New to Drinks Vending

Team Talk: the people who make up Mars Drinks 13 08 2008 - 12:02:02 PM

People often forget that a business, no matter how large or small, is made up of people. Their dedication, commitment and passion is what makes a difference to customers.  We thought we’d open our doors to tell you a bit about the people that make up Mars Drinks.  So, first, meet Dean Sawyer.

Dean has worked at Mars Drinks for over 10 years and is a Drinks Supply Analyst in Logistics. He started out on the factory floor and worked his way into his current position. Dean is a blackbelt in Taekwon-Do.

Q. What’s your favourite KLIX or FLAVIA drinks choice?
A. I am a dedicated KLIX guy!

Q. How would colleagues describe you?
A. That I am professional at what I do, approachable, open and ‘a nice guy’. No-one finds it difficult to talk to me.

Q. What is a typical day like?
A. Logistics is about making sure that customers get the products they want when they need them. My day revolves around making sure this happens. 

Q. Why did you decide to work in Logistics?
A. I just fell into it really. Whilst working in the drinks factory I was approached to join Logistics, and here I am. What’s great about Mars Drinks is if you’ve got the right attitude and skill set there are opportunities to move within the company.

Q. What makes Mars Drinks such a special place to work?
A. It started as a family business and, even though it’s big now, it’s still run as a family business.

Q. How do you switch off at the end of a busy shift?
A. I teach Taekwon-Do and soccer in the evenings and at weekends.

Q. What do you like best about working at Mars Drinks?
A. The people are great, there are some fantastic characters here. I work in a small team of six, we know each other well and enjoy working together. It’s a professional team.

Q. Why have you stayed so long at Mars Drinks?
A. I love the teamwork. The Logistics department gets to interact with the rest of the company.

Q. What’s your proudest achievement?
A. My family (of course) and achieving my black belt in Taekwon-Do. It took five years of training, four times a week!

Q. Pub grub or fancy restaurant?
A. Definitely pub grub!

1. Because drink vending machines are either plumbed into the mains, or have significant water tank capacity, there’s no more water going everywhere whilst either refilling the kettle, or making the drinks. Clean, dry and mess-free every time!

2. The drinks are made and delivered in a matter of seconds, meaning there is less time hanging around waiting for the kettle to boil. After all, we do all go to work for a reason – to work!!

3. Drink vending machines can go just about anywhere. Each model and brand obviously have different requirements and are suitable for different work places, however each has been carefully designed to take up as little space as possible.

4. Because the machines can deliver a huge number of different drinks, being able to      offer a visitor a gorgeously frothy, indulgent hot chocolate, or a lemon herbal tea – and every flavour in between – really gives visitors the right impression from the off.

5. Mars Drinks’ vending machines have been designed with technology at their heart. Even the hot tanks are insulated ensuring that water is delivered at the correct, optimal heat, meaning that drinks are made within seconds.

It’s about time that we got down to the nitty gritty in drink vending machine choices. Mars Drinks has a fantastic range of machines to suit any size of office or workplace: from perfectly formed coffee machines that can be popped on a desk to full blown machines which offer employees the works! The choice is so comprehensive that you might be worried where to start.

It’s actually easier that you might think – and this blog is here to help. Perhaps the best way to start is by asking yourself some key questions, such as: What do I want from a drink vending machine? How many people will be using it? Will they want a variety of drinks 24/7 or just a few carefully selected trusted brands? Is to create a fantastic impression when clients walk through the door? Is it to motivate people to go that extra step?................ These will help really focus on the right solution that best suits you. After-all, an office of ten obviously needs a very different solution to a factory of 500!

Let’s start by taking a look at our highest capacity drink vending machine: the KLIX Outlook. With one touch operation and KLIX in-cup technology, the low-maintenance Outlook delivers a wide selection of Britain’s best loved hot and cold drinks brands, with no waiting and zero mess. You can choose the menu on offer, how the vending machine looks, and even whether or not and how your employees pay for their drinks. Designed with 250 plus employees in mind, the user-friendly Outlook offers reliability and great tasting drinks time after time.

If you are looking for something a little smaller, than the KLIX 450 is the perfect solution for you. At Mars Drinks we think that this machine perfectly illustrates the saying “Small is Powerful”. It’s efficient, compact and perfectly formed, in fact it has been specifically designed to cater for the small to medium sized work-place. Delivering 400 cups from an eight drink selection, you still get to choose the menu from best-loved brands. As with all our products, the joy of this machine is how easy-peasy it is: both to operate, clean and maintain. Its simple set-up, one-touch operation and super-quick, mess-free drinks delivery will ensure that it is a valued member of the team from day one!

For companies who are a little smaller or want to make the right impression on any visitors from the moment they walk through the door, our FLAVIA drink stations might be just the thing. Small, sleek and tasty the Flavia Creation 400 will create a stir with clients and employees alike.

Its unique system brews direct and pure from pack to cup – put simply, each drink tastes fresh and fantastic, and a million times better than the kettle. Its modern, ergonomic good-looks suggest style and class from the off. And those using it will be bowled over by the range of drinks available – in fact they can even select the strength and size of their chosen drink. It froths, whips, mixes and blends – all ensuring a coffee-shop experience in the office. We think that this is pretty close to perfection – and we know that you’ll think the same thing too!

Many companies find that a combination of these drink vending machine models works best. Combining KLIX drink systems with FLAVIA drink stations can ensure that just the right balance is achieved in order to provide volume drinks delivery for a large work-force and plus those all-important chic first-impressions. And don’t forget – KLIX and FLAVIA deliver fresh, great tasting drinks time after time.

If you would like a more in-depth look, check out the case studies on the Mars Drinks website to see what other companies are doing. Or give us a ring - 0870 600 20 30 - to chat through your requirements to see how we can best serve you. It’s time to brighten up work!

Well this blog’s subtitle is ‘an insider’s guide to the world of drink vending’ so we thought we should post a jargon buster!! If you are thinking of dumping the old office coffee machine and looking for something more versatile, getting your head around some of these terms will help you along the way.

Cup Capacity: the number of cups the machine can hold. The more it holds the fewer times it needs refilling!

Cup Cost: the cost of each drink, without taking account of any cleaning or preparation time.

Direct: a manufacturer who deals directly with the customer: providing the machine, the drinks and any technical support needed.

