2018 PROS TO KNOW AWARDS page 14

TECHNOLOGY AND PAYMENT INNOVATIONS WILL GREATLY IMPACT 2019 page 22

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DECEMBER 2018 Contents VOLUME 60, NUMBER 8

34

SUCCESS STORY OPERATION PROFILE DEPARTMENTS 6 ▶ 34 ▶ Better Serving The Community Editor’s Note 2018: The Year Of Acquisitions, Idaho-based Oasis Northwest was started by a one-time Mergers And Consolidation route driver who saw the potential of what micro markets could offer the industry and his community. 8 ▶ VendingMarketWatch News FEATURES

12 14 ▶ Pros To Know 32 ▶ New Orleans Hosts ▶ These Pros are not just Industry’s Biggest 12 OCS Update successful, but inspire others and Capitalize On Creamers drive the industry forward. Coffee, Tea And Water Show The latest look at what 22 ▶ Technology Will consumers add to their Don’t underestimate coffee brewed coffee. Greatly Impact 2019 service. That was the ▶ From payment innovation to message from New Orleans 28 Products controlling costs, investment in during the 2018 CTW. ▶ technology will continue. 40 Classifieds

4 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 Published by Endeavor Business Media, LLC PO Box 803 • 1233 Janesville Ave Fort Atkinson WI 53538 920-563-6388 • 800-547-7377

Vol. 60, No. 8 BUSINESS STAFF Online Exclusives PUBLISHER Ron Bean (920) 568-8386 AVAILABLE ONLY AT VENDINGMARKETWATCH.COM [email protected] LIST RENTAL Elizabeth Jackson Account Executive Merit Direct LLC (847) 492-1350, ext. 18 [email protected] EUROPEAN SALES Julian Maddocks-Born Sales Director +44 (0)1442 230033 BLOGS, PODCASTS & VIDEOS [email protected] REPRESENTATIVE, Benedict Hume ITSL MEDIA Sales Manager +44 (0)1442 288287 [email protected] EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR Emily Refermat (920) 563-1615 [email protected] SUPPORT STAFF ART DIRECTOR Erin Brown PRODUCTION MANAGER Barb Evenson Telephone: (920) 563-1629 Fax: (920) 568-2392 ▶ MICRO MARKETS: [email protected] AUDIENCE 3 Ways You Know It’s DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Terri Petitt Time To Remodel ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, INC CEO Chris Ferrell VendingMarketWatch.com/21033714 CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Scott Bieda ▶ EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Gloria Cosby EXCLUSIVE: Here comes VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY Eric Kammerzelt VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION OPERATIONS Curt Pordes Amazon Go™ – 3000 Times VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Gerry Whitty VendingMarketWatch.com/12434263 DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Jessica Klug DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Lester Craft SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE 877-382-9187; 847-559-7598 [email protected] PO Box 3257 • Northbrook IL 60065-3257 ARTICLE REPRINTS Brett Petillo, Wright’s Media 877-652-5295, ext. 118 [email protected] ▶ VIDEO: The importance of ▶ Automatic Merchandiser (USPS 017-280), (ISSN 1061-1797 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: design & creating print; ISSN 1948-5697 online) is published 8 times per year in February, March, April/May, June/July, August, September, October Operators: Here Are 10 Reasons experiences and December by Endeavor Business Media, LLC 1233 Janesville Ave, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort To Be Thankful VendingMarketWatch.com/12419815 Atkinson, WI 53538 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: VendingMarketWatch.com/12437437 Send address changes to Automatic Merchandiser, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Canada Post PM40612608. Return unde- liverable Canadian addresses to: Automatic Merchandiser PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Subscriptions: Individual print subscriptions are available with- out charge to qualified subscribers in the U.S. Complimentary digital subscriptions are available to qualified subscribers worldwide. Please visit www.vendingmarketwatch.com and click on “Subscribe”. SPECIAL REPORT Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. $37 per year, $74 two year; Canada/Mexico $64 per year, $111 two year; All other countries $91 per year, $170 When To Use Only Available two year. All subscriptions payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank. Canadian GST#842773848. Back issue $10 prepaid, if available. High-End Micro from Micro Market News Printed in the USA. Copyright 2018 Endeavor Business Media, Inc. SPONSORED BY 365 RETAIL MARKETS All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- Market Displays duced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or Micro markets come mechanical, including photocopy, recordings or any information stor- in all shapes, sizes age or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Endeavor Business Media, LLC does not assume and herby and levels of design. disclaims any liability to any person or company for any loss or dam- Custom displays age caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other can deliver a greater cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles herein return. are not to be taken as official expressions of the publishers, unless so stated. The publishers do not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles herein, nor do they so warrant any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles.

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 5 EDITOR’S NOTE BY EMILY REFERMAT

