ways …  Okay, as corny as that was, it’s pretty much the case.  There are a few ways we can combine the health business with the vending machines business.  Here’s the most obvious one:  how about taking all of the junk food out of the machine and replacing it with healthy products?  Now you’re in the healthy vending machines business.  Congrats!

Business – The technology (tech) industry, I’m sure we can all agree, has been where the majority of today’s millionaires and billionaires are made.  Given the fact that this is multi-billion dollar industry, why wouldn’t you want to incorporate it?
Application – Adding a touch screen ordering system to increase usability as well as appeal is always a good idea.  One way to see your vending profits increase instantly would be to add a credit card reader.  After, all who carries cash around these days?  Another innovative way to utilize tech in your new healthy vending machines business is to add a cool LCD TV.  Which brings me to the 3rd and final business I will show you how to incorporate, but this one is a secret …

Business – The marketing/advertising business is an important industry that will forever have a place in the world of business.  All businesses need it and most profit from it.  You can market and advertise everywhere:  the internet, using print, on billboards, in the sky, and so forth.  So why not the vending machines business?
Application – Adding an LCD TV allows you to do 3 things that other vending machines can’t and will not.  1.) You will be able to advertise products, and, if you work it right, be able to keep a percentage of what the advertiser pays per month.  That alone gives your vending machine a SECOND way to make money!  2.) You can also advertise and give information for the products that you are selling.  This doesn’t add income, well, in a sense it does if you consider how many more people you would be engaging with your unique and cool looking LCD TV.  3.) This one is less obvious and sort of ties into #2, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.  Simply put, your vending machine will have the “Wow” factor.  People will want to come up to it and look at it.  So, if you have products that are of good quality and taste, it essentially translates to more sales.

The future of the vending machines business looks bleak.  However, the future of the healthy vending machines business is one that is innovative, thought-out, and extremely promising.