First Time Fix: this is a way of measuring the on-site repair effectiveness. It records the number of technical errors that are solved on the first visit by an engineer.

Hybrid: a drink vending machine that provides a choice of an in-cup drink or a ground bean coffee. A nice idea, but these are noisy and the wastage resulting from too many coffee beans being ground and becoming stale, can be significant.

In-Cup: the drinks are ordered to fill the customer’s vending machine, they arrive already pre-measured and sealed in the cup. This ensures that when the drink is selected and the water added by the machine, it is fantastically fresh and tastes great. This is the system that the KLIX machines use.

Linking: this is when a drink vending machine is programmed to allow multiple stacks of the same drink to be linked, so that you can fit more cups in the machine. This ensures that frequent ‘drink not available’ messages do not appear.

Menu Select: this is the wide-ranging KLIX drink menu from which a customer can choose their favourite drink from.

Mtbf: Meantime Between Failure - this is the way manufacturers measure their drink vending machines’ reliability.

One Touch Ordering: this enables customers to order a drink simply by pressing a single label button, instead of entering a code.

Operators: these are usually agents for a number of manufacturers. The operator will supply the drink vending machine, provide the drinks, and fill, clean and maintain the machines.

Round Buying: this option allows a single user to order lots of drinks for their colleagues by pressing multiple drinks buttons in a row. The drink vending machine will then deliver them sequentially.

Tainting: cross-contamination is a common problem in traditional machines and this can result in drinks tasting of the drink made previously. KLIX’s in-cup technology and FLAVIA’s single serve filterpacks ensure that this cannot happen.

Traditional Machine: these are vending machines that use containers of separate ingredients, which are mixed together and then fed down tubes when each drink is ordered. There is a tendency for moisture to enter the tubes, resulting in ingredients not remaining dry - this results in blockages and machine failures.

True Cup Cost: this is the complete cost of each cup after cleaning and preparation time have been factored in.

1. No more arguments about who makes the tea for everyone: KLIX and FLAVIA drink vending machines are so fast and easy to work, that people will love serving themselves. And because they are hassle free, no-one minds when it’s their turn to get in a big round of drinks for the team.

2. Surely they are the ultimate feel good factor at work: a cost-effective luxury that helps staff to feel valued. It’s often the little things that really make a difference.

3. Drink vending machines are pretty much mess free every time. Therefore they stay looking smart and clean, and the morning coffee break doesn’t result in kitchen areas looking like a bomb-site.

4. The number of drinks that you can select from is impressive. It’s brilliant to be able to choose from a great tasting range rather than working out whether to have another cup of tea or …………… errrrrm a cup of tea. 

5. If your workplace is small, space really is a premium – a drink vending machine means that you don’t need to install a kitchen. This enables office administrators to really maximise the use of space available for employees.

Whatever you choose, choose carefully...

Most people don’t even ask the question.  In fact they don’t understand it in the first place.  Here’s the bluffers guide;

Operators

Operators don’t tend to manufacture drinks or machines; they operate them (hence the name). The benefits, when you get the right operator and you ask the right questions is that you can get the top mix of equipment and a good service.  You won’t necessarily get the cheapest deal – they have to make a living after-all, but you do get someone who will take responsibility for supplying the machine and cleaning and filling it.

Pros

• Flexibility – an operator can provide servicing, maintenance and repair if you have a variety of machines installed across your site
• Local business supplying local companies, so response levels should be good and able to get a good understanding of your business and vending needs
• Going to an operator is ideal when you want, say, a snack machine, a hot and cold drinks machine and separate water coolers. Rather than dealing with half a dozen suppliers you can just deal with one person.
• If you are quite a sizable organisation you can also get a reasonable overall deal – the more machines and the higher the volume of sales the lower the overall contract price and highly profitable vending machines will allow them to maintain a less profitable service.

Cons

• Where it doesn’t tend to be such a great option is where you are a smaller site and if there is not much scope of the operator expanding his business with you or your parent company etc.
• To make any money it’s necessary that they charge a premium rate or put in very low cost equipment or ingredients – one way or another you may pay a price – quality, reliability service or high contract costs.  Like I say, they have to make a living.

Look out for;

- Second-hand machines

- Expensive monthly contract costs

- Ingredients supplied

- The real cup cost = contract price for machine plus cup cost

Direct

There are very few manufacturers who deal direct –

Mars Drinks are a notable exception at least with some of their range. 

Direct means you are dealing with the people who actually design and manufacture their own kit and, hopefully, produce the drinks and if you are lucky are also responsible for the service of the machines (they would actually be the best people to service the machines even if you went via an operator).

For ‘Direct’ to work for you, you need to know that one call will do it all – machine, drinks service the lot – it should work out more responsive and perhaps cheaper too.  But it won’t work for all (see the above notes about how complex your vending requirements are.)

Here are the pro’s and cons;

Pros

• You can’t beat going back to the source – if they built them they know how to fix them and with no middlemen in the way it should be quicker response service too
• If their service team offers national coverage your more likely to get a first time fix from a technical visit – they should have all the kit with them
• Great if you only want drinks vending and this is all they do (not so great if you need a whole variety of vending, unless they are able to act as an honest broker)

Cons

• Going direct will lead to complications if you are under contract to a catering company – it’s best to carry on dealing through them (unless the relationship is pretty terminal).

Really this revolves around how many different forms of vending you need.

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Another five reasons to upgrade from a kettle! 28 07 2008 - 11:18:50 AM

1. Because drink vending machines are either plumbed into the mains, or have significant water tank capacity, there’s no more water going everywhere whilst either refilling the kettle, or making the drinks. Clean, dry and mess-free every time!

2. The drinks are made and delivered in a matter of seconds, meaning there is less time hanging around waiting for the kettle to boil. After all, we do all go to work for a reason – to work!!

3. Drink vending machines can go just about anywhere. Each model and brand obviously have different requirements and are suitable for different work places, however each has been carefully designed to take up as little space as possible.

4. Because the machines can deliver a huge number of different drinks, being able to      offer a visitor a gorgeously frothy, indulgent hot chocolate, or a lemon herbal tea – and every flavour in between – really gives visitors the right impression from the off.

5. Mars Drinks’ vending machines have been designed with technology at their heart. Even the hot tanks are insulated ensuring that water is delivered at the correct, optimal heat, meaning that drinks are made within seconds.