AUTOMATIC 2018: The Year Of Acquisitions, MERCHANDISER EDITORIAL Mergers And Consolidation ADVISORY BOARD Joe Hessling Consolidation continues with operators and This wasn’t the only soda giant to align itself 365 Retail Markets reaches new heights with manufacturers in with the coffee segment. Late in the year, The the coffee service segment. Coca-Cola Company announced it was acquir- Josh Rosenberg ing Costa, a well-known coffee brand in Europe, Accent Food Services Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Not John Reilly only did it gain the brand and various cafes Avanti Markets here is safety in numbers, profits too it seems around the globe, it also now likely owns the as 2018 looks to be the year of mergers and Costa coffee vending machines which provide Anant Agrawal acquisitions. the smells and sounds of a coffee shop while Cantaloupe Systems T USA Technologies Continental kicked off the year with its brewing the user’s coffee. acquisition of Brighton, MI-based 24 Hr. Vending Let’s not forget that in March the EVOCA Elyssa Steiner LLC. As part of the acquisition, the entire 24 Hr. group bought the assets of VE Global Solutions, Cantaloupe Systems Vending LLC staff joined the Continental team. LLC, which was already promoting EVOCA USA Technologies This was the second acquisition for Continental products in the North American market includ- Carl Moser since late 2017 contribut- ing Necta, Wittenborg and SGL machines. The Cardinal Canteen ing to its proclaimed status agreement stipulates that all VE employees Food Service as Michigan’s largest food be transferred over to EVOCA USA and that management company. EVOCA USA would operate from the VE site. It Chuck Reed Crane Payment It also had one of the last is a sign EVOCA believes in growing its presence Innovations (CPI) acquisitions of the year (as in the North American coffee market, especially of press time) with United in office coffee service. Jeff Whitacre Vending, its largest acquisi- Fast forward to October when Lavazza made Food Express tion to date. a move that would surprise many. It purchased Michael Miller Vending giant Five Star the Mars Drinks Business, which includes the Mondelez International Food Service continued its Flavia and Klix single cup brewing systems, buying spree in 2018 with from Mars, Incorporated. Single-cup business Alan Munson GROWING Mid South Services and in office coffee service (OCS) and vending has Parlevel Systems the size of the Eagle Vending. Both were been increasing and this acquisition is a way for Paresh Patel business brings Canteen franchises that Lavazza Group to strengthen its position within PayRange brought micro markets, the convenience services market through exist- opportunities vending and office coffee ing equipment lines. Jeff Deitchler and challenges. service to the business. Prairie Fire Coffee Pay to partner Jim Carbone Coffee plays big role What’s in a name? If the name is Starbucks, it’s Tradecraft Operations weren’t the only businesses affected $7.15 billion. That is how much Nestlé agreed to by consolidation. In 2018, there were a num- pay for the perpetual rights to market Starbucks Sandy Thornton ber of large mergers and partnerships among consumer and foodservice products globally, out- VendEdge manufacturers and suppliers of products and side of the company’s coffee shops. Nestlé plans equipment. One of the biggest was the merger of to use this partnership to continue its growth in Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper. North America with leadership positions in the On January 29 of this year, Dr Pepper Snap- premium roast and ground and portioned coffee ple Group, Inc. and Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. businesses. announced that the companies had entered into Looking back, 2018 was filled with change, a definitive merger agreement to create Keurig but much of it to create stronger companies. Dr Pepper, a new beverage company of scale They see opportunity in the U.S. market, much with a portfolio of iconic consumer brands and of it around coffee, and that’s a positive sign unrivaled distribution capability. for 2019.

6 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018

VendingMarketWatch Top News Stories

Vendors Exchange Acquires American Vending Machines a top office coffee service innovator. endors Exchange International (VE) Consumers will now be able to purchase coffee at announced the acquisition of American Vend- a Cafection coffee machine ing Machines (AVM). Located in St. Louis, MO, that is fitted with a 365 VAVM was founded in 1997 and is a remanufac- Inside and checkout with the turer and supplier of equipment and parts to the 365Pay mobile app. vending industry. Operators can also The combination of the companies along with receive real-time reporting the additional operating site will allow VE to better on their machine’s sales, serve its customers by generating shorter lead times profitability analysis and refill status with the 365 Inside. and more cost-effective solutions. The St. Louis facility will provide added manufacturing space and a highly skilled workforce. Andy Hayes, owner and USAT Update: founder of AVM, will remain with the combined VE will use this buy to expand Nasdaq Notification company and continue to serve the existing customer remanufacturing. Of Deficiency base while leading new growth initiatives. ▶ USA Technologies, Inc. The acquisition took place November 1, 2018. announced that, as expected, Shared goal it received a notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market Matt Shene, CEO of Vendors Exchange International said, “I am excited about the LLC notifying the company acquisition. The ability of a company to serve its customers starts with its employees. that, as a result of its failure Andy is an energetic leader with a wealth of industry knowledge. He and his team to timely file its Quarterly will bring an added element to VE. I am looking forward to working together as we Report on Form 10-Q for the continue to drive toward our goal of better serving the industry.” fiscal quarter ended Septem- ber 30, 2018, the company is noncompliant with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). The company had previ- Kendall & Mrs. It has thrived the Continental team. Finan- ously received an original for 50 years, thanks to the cial terms of the transaction notice from Nasdaq of commitment to customer were not disclosed. noncompliance with the service and the leadership of This is the fourth add-on rule due to the failure of the President Bob Grimsley, the acquisition completed by company to timely file its Kendall’s son-in-law who pur- Continental in the past year, Annual Report on Form 10-K chased the business in 1999. and its largest acquisition to for the fiscal year ended June date, as Continental contin- 30, 2018. Pursuant to the ues to pursue its growth and original notice, the company Continental Acquires expansion objectives. had submitted to Nasdaq a United Vending & plan to regain compliance, Market Services 365, Cafection Provide and on November 13, 2018, Nasdaq notified the company K & M Coffee ▶ Continental, Michigan’s Connected Coffee that it had accepted the plan largest food management Celebrates 50 Year and had granted the com- company, has acquired Machines Anniversary pany until March 12, 2019 United Vending & Market ▶ 365 Inside device is in order to file the quarterly ▶ K & M Coffee, based Services (United Vending), now compatible with Cafec- report and the annual report in North Canton, OH, was located in Ferndale, MI. As tion bean-to-cup Innovation with the SEC. founded in 1968 by husband part of the transaction, the and Encore series brew- and wife, Dean and Sharon entire United Vending leader- ers. This marks the second Kendall. K & M stands for ship team and staff will join partnership for 365 and