It’s about time that we got down to the nitty gritty in drink vending machine choices. Mars Drinks has a fantastic range of machines to suit any size of office or workplace: from perfectly formed coffee machines that can be popped on a desk to full blown machines which offer employees the works! The choice is so comprehensive that you might be worried where to start.

It’s actually easier that you might think – and this blog is here to help. Perhaps the best way to start is by asking yourself some key questions, such as: What do I want from a drink vending machine? How many people will be using it? Will they want a variety of drinks 24/7 or just a few carefully selected trusted brands? Is to create a fantastic impression when clients walk through the door? Is it to motivate people to go that extra step?................ These will help really focus on the right solution that best suits you. After-all, an office of ten obviously needs a very different solution to a factory of 500!

Let’s start by taking a look at our highest capacity drink vending machine: the KLIX Outlook. With one touch operation and KLIX in-cup technology, the low-maintenance Outlook delivers a wide selection of Britain’s best loved hot and cold drinks brands, with no waiting and zero mess. You can choose the menu on offer, how the vending machine looks, and even whether or not and how your employees pay for their drinks. Designed with 250 plus employees in mind, the user-friendly Outlook offers reliability and great tasting drinks time after time.

If you are looking for something a little smaller, than the KLIX 450 is the perfect solution for you. At Mars Drinks we think that this machine perfectly illustrates the saying “Small is Powerful”. It’s efficient, compact and perfectly formed, in fact it has been specifically designed to cater for the small to medium sized work-place. Delivering 400 cups from an eight drink selection, you still get to choose the menu from best-loved brands. As with all our products, the joy of this machine is how easy-peasy it is: both to operate, clean and maintain. Its simple set-up, one-touch operation and super-quick, mess-free drinks delivery will ensure that it is a valued member of the team from day one!

For companies who are a little smaller or want to make the right impression on any visitors from the moment they walk through the door, our FLAVIA drink stations might be just the thing. Small, sleek and tasty the Flavia Creation 400 will create a stir with clients and employees alike.

Its unique system brews direct and pure from pack to cup – put simply, each drink tastes fresh and fantastic, and a million times better than the kettle. Its modern, ergonomic good-looks suggest style and class from the off. And those using it will be bowled over by the range of drinks available – in fact they can even select the strength and size of their chosen drink. It froths, whips, mixes and blends – all ensuring a coffee-shop experience in the office. We think that this is pretty close to perfection – and we know that you’ll think the same thing too!

Many companies find that a combination of these drink vending machine models works best. Combining KLIX drink systems with FLAVIA drink stations can ensure that just the right balance is achieved in order to provide volume drinks delivery for a large work-force and plus those all-important chic first-impressions. And don’t forget – KLIX and FLAVIA deliver fresh, great tasting drinks time after time.

If you would like a more in-depth look, check out the case studies on the Mars Drinks website to see what other companies are doing. Or give us a ring - 0870 600 20 30 - to chat through your requirements to see how we can best serve you. It’s time to brighten up work!

Well this blog’s subtitle is ‘an insider’s guide to the world of drink vending’ so we thought we should post a jargon buster!! If you are thinking of dumping the old office coffee machine and looking for something more versatile, getting your head around some of these terms will help you along the way.

Cup Capacity: the number of cups the machine can hold. The more it holds the fewer times it needs refilling!

Cup Cost: the cost of each drink, without taking account of any cleaning or preparation time.

Direct: a manufacturer who deals directly with the customer: providing the machine, the drinks and any technical support needed.

First Time Fix: this is a way of measuring the on-site repair effectiveness. It records the number of technical errors that are solved on the first visit by an engineer.

Hybrid: a drink vending machine that provides a choice of an in-cup drink or a ground bean coffee. A nice idea, but these are noisy and the wastage resulting from too many coffee beans being ground and becoming stale, can be significant.

In-Cup: the drinks are ordered to fill the customer’s vending machine, they arrive already pre-measured and sealed in the cup. This ensures that when the drink is selected and the water added by the machine, it is fantastically fresh and tastes great. This is the system that the KLIX machines use.

Linking: this is when a drink vending machine is programmed to allow multiple stacks of the same drink to be linked, so that you can fit more cups in the machine. This ensures that frequent ‘drink not available’ messages do not appear.

Menu Select: this is the wide-ranging KLIX drink menu from which a customer can choose their favourite drink from.

Mtbf: Meantime Between Failure - this is the way manufacturers measure their drink vending machines’ reliability.

One Touch Ordering: this enables customers to order a drink simply by pressing a single label button, instead of entering a code.

Operators: these are usually agents for a number of manufacturers. The operator will supply the drink vending machine, provide the drinks, and fill, clean and maintain the machines.

Round Buying: this option allows a single user to order lots of drinks for their colleagues by pressing multiple drinks buttons in a row. The drink vending machine will then deliver them sequentially.

Tainting: cross-contamination is a common problem in traditional machines and this can result in drinks tasting of the drink made previously. KLIX’s in-cup technology and FLAVIA’s single serve filterpacks ensure that this cannot happen.

Traditional Machine: these are vending machines that use containers of separate ingredients, which are mixed together and then fed down tubes when each drink is ordered. There is a tendency for moisture to enter the tubes, resulting in ingredients not remaining dry - this results in blockages and machine failures.

True Cup Cost: this is the complete cost of each cup after cleaning and preparation time have been factored in.

1. No more arguments about who makes the tea for everyone: KLIX and FLAVIA drink vending machines are so fast and easy to work, that people will love serving themselves. And because they are hassle free, no-one minds when it’s their turn to get in a big round of drinks for the team.

2. Surely they are the ultimate feel good factor at work: a cost-effective luxury that helps staff to feel valued. It’s often the little things that really make a difference.

3. Drink vending machines are pretty much mess free every time. Therefore they stay looking smart and clean, and the morning coffee break doesn’t result in kitchen areas looking like a bomb-site.

4. The number of drinks that you can select from is impressive. It’s brilliant to be able to choose from a great tasting range rather than working out whether to have another cup of tea or …………… errrrrm a cup of tea. 

5. If your workplace is small, space really is a premium – a drink vending machine means that you don’t need to install a kitchen. This enables office administrators to really maximise the use of space available for employees.

Whatever you choose, choose carefully...

Most people don’t even ask the question.  In fact they don’t understand it in the first place.  Here’s the bluffers guide;

Operators

Operators don’t tend to manufacture drinks or machines; they operate them (hence the name). The benefits, when you get the right operator and you ask the right questions is that you can get the top mix of equipment and a good service.  You won’t necessarily get the cheapest deal – they have to make a living after-all, but you do get someone who will take responsibility for supplying the machine and cleaning and filling it.

Pros

• Flexibility – an operator can provide servicing, maintenance and repair if you have a variety of machines installed across your site
• Local business supplying local companies, so response levels should be good and able to get a good understanding of your business and vending needs
• Going to an operator is ideal when you want, say, a snack machine, a hot and cold drinks machine and separate water coolers. Rather than dealing with half a dozen suppliers you can just deal with one person.
• If you are quite a sizable organisation you can also get a reasonable overall deal – the more machines and the higher the volume of sales the lower the overall contract price and highly profitable vending machines will allow them to maintain a less profitable service.

Cons

• Where it doesn’t tend to be such a great option is where you are a smaller site and if there is not much scope of the operator expanding his business with you or your parent company etc.
• To make any money it’s necessary that they charge a premium rate or put in very low cost equipment or ingredients – one way or another you may pay a price – quality, reliability service or high contract costs.  Like I say, they have to make a living.

Look out for;

- Second-hand machines

- Expensive monthly contract costs

- Ingredients supplied

- The real cup cost = contract price for machine plus cup cost

Direct

There are very few manufacturers who deal direct –

Mars Drinks are a notable exception at least with some of their range. 

Direct means you are dealing with the people who actually design and manufacture their own kit and, hopefully, produce the drinks and if you are lucky are also responsible for the service of the machines (they would actually be the best people to service the machines even if you went via an operator).

For ‘Direct’ to work for you, you need to know that one call will do it all – machine, drinks service the lot – it should work out more responsive and perhaps cheaper too.  But it won’t work for all (see the above notes about how complex your vending requirements are.)

Here are the pro’s and cons;

Pros

• You can’t beat going back to the source – if they built them they know how to fix them and with no middlemen in the way it should be quicker response service too
• If their service team offers national coverage your more likely to get a first time fix from a technical visit – they should have all the kit with them
• Great if you only want drinks vending and this is all they do (not so great if you need a whole variety of vending, unless they are able to act as an honest broker)

Cons

• Going direct will lead to complications if you are under contract to a catering company – it’s best to carry on dealing through them (unless the relationship is pretty terminal).

Really this revolves around how many different forms of vending you need.

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

So much choice, so little time 21 07 2008 - 11:14:09 AM

It’s about time that we got down to the nitty gritty in drink vending machine choices. Mars Drinks has a fantastic range of machines to suit any size of office or workplace: from perfectly formed coffee machines that can be popped on a desk to full blown machines which offer employees the works! The choice is so comprehensive that you might be worried where to start.

It’s actually easier that you might think – and this blog is here to help. Perhaps the best way to start is by asking yourself some key questions, such as: What do I want from a drink vending machine? How many people will be using it? Will they want a variety of drinks 24/7 or just a few carefully selected trusted brands? Is to create a fantastic impression when clients walk through the door? Is it to motivate people to go that extra step?................ These will help really focus on the right solution that best suits you. After-all, an office of ten obviously needs a very different solution to a factory of 500!

Let’s start by taking a look at our highest capacity drink vending machine: the KLIX Outlook. With one touch operation and KLIX in-cup technology, the low-maintenance Outlook delivers a wide selection of Britain’s best loved hot and cold drinks brands, with no waiting and zero mess. You can choose the menu on offer, how the vending machine looks, and even whether or not and how your employees pay for their drinks. Designed with 250 plus employees in mind, the user-friendly Outlook offers reliability and great tasting drinks time after time.

If you are looking for something a little smaller, than the KLIX 450 is the perfect solution for you. At Mars Drinks we think that this machine perfectly illustrates the saying “Small is Powerful”. It’s efficient, compact and perfectly formed, in fact it has been specifically designed to cater for the small to medium sized work-place. Delivering 400 cups from an eight drink selection, you still get to choose the menu from best-loved brands. As with all our products, the joy of this machine is how easy-peasy it is: both to operate, clean and maintain. Its simple set-up, one-touch operation and super-quick, mess-free drinks delivery will ensure that it is a valued member of the team from day one!

For companies who are a little smaller or want to make the right impression on any visitors from the moment they walk through the door, our FLAVIA drink stations might be just the thing. Small, sleek and tasty the Flavia Creation 400 will create a stir with clients and employees alike.

Its unique system brews direct and pure from pack to cup – put simply, each drink tastes fresh and fantastic, and a million times better than the kettle. Its modern, ergonomic good-looks suggest style and class from the off. And those using it will be bowled over by the range of drinks available – in fact they can even select the strength and size of their chosen drink. It froths, whips, mixes and blends – all ensuring a coffee-shop experience in the office. We think that this is pretty close to perfection – and we know that you’ll think the same thing too!

Many companies find that a combination of these drink vending machine models works best. Combining KLIX drink systems with FLAVIA drink stations can ensure that just the right balance is achieved in order to provide volume drinks delivery for a large work-force and plus those all-important chic first-impressions. And don’t forget – KLIX and FLAVIA deliver fresh, great tasting drinks time after time.

If you would like a more in-depth look, check out the case studies on the Mars Drinks website to see what other companies are doing. Or give us a ring - 0870 600 20 30 - to chat through your requirements to see how we can best serve you. It’s time to brighten up work!

Well this blog’s subtitle is ‘an insider’s guide to the world of drink vending’ so we thought we should post a jargon buster!! If you are thinking of dumping the old office coffee machine and looking for something more versatile, getting your head around some of these terms will help you along the way.

Cup Capacity: the number of cups the machine can hold. The more it holds the fewer times it needs refilling!

Cup Cost: the cost of each drink, without taking account of any cleaning or preparation time.

Direct: a manufacturer who deals directly with the customer: providing the machine, the drinks and any technical support needed.

First Time Fix: this is a way of measuring the on-site repair effectiveness. It records the number of technical errors that are solved on the first visit by an engineer.