8 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 TOP NEWS

board’s decision reflects franchisees’ belief that SEI has failed to focus resources People in the News and energy on improving declining store-level net profits, instead shoring up Howard Chapman To Retire From corporate gross profits at Royal Cup Coffee & Tea franchisee’s expense. Royal Cup Coffee & Tea announced that Howard NCASEF is the national Chapman, president of its office beverage division, trade association for will retire from full-time employment effective Chapman 7-Eleven franchisees, repre- January 1, 2019. He will remain with Royal Cup senting the owners of nearly in a strategic advisory role to assist its sales team 7,000 franchised locations until the end of 2019. The Venders Unveil in the U.S. The National Slim Footprint Vending Coalition’s No Confidence Seaga’s Andrew Chesney Elected To Machine With T3 vote reflects a number of related issues, including: Illinois State Representative Conveyor System • Presenting owners with Andrew Chesney, a division sales manager with ▶ The Venders unveiled a new Franchise Agree- Seaga Manufacturing, was elected to represent ment which will lead to the 89th district in the Illinois State House of its newest innovation Chesney nicknamed “OLLIE.” The the continued decline of Representatives. advanced system features profitability – and doing so new technologies and in a coercive, “take it or Jon Ford Wins Second Term In Indiana features, including a patent- leave it” fashion without State Senate collaboration, input or pending conveyor system Jon Ford of Terre Haute, IN, won a second term to negotiation with owners that allows the machine the Indiana State Senate with a victory over chal- • Failing to devote capital to vend a wide variety of lenger Chris Gambill. products from a remarkably to stores in dire need of Ford small footprint. remodeling and refur- Robert Friedman To Retire At Year’s End In contrast to the trend of bishing Coffee Distributing Corp. announced the retire- building bigger and bulkier • Failing to replace worn out ment of its president, Robert Friedman, after 43 machines that are costly to equipment years with the company. Friedman is planning to own and operate, The Vend- • Failing to disclose to pro- continue working through the end of 2018. ers took a different approach spective franchisees the and designed OLLIE to allow substantial risks associ- Friedman it to be installed in locations ated with investing in an Nuzee, Inc. Appoints Bryan Flowers that were previously unsuit- SEI franchise National Sales Manager able for vending. NuZee, Inc. (d/b/a/ Coffee Blenders®) announced the appointment of Bryan Flowers as national sales Imperial Coffee Buys manager, effective October 29, 2018. Madison County Food & Beverage Co. Michael Aguirre Joins Server Products ▶ Mark Steiner, president Server Products is pleased to announce the hiring of Imperial Coffee and of Michael Aguirre as the key account manager for Services Inc., announced the the Western U.S. region. 7-Eleven Franchise acquisition of The Madison County Food & Beverage Hain Celestial Names Mark L. Schiller Aguirre Owners Vote No Company based in Orillia, Chief Executive Officer Confidence in Ontario, Canada. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. announced that its Corporate Leadership The acquisition further board of directors has named veteran consumer strengthens Imperial Coffee’s packaged foods executive Mark L. Schiller as the ▶ The Board of the position as the premier bev- company’s new president and chief executive of- National Coalition of erage supplier within Ontario ficer, effective November 5, 2018. Schiller will be Associations of 7-Eleven and allows the company nominated as a director of the company and will Schiller Franchisees (NCASEF) has greater efficiencies in servic- succeed Irwin D. Simon, Hain Celestial’s founder, taken a vote of No Confi- ing accounts north of the president and CEO. dence in the management Greater Toronto Area. of 7-Eleven, Inc. (SEI.) The

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 9 TOP NEWS

Pod Pack International Ranks 49 On Annual LSU 100 List

uring a gala event at L’Auberge Casino Hotel in Baton Rouge, Loui- Dsiana State University (LSU) announced the official rankings for the eighth annual LSU 100: Fastest Growing Tiger Busi- nesses. Pod Pack International interviewed by Bloomberg was ranked No. 49, up from No. about PepsiCo’s expansion 72 the previous year. with bubly Fountain and Vending. PepsiCo is now LSU 100 Pod Pack again made the LSU 100 list. using bubly on branded The LSU 100 is a highly com- vending machines to capital- petitive program that identi- ize on the success of its fies, recognizes and celebrates the 100 fastest growing LSU graduate-owned or LSU sparkling water brand. graduate-led businesses in the world. Pod Pack has made this prestigious list for the third consecutive year.

USConnect Selects operators across the U.S. mental Protection Agency’s and Canada, will provide the ENERGY STAR certification. Nayax’s Cashless latest solutions in cashless This certification signifies Payment Solution payments to help operators that the brewers meet the optimize their operations and energy efficiency guidelines elevate their revenue. the U.S. EPA have estab- lished for this category of Seaga Adds Garrison™ equipment. Industrial Vender BUNN engineers have developed construction ▶ Seaga Manufacturing and control methods which introduces an addition to optimize the heating of the its Intelligent Inventory brew water, and minimize Control family—the Gar- heat loss. Innovative control rison™. Designed to provide ▶ USConnect, North Ameri- algorithms maintain the hot opportunities for the small ca’s only wireless, integrated water tank temperature at and medium account loca- food service network, has precise levels with the mini- tions yet provide the same endorsed Nayax’s cashless mum energy used. cost advantages as the larger payment solution, the VPOS BUNN Earns First markets. The Garrison™ was Touch, as a preferred cash- Energy Star® developed to meet customer PepsiCo’s Bubly demand for an industrial less and telemetry device. Certification For A Nayax provides operators Fountain And Vending vending machine that pro- Commercial Brewer vided the same accountabil- of unattended automatic Machine Are Getting ity and control for accounts machines a complete cash- ▶ The new Infusion Series® Attention less solution. USConnect’s Soft Heat® brewers are the with limited resources and recommendation to its affili- first commercial coffee brew- ▶ Anne Fink, president, fewer employees. ate network, which includes ers to earn the U.S. Environ- Global Foodservice, was

10 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 APRIL 24 - 26 LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER

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The latest look at what consumers add to their brewed coffee.

By Emily Refermat, Editor

hile many in the coffee industry prefer cof- from its use 5 years ago. Unflavored liquid creamer on fee black, it’s not as common with end users. the other hand, experienced 38 percent growth from According to research done by Datassential and 5 years ago. presented at the 2018 Coffee, Tea & Water show, Mark DiDomenico of Datassential said where the com- 64 percent of consumers add creamer to coffee and 34 pany sees the most growth is in plant-based creamers. percent add sweeteners. Away from home has the lowest This is a segment that includes soy milk, almond milk, percentage of black coffee drinkers, making this extremely and coconut milk. A majority of consumers, 83 percent, relevant to office coffee service providers. Female and reported interest in the plant-based creamers. However, younger consumers are the most likely to use coffee addi- only 67 percent were currently using it. tive, much more than other end users. “The difference could be it [plant-based creamers] not being available away from home, so this could be a Creamer preference is changing missed opportunity,” DiDomenico said. This is supported The research indicates that flavored and unflavored by other research that shows that of the consumers who creamers are top preferences for coffee drinkers who use this type of creamer away from home, 56 percent us use additives, used by 64 percent of consumers outside it at a coffeeshop, while at work/school that percentage the home when combined. When taken individually, drops to 11 percent. It just isn’t as widely available at however, milk starts to suffer with a 22 percent decline OCS-type locations.

12 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 OCS UPDATE

The primary reason behind the surge in plant-based Creamer used in your coffee creamers is that consumers believe it’s a healthier alter- Flavored liquid native to dairy-based creamers. Almond milk tops the creamers away 60% list with both consumers who have tried alternative from home creamers and to those Half and half 27% whom alternative cream- ers appeal. People prefer people add creamer to Milk 20% almond milk to soy milk, brewed coffee according to the research, Unflavored 17% with 17 percent saying they love almond milk compared to 9 percent who say the same for soy milk. Coconut milk ranks higher than soy, but not almond milk among those who use Sweetener used in your coffee plant-based creamers in their coffee. Add sugar 64% Sugar ranks high to coffee Just over a third of consumers add some form of sweet- Raw sugar 45% ener to their coffee, with sugar being the strong prefer- ence. Some interesting trends in the research point to Honey 40% raw sugar, flavored syrup and even honey as additional options consumers use to sweeten drinks. Flavored Splenda syrup has the advantage of also adding another fla- 38% vor, which is something consumers want. They crave variety, and that includes flavors and the mouth feel of their coffee drinks, says DiDomenico. Flavors used in your coffee (Away from home) Flavors stay flat Vanilla/ Not much has changed in terms of flavored coffee, French vanilla 60% DiDomenico added. Less than a quarter like brewed flavored coffee, while the rest of consumers prefer to Hazelnut 28% add the flavor in after the coffee has been brewed. The flavor preferences remain largely unchanged with Caramel 16% vanilla the steadfast winner in popularity. However, for OCS providers looking to set themselves apart, this Irish coffee 11% could present a vast opportunity. DiDomenico made the point that today’s consumer wants variety, wants personalization. By offering some unique options to the coffee drinker at work, the operator has a competi- Plant-based creamers used tive advantage. Some flavor suggestions include dessert flavors, such as key lime, Nutella, and tiramisu. Flavors Almond milk 63% like peanut butter and Dulce de leche are logical pair- ings as well that provide some unique variety without Coconut 49% stepping too far from flavors consumers would know and appreciate. Chia seed 46% More people drink coffee every year. With more than half of them also wanting to add a little some- thing extra to the cup, it’s important to track trends Cashew 46% and add proper offerings to product lines. Plant-based creamers and unique flavors are increasingly appealing Oat 41% to consumers, but not to the exclusion of best sellers such as vanilla flavored creamer, unflavored creamer Soy 39% and sugar. It’s all about having options.

iStock December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 13 T H E 2018 PROS TO KNOW A W A R D S By Emily Refermat, Editor

t’s time to celebrate the best in the business. The following “Pros” are not just successful, but inspire others and drive I the convenience services industry forward. In 2018, the Pros to Know list includes thought leaders, entrepreneurs, driven team leaders and mentors. This group of 20 individuals and 3 teams has earned the recognition of others and proven once again that people make all the difference to success. 14 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 iStock Individual 2018 (Listed alphabetically by company)