Hybrid: a drink vending machine that provides a choice of an in-cup drink or a ground bean coffee. A nice idea, but these are noisy and the wastage resulting from too many coffee beans being ground and becoming stale, can be significant.

In-Cup: the drinks are ordered to fill the customer’s vending machine, they arrive already pre-measured and sealed in the cup. This ensures that when the drink is selected and the water added by the machine, it is fantastically fresh and tastes great. This is the system that the KLIX machines use.

Linking: this is when a drink vending machine is programmed to allow multiple stacks of the same drink to be linked, so that you can fit more cups in the machine. This ensures that frequent ‘drink not available’ messages do not appear.

Menu Select: this is the wide-ranging KLIX drink menu from which a customer can choose their favourite drink from.

Mtbf: Meantime Between Failure - this is the way manufacturers measure their drink vending machines’ reliability.

One Touch Ordering: this enables customers to order a drink simply by pressing a single label button, instead of entering a code.

Operators: these are usually agents for a number of manufacturers. The operator will supply the drink vending machine, provide the drinks, and fill, clean and maintain the machines.

Round Buying: this option allows a single user to order lots of drinks for their colleagues by pressing multiple drinks buttons in a row. The drink vending machine will then deliver them sequentially.

Tainting: cross-contamination is a common problem in traditional machines and this can result in drinks tasting of the drink made previously. KLIX’s in-cup technology and FLAVIA’s single serve filterpacks ensure that this cannot happen.

Traditional Machine: these are vending machines that use containers of separate ingredients, which are mixed together and then fed down tubes when each drink is ordered. There is a tendency for moisture to enter the tubes, resulting in ingredients not remaining dry - this results in blockages and machine failures.

True Cup Cost: this is the complete cost of each cup after cleaning and preparation time have been factored in.

1. No more arguments about who makes the tea for everyone: KLIX and FLAVIA drink vending machines are so fast and easy to work, that people will love serving themselves. And because they are hassle free, no-one minds when it’s their turn to get in a big round of drinks for the team.

2. Surely they are the ultimate feel good factor at work: a cost-effective luxury that helps staff to feel valued. It’s often the little things that really make a difference.

3. Drink vending machines are pretty much mess free every time. Therefore they stay looking smart and clean, and the morning coffee break doesn’t result in kitchen areas looking like a bomb-site.

4. The number of drinks that you can select from is impressive. It’s brilliant to be able to choose from a great tasting range rather than working out whether to have another cup of tea or …………… errrrrm a cup of tea. 

5. If your workplace is small, space really is a premium – a drink vending machine means that you don’t need to install a kitchen. This enables office administrators to really maximise the use of space available for employees.

Whatever you choose, choose carefully...

Most people don’t even ask the question.  In fact they don’t understand it in the first place.  Here’s the bluffers guide;

Operators

Operators don’t tend to manufacture drinks or machines; they operate them (hence the name). The benefits, when you get the right operator and you ask the right questions is that you can get the top mix of equipment and a good service.  You won’t necessarily get the cheapest deal – they have to make a living after-all, but you do get someone who will take responsibility for supplying the machine and cleaning and filling it.

Pros

• Flexibility – an operator can provide servicing, maintenance and repair if you have a variety of machines installed across your site
• Local business supplying local companies, so response levels should be good and able to get a good understanding of your business and vending needs
• Going to an operator is ideal when you want, say, a snack machine, a hot and cold drinks machine and separate water coolers. Rather than dealing with half a dozen suppliers you can just deal with one person.
• If you are quite a sizable organisation you can also get a reasonable overall deal – the more machines and the higher the volume of sales the lower the overall contract price and highly profitable vending machines will allow them to maintain a less profitable service.

Cons

• Where it doesn’t tend to be such a great option is where you are a smaller site and if there is not much scope of the operator expanding his business with you or your parent company etc.
• To make any money it’s necessary that they charge a premium rate or put in very low cost equipment or ingredients – one way or another you may pay a price – quality, reliability service or high contract costs.  Like I say, they have to make a living.

Look out for;

- Second-hand machines

- Expensive monthly contract costs

- Ingredients supplied

- The real cup cost = contract price for machine plus cup cost

Direct

There are very few manufacturers who deal direct –

Mars Drinks are a notable exception at least with some of their range. 

Direct means you are dealing with the people who actually design and manufacture their own kit and, hopefully, produce the drinks and if you are lucky are also responsible for the service of the machines (they would actually be the best people to service the machines even if you went via an operator).

For ‘Direct’ to work for you, you need to know that one call will do it all – machine, drinks service the lot – it should work out more responsive and perhaps cheaper too.  But it won’t work for all (see the above notes about how complex your vending requirements are.)

Here are the pro’s and cons;

Pros

• You can’t beat going back to the source – if they built them they know how to fix them and with no middlemen in the way it should be quicker response service too
• If their service team offers national coverage your more likely to get a first time fix from a technical visit – they should have all the kit with them
• Great if you only want drinks vending and this is all they do (not so great if you need a whole variety of vending, unless they are able to act as an honest broker)

Cons

• Going direct will lead to complications if you are under contract to a catering company – it’s best to carry on dealing through them (unless the relationship is pretty terminal).

Really this revolves around how many different forms of vending you need.

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Straight Talking 21 07 2008 - 11:02:07 AM

Well this blog’s subtitle is ‘an insider’s guide to the world of drink vending’ so we thought we should post a jargon buster!! If you are thinking of dumping the old office coffee machine and looking for something more versatile, getting your head around some of these terms will help you along the way.

Cup Capacity: the number of cups the machine can hold. The more it holds the fewer times it needs refilling!

Cup Cost: the cost of each drink, without taking account of any cleaning or preparation time.

Direct: a manufacturer who deals directly with the customer: providing the machine, the drinks and any technical support needed.

First Time Fix: this is a way of measuring the on-site repair effectiveness. It records the number of technical errors that are solved on the first visit by an engineer.

Hybrid: a drink vending machine that provides a choice of an in-cup drink or a ground bean coffee. A nice idea, but these are noisy and the wastage resulting from too many coffee beans being ground and becoming stale, can be significant.

In-Cup: the drinks are ordered to fill the customer’s vending machine, they arrive already pre-measured and sealed in the cup. This ensures that when the drink is selected and the water added by the machine, it is fantastically fresh and tastes great. This is the system that the KLIX machines use.

Linking: this is when a drink vending machine is programmed to allow multiple stacks of the same drink to be linked, so that you can fit more cups in the machine. This ensures that frequent ‘drink not available’ messages do not appear.

Menu Select: this is the wide-ranging KLIX drink menu from which a customer can choose their favourite drink from.

Mtbf: Meantime Between Failure - this is the way manufacturers measure their drink vending machines’ reliability.

One Touch Ordering: this enables customers to order a drink simply by pressing a single label button, instead of entering a code.

Operators: these are usually agents for a number of manufacturers. The operator will supply the drink vending machine, provide the drinks, and fill, clean and maintain the machines.

Round Buying: this option allows a single user to order lots of drinks for their colleagues by pressing multiple drinks buttons in a row. The drink vending machine will then deliver them sequentially.

Tainting: cross-contamination is a common problem in traditional machines and this can result in drinks tasting of the drink made previously. KLIX’s in-cup technology and FLAVIA’s single serve filterpacks ensure that this cannot happen.

Traditional Machine: these are vending machines that use containers of separate ingredients, which are mixed together and then fed down tubes when each drink is ordered. There is a tendency for moisture to enter the tubes, resulting in ingredients not remaining dry - this results in blockages and machine failures.

True Cup Cost: this is the complete cost of each cup after cleaning and preparation time have been factored in.

1. No more arguments about who makes the tea for everyone: KLIX and FLAVIA drink vending machines are so fast and easy to work, that people will love serving themselves. And because they are hassle free, no-one minds when it’s their turn to get in a big round of drinks for the team.

2. Surely they are the ultimate feel good factor at work: a cost-effective luxury that helps staff to feel valued. It’s often the little things that really make a difference.

3. Drink vending machines are pretty much mess free every time. Therefore they stay looking smart and clean, and the morning coffee break doesn’t result in kitchen areas looking like a bomb-site.

4. The number of drinks that you can select from is impressive. It’s brilliant to be able to choose from a great tasting range rather than working out whether to have another cup of tea or …………… errrrrm a cup of tea. 

5. If your workplace is small, space really is a premium – a drink vending machine means that you don’t need to install a kitchen. This enables office administrators to really maximise the use of space available for employees.

Whatever you choose, choose carefully...

Most people don’t even ask the question.  In fact they don’t understand it in the first place.  Here’s the bluffers guide;

Operators

Operators don’t tend to manufacture drinks or machines; they operate them (hence the name). The benefits, when you get the right operator and you ask the right questions is that you can get the top mix of equipment and a good service.  You won’t necessarily get the cheapest deal – they have to make a living after-all, but you do get someone who will take responsibility for supplying the machine and cleaning and filling it.

Pros

• Flexibility – an operator can provide servicing, maintenance and repair if you have a variety of machines installed across your site
• Local business supplying local companies, so response levels should be good and able to get a good understanding of your business and vending needs
• Going to an operator is ideal when you want, say, a snack machine, a hot and cold drinks machine and separate water coolers. Rather than dealing with half a dozen suppliers you can just deal with one person.
• If you are quite a sizable organisation you can also get a reasonable overall deal – the more machines and the higher the volume of sales the lower the overall contract price and highly profitable vending machines will allow them to maintain a less profitable service.

Cons

• Where it doesn’t tend to be such a great option is where you are a smaller site and if there is not much scope of the operator expanding his business with you or your parent company etc.
• To make any money it’s necessary that they charge a premium rate or put in very low cost equipment or ingredients – one way or another you may pay a price – quality, reliability service or high contract costs.  Like I say, they have to make a living.

Look out for;

- Second-hand machines

- Expensive monthly contract costs

- Ingredients supplied

- The real cup cost = contract price for machine plus cup cost

Direct

There are very few manufacturers who deal direct –

Mars Drinks are a notable exception at least with some of their range. 

Direct means you are dealing with the people who actually design and manufacture their own kit and, hopefully, produce the drinks and if you are lucky are also responsible for the service of the machines (they would actually be the best people to service the machines even if you went via an operator).

For ‘Direct’ to work for you, you need to know that one call will do it all – machine, drinks service the lot – it should work out more responsive and perhaps cheaper too.  But it won’t work for all (see the above notes about how complex your vending requirements are.)

Here are the pro’s and cons;

Pros

• You can’t beat going back to the source – if they built them they know how to fix them and with no middlemen in the way it should be quicker response service too
• If their service team offers national coverage your more likely to get a first time fix from a technical visit – they should have all the kit with them
• Great if you only want drinks vending and this is all they do (not so great if you need a whole variety of vending, unless they are able to act as an honest broker)

Cons

• Going direct will lead to complications if you are under contract to a catering company – it’s best to carry on dealing through them (unless the relationship is pretty terminal).

Really this revolves around how many different forms of vending you need.

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Five reasons to upgrade from a kettle! 14 07 2008 - 03:47:30 PM

1. No more arguments about who makes the tea for everyone: KLIX and FLAVIA drink vending machines are so fast and easy to work, that people will love serving themselves. And because they are hassle free, no-one minds when it’s their turn to get in a big round of drinks for the team.

2. Surely they are the ultimate feel good factor at work: a cost-effective luxury that helps staff to feel valued. It’s often the little things that really make a difference.

3. Drink vending machines are pretty much mess free every time. Therefore they stay looking smart and clean, and the morning coffee break doesn’t result in kitchen areas looking like a bomb-site.

4. The number of drinks that you can select from is impressive. It’s brilliant to be able to choose from a great tasting range rather than working out whether to have another cup of tea or …………… errrrrm a cup of tea. 

5. If your workplace is small, space really is a premium – a drink vending machine means that you don’t need to install a kitchen. This enables office administrators to really maximise the use of space available for employees.

Whatever you choose, choose carefully...

Most people don’t even ask the question.  In fact they don’t understand it in the first place.  Here’s the bluffers guide;

Operators

Operators don’t tend to manufacture drinks or machines; they operate them (hence the name). The benefits, when you get the right operator and you ask the right questions is that you can get the top mix of equipment and a good service.  You won’t necessarily get the cheapest deal – they have to make a living after-all, but you do get someone who will take responsibility for supplying the machine and cleaning and filling it.