Lindel Creed John Peterson President Of American Green Dispensing Systems, American Green Lead tech, AVS Companies Creed has been a key participant in the development of The constant changes in manufacturing techniques and a dispensing system that uses biometrics to verify the software updates occasionally make things function dif- dispensing of restricted products. This opens the door ferently than they should, challenging operators. That for use of many products that could not previously be is where John Peterson shines. He reads technical infor- vended out of a machine. He wants to bring back the use mation and interprets it into logical and usable language of vending machines over the use of micro markets due to his team can understand. He works out the “bugs” and the ability of vending machines to meet Americans with communicates often with factory representatives. He is Disability Act requirements. With Creed’s help, American well-known for reading the manual of a new item, per- Green has started developing smart vending machines forming the processes recorded and then showing the rest with a touch screen and has expanded the machines use of the team. Peterson has a knack for understanding how into new markets. an engineer built an item, while also being able to explain it to others in everyday language. He is willing to share Trish Schneider what he knows and learned both during his years as an Branch Manager, Associated Services operator and in the AVS distributorship. Schneider has kept her “can do” attitude working at Associated Services for 30 years. C T Cromer She is always willing to help others and has Founder / Chairman, Cromer Food Service done most of the jobs (if not all) at one time Trish Cromer started working in the vending industry at the or another in the industry. Schneider under- Schneider age of 14 in 1954. With the help of his two brothers Erwin stands that customer service is the most important aspect Cromer and Doug Cromer, they successfully operated a of her job because consumers can “coffee” anywhere. This small vending company until it was purchased by Wom- year Schneider developed a close partnership with a local etco Foodservice. During the Wometco years, the broth- roaster in the area. It was a great success in a large branch ers would grow Wometco to become the largest vending that covers Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties, because operator in the Southeast. After 26 years of working for customers want to buy local — within their communities. someone else, Cromer decided to start his own company. She is also focused on satisfying the needs of the Millenni- With a small basement operation, Cromer Food Services als, which make up most of the workforce. This includes was founded in 1981. The plan was to operate a small offering new products, following trends and anticipating company with potential two or three routes on the road. what and how their needs will change in the future. Instead, Cromer continued to experience growth based on stellar service and strong personal relationships with his Scott Phillips customers. During the first years of his business, Cromer Director, Customer Success, Avanti Markets quickly saw that he needed some help with his internal Phillips embodies the principles behind operations if he was going to be able to stay on the road “Customer Success.” He is directly respon- as the face of the company. He asked his brother Erwin to sible for working directly with members of join the company. With this additional help the two broth- Avanti’s operators network from sharing Scott Phillips ers were able to open a full line commissary and begin to technical expertise and best practices to onboarding new offer food options that were unmatched from their compe- operators to teach and share insights working with the tition. The business saw explosive growth that eventually systems and growing their micro market business. He included two satellite offices in addition to the corporate seems to be a walking encyclopedia of knowledge when offices in Anderson, SC. Today, Cromer Food Services it comes to the technology that supports the operations operates a 40-acre complex with over 125 associates. The of micro markets and he loves to share his knowledge facility includes a full line Culinary Center, Equipment with anyone who will listen. He can often be found Refurb Center and Fleet Maintenance Department. The assisting others in all aspects of the business. He is one company supplies vending, market, catering and coffee of the friendliest people around and always arrives with services to over 500 customers on a weekly basis. These a smile on his face and a happy greeting for his custom- customers are supplied through 22 vending routes and 15 ers and his colleagues. micro market routes.

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 15 They dream of

55% of coffeeCreambinations drinkersmix creamer flavors1 – and International Delight is the #1 brand they’re looking for.2 With 11 craveable, mix-and-matchable flavors to play with, the possibilities for their perfect cup are endless. . . e s C n L e L

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8 1 0 1Danone Coffee Bar Research, November 2017 2 © 2NPD Supply Track 12 months ending November 2017

Contact your sales representative or visit our website to learn more. 888-620-9910 | DanoneAwayFromHome.com Individual 2018 More ways to Continued

Andy Bream Delight Vice President, Federal Machine Corp. Shortly after assuming the vice president of sales role at Federal Machine Corp., a division of The Wittern Group, and meeting with numerous small vend operators and distributors around the country, Bream saw a tremendous opportunity to help small Andy Bream vend operators grow their businesses. He has initiated several programs with his credit background designed to increase sales and profits for this market segment. When Federal assists small vendors and business owners to grow and diversify their businesses with a proven business model it also helps Federal Machine Corp increase their sales and profit. Bream started his ten- ure at The Wittern Group in 2000 as a credit analyst for Wittern Financial Services and was promoted to credit manager in 2005 and became director of financial services in 2010. In 2015 he was named as vice president of sales for Federal Machine Corp. Through his history in the finance world, he saw several customers apply the techniques and tactics of Federal Machine to their businesses and get results. Being a Champion of Small Business growth is a daily venture for Bream and his team. 50.7 oz. Creamer Pump

Mike Laurer Director OCS & Water, Five Star Food Service Laurer has been in the Refreshment Services industry for over 35 years. His experience includes managing both vending and micro market operations, but his passion and expertise lies in office coffee service (OCS) and water. He believes the key to Mike Laurer success is staying ahead of the curve on industry trends while delivering the best possible customer service experience. He understands that each customer is unique and requires clear and consistent communication to uncover their true needs and wants. He is also a believer in the concept “If you take care of your employees your employees will take care of your customers.” Laurer is a past president and current board member of Tennessee’s Vending Associa- tion. He received his NCE designation from NAMA in 2008.

Steve Orlando Co-Founder, Fixturelite As the co-founder of Fixturelite, and a former micro market, vending and office coffee service (OCS) operator for the greater Bulk Creaming Dispenser part of ten years in the Phoenix, AZ market, Orlando is a leader in the design, shelving, lighting and fixture category. He is con- Steve Orlando cerned about the industry’s approach toward workplace refreshment areas — breakrooms. He feels there is a trend toward “cookie-cutter” micro markets, as companies like Amazon enter the space. He is also concerned about the quality of materials that are being used, as market shelving and fixture suppli- ers chase their share of the market. As a result he has committed to providing usefully information regarding the micro market industry and design trends. He reaches out to operators in the Micro Market Design Newsletter and at industry trade shows. His willingness to provide free demos of the Fixture- lite design tool shows a commitment to market design and operator success. ©2018 Danone US, LLC.

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 17 Individual

2018 Continued

Colleen Calahan Jennifer Toomey Director of Operations, Gimme Vending Director of OCS and Markets, Refreshment Solutions As director of operations for Gimme, Calahan fosters Toomey has made a huge impact in a very short amount of operational success and growth for customers in the time. She is the director of OCS and markets for Refresh- unattended retail industry managing a portfolio of ment Solutions in Norco, LA, and is focusing heavily on customer accounts from the moment of signing to full merchandising and preventing shrinkage in micro mar- deployment and beyond. Unattended retail has changed kets, which she sees as a substantial challenge to profit- so much in the two years since she joined Gimme, with ability. Toomey believes market distribution is another the biggest challenge for the industry being outside huge problem. Most of the industry schedules vending competition. Redesigning of convenience stores (think dynamically, and schedules markets statically due to the QuikTrip) and the rise of convenience solutions like fresh food. Toomey is looking for ways to decrease dis- DoorDash, UberEats and AmazonGo mean the industry tribution costs in addition to upgrading existing markets can no longer focus solely on how convenient micro and replacing the 30 percent of products that don’t sell. markets and vending machines are, but how to better She has been in the industry for 8 years, and is leading serve people that can easily order anything at the touch a crusade to update markets for Refreshment Solutions. of a button. This goes for Millennials and the younger generation in university and the workforce as well. It’s John Ward at once health-conscious and pickier. Calahan works so Owner, Serenity Market operators can know what to sell and where to sell it, so Ward’s Rockford,IL-based micro market they can compete in today’s workplaces and schools. company began as a vending provider and Just this year, she not only helped developed a number transitioned into something greater. Ward of projects, but also delivered her first public speech, and his company promote employee reten- John Ward ever, at SEVA, this past July. Through these initiatives, tion at area companies using micro markets. Serenity Mar- she has shown that she is dedicated to bringing awesome ket’s micro market concept is one of the few benefits a tech to a historically undeserved industry. company can offer employees at no cost to the employer. To maintain engagement with his micro markets, Ward has Cory Hewett also made advancements with company-sponsored pro- Co-Founder and CEO, Gimme Vending motions and Serenity Market promos. Serenity matches Vending companies are being rolled up by deposits into customer accounts at grand openings and larger players, suppliers are being acquired offers monthly product discount days. Ward is ever look- by larger providers, and Amazon just ing to advance his knowledge and expand the micro mar- announced it will open 3,000 new unat- Cory Hewett ket concept. tended “Go” stores by 2021. Hewett knows it’s a tough market out there. He also sees potential. He has helped Charles Weaving customers understand what’s working and what’s not Data & Technology Manager, Southern with their technology. For each customer he generates Refreshment Services customized and in-depth value reports about 1) how much Bringing innovation to the vending industry, time their drivers are spending in the field; 2) their actual Weaving plays an important role in mak- versus calculated amount of product spoilage and waste; ing vending machines “smart” and tackling Charles 3) frequency of stock-outs/SKU-outs; and 4) the effect the challenge of modernizing vending’s way Weaving of stock/SKU-outs on same store sales. He also works of business. After earning an MBA at Mercer University, with each customer’s web designers, providing graphics Weaving began to change vending as operations manager for and content, to refresh the operator’s online presence Gimme Vending. As the first full-time employee for Gimme, and technology pages. Finally, Hewett has spent the year he took Gimme from forty test units to over 1,500 fully- working on a brand-new tool for micro market manage- functioning deployed field units in less than a year through ment, so the industry can invest more in merchandising rigorous work with engineering, deployment, development and per-account customization, while making it easier to and support. In placing utmost emphasis on customer needs attract and train new employees. while creating efficient deployment methods and employing

18 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 superb customer service, Weaving brought Bluetooth/wire- Bob Tullio less DEX technology to the forefront of machine inventory, Consultant, TullioB2B accountability and sales. By providing a more effective and Since selling his business in January of efficient solution for day-to-day operations, Weaving expects 2017, Tullio has been an active industry to see a resurgence of creativity and new ideas for vending consultant, focusing on content creation, Bob Tulio altogether. As data and technology manager of Southern strategic planning and business develop- Refreshment Services, Weaving combines his business ment. Using his training and experience as a journalist, skills, knowledge of back-end vending operations, and his he has written over 20 columns for VendingMarket- technological expertise to reduce waste, increase efficiency, Watch.com, providing operators with an inside look at monitor accountability and solve problems for one of the how he helped to build a successful business from the nation’s leading vending, micro market and coffee providers. ground up. Tullio has established himself as an industry thought leader with a genuine interest in helping opera- Katy Melstrom tors succeed and suppliers to connect with operators. Vice President of Marketing, Three Square Market While much of his writing is focused on fundamental Melstrom has worked with Three Square Market for business development, his approach to selling strategies just under 6 years, during which she has seen the com- is timeless — constantly being updated to include digital pany grow, change, adapt and become a huge part of the marketing and changing buyer attitudes. executive decisions made. Three Square Market made the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy Bill Bartholic company-wide this past year. Melstrom has been looking Regional Sales Director – Northeast, forward and considering the implications it could have for USA Technologies customers during the next few years regarding advertising Bartholic has become respected nationally and marketing. How do we maintain quality relationships by traveling throughout North America to with clients without putting their information at risk? work closely with operators. He is dedicated Bill Bartholic A part of GDPR is slimming down what data is actually to ensuring operators understand the need needed versus what is just extra, from number of contacts to invest in technology and payment solutions for custom- to what is asked for those contacts to provide. Because ers, otherwise they will get left behind. He attends trade Melstrom is always pushing herself to be better and more shows and engages with business owners, participating knowledgeable, her actions at Three Square Market move in speaking engagements focused on technology and the beyond just marketing to all things, including the next future of payments. He helps to express the need to opera- trends and current industry standards. tors to innovate their business. He does this by leveraging his past experience as an operator prior to joining USA Rick Leib Technologies. Bartholic understands the unique industry Chief Information Security Officer, challenges. He also understands the power of technology Three Square Market and how it can positively impact these businesses. He is Three Square Market knows digital secu- not only an industry advocate, but an expert in this space. rity is of the utmost importance to cus- tomers and everyone involved in micro Rick Leib Mike Lawlor markets. The company feels lucky to have CRO, USA Technologies added an expert like Rick Leib as chief information secu- Lawlor has proven that he not only is rity officer in 2016. Leib has improved the company’s a leader within the USA Technologies security both externally and internally. As a CISSP, his organization, but within the industry. He Mike Lawlor vast knowledge on industry standards and confidence in serves on the NAMA board of directors implementing them inspires a secure feeling. With Leib and is heavily involved in ensuring that USAT is not driving the ship, Three Square Market can be confident just a supporter but an advocate for the industry along- in its direction on digital security and ensure users there side NAMA. He has presented on cashless payments and is an industry expert in their corner who is doing what’s technology related topics at trade events and shared his necessary to keep their information safe. experience through industry panels.