Pros

• Flexibility – an operator can provide servicing, maintenance and repair if you have a variety of machines installed across your site
• Local business supplying local companies, so response levels should be good and able to get a good understanding of your business and vending needs
• Going to an operator is ideal when you want, say, a snack machine, a hot and cold drinks machine and separate water coolers. Rather than dealing with half a dozen suppliers you can just deal with one person.
• If you are quite a sizable organisation you can also get a reasonable overall deal – the more machines and the higher the volume of sales the lower the overall contract price and highly profitable vending machines will allow them to maintain a less profitable service.

Cons

• Where it doesn’t tend to be such a great option is where you are a smaller site and if there is not much scope of the operator expanding his business with you or your parent company etc.
• To make any money it’s necessary that they charge a premium rate or put in very low cost equipment or ingredients – one way or another you may pay a price – quality, reliability service or high contract costs.  Like I say, they have to make a living.

Look out for;

- Second-hand machines

- Expensive monthly contract costs

- Ingredients supplied

- The real cup cost = contract price for machine plus cup cost

Direct

There are very few manufacturers who deal direct –

Mars Drinks are a notable exception at least with some of their range. 

Direct means you are dealing with the people who actually design and manufacture their own kit and, hopefully, produce the drinks and if you are lucky are also responsible for the service of the machines (they would actually be the best people to service the machines even if you went via an operator).

For ‘Direct’ to work for you, you need to know that one call will do it all – machine, drinks service the lot – it should work out more responsive and perhaps cheaper too.  But it won’t work for all (see the above notes about how complex your vending requirements are.)

Here are the pro’s and cons;

Pros

• You can’t beat going back to the source – if they built them they know how to fix them and with no middlemen in the way it should be quicker response service too
• If their service team offers national coverage your more likely to get a first time fix from a technical visit – they should have all the kit with them
• Great if you only want drinks vending and this is all they do (not so great if you need a whole variety of vending, unless they are able to act as an honest broker)

Cons

• Going direct will lead to complications if you are under contract to a catering company – it’s best to carry on dealing through them (unless the relationship is pretty terminal).

Really this revolves around how many different forms of vending you need.

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Direct or via an operator? 22 05 2007 - 03:50:45 PM

Whatever you choose, choose carefully...

Most people don’t even ask the question.  In fact they don’t understand it in the first place.  Here’s the bluffers guide;

Operators

Operators don’t tend to manufacture drinks or machines; they operate them (hence the name). The benefits, when you get the right operator and you ask the right questions is that you can get the top mix of equipment and a good service.  You won’t necessarily get the cheapest deal – they have to make a living after-all, but you do get someone who will take responsibility for supplying the machine and cleaning and filling it.

Pros

• Flexibility – an operator can provide servicing, maintenance and repair if you have a variety of machines installed across your site
• Local business supplying local companies, so response levels should be good and able to get a good understanding of your business and vending needs
• Going to an operator is ideal when you want, say, a snack machine, a hot and cold drinks machine and separate water coolers. Rather than dealing with half a dozen suppliers you can just deal with one person.
• If you are quite a sizable organisation you can also get a reasonable overall deal – the more machines and the higher the volume of sales the lower the overall contract price and highly profitable vending machines will allow them to maintain a less profitable service.

Cons

• Where it doesn’t tend to be such a great option is where you are a smaller site and if there is not much scope of the operator expanding his business with you or your parent company etc.
• To make any money it’s necessary that they charge a premium rate or put in very low cost equipment or ingredients – one way or another you may pay a price – quality, reliability service or high contract costs.  Like I say, they have to make a living.

Look out for;

- Second-hand machines

- Expensive monthly contract costs

- Ingredients supplied

- The real cup cost = contract price for machine plus cup cost

Direct

There are very few manufacturers who deal direct –

Mars Drinks are a notable exception at least with some of their range. 

Direct means you are dealing with the people who actually design and manufacture their own kit and, hopefully, produce the drinks and if you are lucky are also responsible for the service of the machines (they would actually be the best people to service the machines even if you went via an operator).

For ‘Direct’ to work for you, you need to know that one call will do it all – machine, drinks service the lot – it should work out more responsive and perhaps cheaper too.  But it won’t work for all (see the above notes about how complex your vending requirements are.)

Here are the pro’s and cons;

Pros

• You can’t beat going back to the source – if they built them they know how to fix them and with no middlemen in the way it should be quicker response service too
• If their service team offers national coverage your more likely to get a first time fix from a technical visit – they should have all the kit with them
• Great if you only want drinks vending and this is all they do (not so great if you need a whole variety of vending, unless they are able to act as an honest broker)

Cons

• Going direct will lead to complications if you are under contract to a catering company – it’s best to carry on dealing through them (unless the relationship is pretty terminal).

Really this revolves around how many different forms of vending you need.

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Next Steps: To vend, or not to vend 18 05 2007 - 02:06:11 PM

If you've got this far the answer is probably vend.

Here are a few logical steps, together with a list of some companies you can contact below.

1. Get your buying criteria in priority order.
Divide them into 'must have' and 'like to have' consider the following questions as you get your list in order (this has been lifted from UK distributor Kafevend)

• how many people do you want to provide drinks for?
• what kind of drinks do you want to provide?
• do you simply want household favourites like Gold Blend and PG tips?
• or do you want freshground coffee-shop specialities like Latte and Cappuccino too?
• will one central machine be enough or do you need separate ones for separate departments/floors etc?
• how much space do you have available for your vending machine?
• do you want to provide vending machines for snacks and canned drinks too?
• do you have customers visiting your premises who could be given free drinks, eg in reception or your showroom?
• will staff be paying for the drinks or will you offer them free?
• do you want them to pay by card/key or by cash?

2. Long-list the suppliers but make sure it's got the right mix of suppliers for your needs.

If you have to get snacks and sandwiches vending as well as drinks, and you need cans and bottles as well as cold drinks - you need to make sure you go to Operators. These guys don't manufacturer the machines but they will supply and manage them for you.

If on the other hand you just need drinks vending machines make sure you include a 'direct' option as well - Mars Drinks who supply KLIX and Flavia are one of these. The reason for this is that depending on the machine you choose regional or national operators may not be interested in servicing you - and you'll pay a price (either financial or in service terms) for being an 'uneconomic' site.

3. When you get in contact with them make sure you have your 'killer questions' ready... i.e. Customer satisfaction ratings, First Time Fix record, m.t.b.f (mean time between failure) of the machines, the technology behind the façade, drinks range, drinks supply response time that sort of thing.