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 19 Individual

2018 Continued

Neil Swindale Mia McDonough President, VendCentral Senior Account Executive, Vistar of Georgia Swindale has been in the vending industry McDonough’s dedication to her custom- for over 20 years in a variety of positions. ers and Vistar is relentless. She sells in He has called on vending operators in the a consultative manner. If it isn’t good for West as a rep for Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Neil Swindale a particular customer, she doesn’t sell it Mia McDonough Nestle waters, as well as running his own full service to them. This past year, McDonough has vending company, Pacific Refreshments, for 5 years. He seen consolidations become a real challenge, not only for currently is the president and founder of VendCentral, a operators but also for suppliers. Both are trying to offer marketing agency 100 percent focused on helping vend- products that appeal to the changing demographic, includ- ing, office coffee service (OCS) and micro market com- ing healthier items that are more affordable. McDonough panies be successful online navigating the ever-changing believes that we are all here for a purpose, that it is our digital sales and marketing landscape. VendCentral was responsibility to give back to the world and to do what we founded ten years ago and has built over 350 industry can to help people. She has devoted much of her private related websites, and is currently working with over 50 time working closely with the Old Fourth Ward com- big independent breakroom refreshment companies on a munity on multiple projects. She worked collaboratively monthly basis with digital marketing strategies. with the City of Atlanta to obtain grants for beautification projects, the O4W Street Topper project, Children at Play signs as well as initiating Neighborhood Watch. Helping people is important to McDonough whether those people are in her community or colleagues in the industry.

Mike Ferguson Same Great Content President & Founder, VMAC Solutions (Vending, Markets and Coffee) Ferguson is using his 30+ years of vend- Fresh New Look! ing, markets and office coffee service (OCS) experience to help others. He is reaching Mike Ferguson Check-out Automatic Merchandiser’s newly out to operators in need of an independent agent to assist designed website VendingMarketWatch.com in selling their business as well as growth business deci- sions in regard to today’s top challenges, including tech- nology such as vending management systems (VMS), warehouse picking automation and micro markets con- sultation. Ferguson has done it all from starting an OCS and vending company, selling it, to working for the largest vending operator in the U.S.

Pros to Know is an industry Automatic Merchandiser is proud to announce our recognition program that calls for submissions annually. newly designed website VendingMarketWatch.com. Watch for your chance to Same great content, with a fresh new look! nominate someone in 2019.

TOP DROP NAVIGATION DOWN MENU

20 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 Team 2018

365 Retail Markets Customer Team need it. Not only does the 365 Customer Service team put Team Leader: Jonathan Leung, Manager, Customer Service the customer first, they are passionate about what they Providing 24-7 global support is one of the top priorities do and truly care about the success of operators. Their for the 365 Customer Team. They were instrumental in patience, attentiveness and knowledge are a huge part of fully implementing two innovative customer service plat- why 365 has become a global leader in the micro market, forms, the Zendesk — a powerful customer support plat- foodservice and vending industry. They deal with the form that tracks, prioritizes and resolves support requests, challenge of ever-changing technology and live customer and 365 Help Center — an all-new knowledge base and service demands. They have had over 200 percent growth support portal, designed to put the information needed in the department to ensure they always have someone right at operator’s fingertips, whenever and wherever they live and available to customers.

Let’s Improve! Healthy Vending, LLC

Nayax Team Leader: Kofi Sasu, Owner/Operator Team Leader: Lotan Granot, Technical Product Manager Team Members: Kofi Sasu & Shari-Ann Sasu Team Members (left to right): Eitan Klein, Efrat Kallai Tamler, Lotan Granot (Team Leader), The Let’s Improve! Healthy Vending, Ravit Bitran, Tom Yaish, Shai Belz, Erel Lindzen, Tal Goldstein (not in photo) LLC (LIHV) team doesn’t give up. Nayax’s goal is to increase operator revenue and customer convenience by A bespoke business that places the accepting all dominant cashless payments by any method, in any country. healthy products a location wants, it The team working to achieve this is the payments team, responsible for the consistently trys to educate consumers development and integration of payment systems, as well as liaising with banks about new healthy brands via vlogs. and payment institutions to ensure that Nayax’s products meet the standards The team holds taste samplings, vir- and highly secured regulations to be certified and approved for transactions. tual giveaways on social media and To achieve the company’s goals, the payments team has already implemented places advertisements on touchscreen more than 13 different domestic and international alternative payment meth- devices. LIHV also believes in help- ods (APM) since the beginning of 2018. By building a roadmap, it closely ing other operators with location tips. watches the market to engage with any upcoming payment method. In “We’re not in competition with anyone addition, the team keeps the traditional credit and debit card industry that’s trying to bring healthy vend- in mind and is continuing to integrate with new acquirers, with APMs ing to a community,” the team says. the top priority. Nayax’s payments team has also designed an API for QR They were also a recent Dan Mathews payments, which it offers to the industry. The payments team is a critical NAMA Scholarship recipient. aspect of Nayax’s operations.

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 21 LOOKING AHEAD Payments Forec Prekitting

From payment innovation to controlling costs, industry insiders see continued investment in technology as the most impactful factor on operator businesses in the coming year.