4. When you have got all the responses evaluate the features against your original 'must have' like to have priority list.

5. Arrange a demo!

Here's a by no means exhaustive list of some of the people you might want to take a look at:

Mars Drinks UK

Mars Drinks are the only manufacturer who will supply and support machines on a 'Direct' basis. Their Flavia and KLIX machines are also available via distributors, operators and catering contractors.

Tel: 0800 055 6029
Fax: 01256 307 333

Flavia: Find out more about the Creation 400
Klix: www.klix.com ; If you are unfamiliar with Klix take their quick tour

KafeVend Group Limited

KafeVend are a reputable good national player supplying coffee vending machines and snack and can machines. They deal a lot in KLIX and FLAVIA and Kenco brands

Phone: 0870 600 8181
E-mail: rbridge@kafevend.org
Kafevend: www.kafevend.co.uk

Nexus Drinks and Vending Machines Systems

National distributor of a variety of vending machines from hot and cold drinks systems to water coolers, orange juicers and Cola vending machines.

Phone: 0870 991 7267
Fax: 0870 991 7320
E-mail: sales@nexusdrinks.com
Nexus Drinks: www.nexusdrinks.com

UK Vending Limited

Very nice people - always heard good things about them and again they represent a good option if you are looking for snack machines water coolers and floor standing drinks vending all from one supplier.

Phone 0845 3309696
Fax: 01634 404055
E-mail: ukvmacenquiry@ukvending.co.uk
UK Vending: www.ukvending.co.uk

There are a lot more people out there who will also be happy to supply you, and that includes the major catering firms (if you are big enough) who can supply every catering need AND vending.

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

I forgot soups... 10 05 2007 - 12:13:40 PM

Just a quick note to anyone out there who wants to get rid of the kitchen, runs through the whole process of analysing vending options, getting the technology right, choosing the right suppliers, getting the right contract...   But forgot to make sure there was a decent soup option.

If your people are used to making instant soup at lunchtime and your machine doesn’t deliver a) any soup, or b) a soup deemed fit for human consumption...  You won’t lose the kitchen mess.

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Why the right drinks range is vital 24 04 2007 - 12:00:35 PM

Because you want to satisfy all the people, all of the time…!

At the risk of stating the obvious if you’re going to get the most out of a vending machine you have to stock it with the drinks that people actually want. 

Go back to why you are choosing vending in the first place – usually it’s about making sure people can stay refreshed, motivated, satisfied and generally a little bit happier…

There are two issues to consider here – first; the quality that will satisfy their expectations, secondly; the range that satisfies what they need at different times of the day

If you think that’s easy, think again. For a start, vending doesn’t exactly have the best press in the world – expectations are pretty low. Next issue is how good, exactly could something like a vended soup or cold drink be?

The problem is that perceptions aren’t helped by the fact a lot of drinks machines are just as terrible as they were in the 1970’s – unbranded cheap ingredients served by dodgy technology.  And it’s made worse by the fact that the unwary buyer tends to be mainly focussed on the tea and coffee and considers all the other drinks to be secondary.  Big mistake!

Take out a few minutes to surf the web for research articles on drinking trends…  certainly coffee consumption is on the rise – especially speciality coffees and super premium coffee shop treats at £2 per cup, but overall the balance is shifting to cold drinks and healthier options…  and it’s a trend that seems to be accelerating.

So what are you going to do about it?  My advice is to look for the following;

Rock solid brands – the stuff we buy and use at home

OK it’s not Starbucks but what’s your current kitchen area serving, a double mochaccino skinny latte?  Nah!  It’s probably good old Nescafe and a box of PG tea bags same as you have at home.

Give people brands they trust and they won’t feel cheated.

Top Tip

The vending acid test is tea – People won’t thank-you for powdered tea – make sure there’s a fresh tea bag involved in the vending system or take the consequences.

A great range – what do all your people drink, and what do they drink at different times of the year?

The male-female split, the age range, location of business and time of year all have an impact on what people will want to drink. First thing is that the range has to be broad enough to cover all the basics…

Top Tip
If people like making instant soups you better make sure that your vending solution can serve up a good one or you won’t lose that kitchen.  Same goes for decent soft drinks.

Trends – more soft drinks, more speciality coffees, more healthy options, more ethical brands

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability

Look behind the fascia, there are some very different technologies out there… 24 04 2007 - 11:57:43 AM

Is what you see, what you’ll get?

Everyone is going to talk to you about quality, reliability and choice... they don’t have any option. But to make an informed choice, you have to be informed.

In short, the thing to look for here is where does all the complicated stuff happen?

For a start let’s take a look inside a couple of the floor standing machines and then we can discuss the relative merits.

Here are the two main technologies (click to see a bigger version)…

Images taken from the KLIX.com web site

So, where does all the complicated stuff happen?

1. Is it in the machine (known in the trade as a ‘traditional’ machine), where there are containers of ingredients, mixed together and fed down tubes? The more parts, the more processes, the more tubes, the more trouble you can expect. Drinks get cross-contaminated, moisture clogs up the tubes, bits break or seize… you’d better be on great terms with the service department.

Great if: Cost is the most critical thing

Avoid if: Reliability and consistency are critical

2. Is it in the cup (known in the trade as, err… in-cup)? Here all the potentially tricky, messy stuff happens back at the drinks factory. They take on the problems, you just get the right amount of ingredients in the cup - all the machine really has to do is add hot water. These machines are the most reliable and consistent delivery systems you can get. The only drawback is you can’t get fresh ground coffee (but the tea is great when the thing in the cup is a tea bag!)

Great if: Reliability, hygiene and consistency are critical

Avoid if: You just want the cheapest cup price

3. Is it a bit of a hybrid (known in the trade as, err… a bit of a hybrid)? Here in-cup is used for everything barring the premium coffee that might use a conveyer belt-style thing to deliver coffee. Not as reliable as a pure in-cup system but better than a ‘traditional’ machine.

The other thing about the last two options is that what you see is what you get. The portions are always the same and if it’s a branded product you get decent quality too. With the traditional machine, however, the operators can change the quality and quantity of ingredients if they want to.

Great if: You have to have a ground coffee option

Avoid if: You want the cheapest cup price or have to have ultimate reliability