By Emily Refermat, Editor

or years the convenience services industry has been on the apex of a Ftechnological revolution. Early adopters saw the need to innovate and invest in technology. Now, there is a growing acknowledgement from operators at every level that they need to invest in order to stay competitive. “My ‘What Must Be Done For 2019’ list includes upgrading remote moni- toring devices from 3G to 4G,” said Sandy Thornton, co-owner and key accounts manager at VendEdge based in Roswell, GA. This is in addition to a 2019 wish list which includes adding an online ordering platform for office coffee service (OCS), utilizing artificial intelligence to drive up same location sales and getting handsfree glasses for route drivers. “This is after already conquering remote moni- toring of vending, cashless for vending, dynamic scheduling for

22 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 LOOKING AHEAD cast Cashless Micro markets

Dynamic scheduling

vending and markets, pre-kitting for vending and markets, and pick to light order fulfillment,” explained Thornton. She admits it can be overwhelming, but that it’s a necessary part of succeeding in today’s business environment. The need for technology is part of the reason why 2018 had so much consolidation of operations, a trend that will not be stopping in 2019 either. “I think we have been witnessing, over the past couple years and even as we look ahead in the coming years, a pivotal time for many vending operators,” said Elyssa Steiner, director of marketing for USA Technologies. “They are determining what to do with their business: 1) sell to another operator/company, OR, 2) invest in technology to grow their business, which sometimes also means growing their facilities and investing in new buildings, etc.” Technology is being used to allow operators to do things better, faster and smarter, explains Steiner. “Look at the concept of Google glasses for example when it comes to picking. This was a way to create efficiencies for warehouse pickers, and then for drivers when stocking machines,” she said. Another concept she highlights is machine learning tools sometimes called arti- ficial intelligence, which can help operators better maximize revenues, merchandise to consumer trends and ultimately sell more product. It can be difficult and expensive, especially as technology continues to change, software and hardware needs to be updated and the contin- ued support of connected technology drives up costs. There are a few

iStock December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 23 LOOKING AHEAD

selves. It’s a solution that has plenty of interest from customers too. “We are finding new micro market busi- ness,” said Carl Moser, sales manager at Cardinal Canteen Food Service in Chesapeake, VA, “but we are also swapping over businesses to micro markets.” It’s been positive, with as much as 4 times the sales at a location that has been swapped over, Moser says. The future however is in going smaller. Moser sees many locations that have lower head counts, but who want micro markets. “It’s tougher to make the small micro market concept work,” said Moser. iStock Joe Hessling, CEO of 365 Retail Technology Changes How Today’s Decision Makers Markets thinks Moser and the Choose Convenience Services other operators experimenting with smaller markets will continue to do so in 2019. “We anticipate significant Operators now have more to consider when they sell their services to a company. Decision makers have instant access to all service providers growth in smaller markets, 150 per- in their area thanks to search engines. They can read online reviews and son and below,” he said. “Tablet and compare services more easily. Carl Moser, sales manager at Cardinal mobile should add at least 3,000 loca- Canteen Food Service points to the fact that selling a location used to be tions as opposed to 2018, where we more about personal relationships. Today the young decision makers want think it was closer to 1,500 opened.” numbers and digital communication. These smaller micro market “It takes education of the younger generation on the benefit of service locations would be in addition to while still adapting to how they want sales information,” said Moser. the 6,000 more traditional markets, “Because without the service there is nothing that sets your operation with more than 150 employees, that apart. It’s different than it was 10 to 15 years ago.” Hessling guesses operators will open in 2019, a number he says is flat com- pared to 2018. These are not just esti- main areas of focus, which include is the cost of the device itself, keeping mates for 365 Retail Markets, but cashless, micro markets, prekitting it connected via cellular signal and across the U.S. industry, according and future innovations, in both pay- the fees from the processors when to Hessling. He also expects a lot of ment acceptance and any technology a consumer uses a card. It requires micro market growth outside the U.S. that can produce better efficiency. operators to somehow build those costs into the product prices and/or Prekitting and using data Cashless acceptance increase the number of items sold. Technology on the inside of the opera- The percentage of vending machines With the Federal Reserve reporting tion is going to be big in 2019, in part in the industry that accept credit/ that cashless payment use has been because operators are looking at it to debit cards or mobile payments is growing steadily since 2000, invest- help with a tight labor market and now well over 50 percent. Consum- ing in cashless payment acceptance increasing costs of goods. ers are demanding it and many opera- is a future-proof solution. “Labor costs are going up for tors report a sales lift of both cash us,” said Moser speaking about and credit once cashless payment is Micro markets grow hiring employees. Josh Rosenberg, accepted. There are some challenges Micro markets not only allow the president and CEO of Accent Food with cashless such as the elimination cashless acceptance operators cur- Services in Pflugerville, TX, sees of the 2G, and some 3G networks, rently struggle with adding to 100 a similar trend. “The distribution requiring updates to cashless devices percent of vending machines, but industry is driving up the cost of that can not use 4G or LTE. Another are a technology solution in them- labor for warehouse associates,” he

24 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 LOOKING AHEAD

said. Wages have been pushed up by 20 percent in some instances. ‘‘ We anticipate significant One helpful aspect of the tight labor market is that the businesses growth in smaller markets, operators serve are struggling with the same issue, making convenience 150 person and below.’’ services more in demand. “On the Joe Hessling, CEO of 365 Retail Markets positive side employers are leveraging our services as a must have to com- tariffs on goods from China and insta- “because data doesn’t mean anything pete for top talent, sustain culture/ bility in some of the largest oil pro- if you don’t go through it.” high engagement and support work- ducing countries looming, costs might Rosenberg also feels utilizing place productivity,” added Rosenberg. rise closer to 5 percent or more, an technology will be important. “For increase that would be difficult for the industry to sustain our bottom Inflation/cost of goods operators to pass on to end users. lines, the cost of technology, cashless The latest consumer price index Technology will be how many deal processing fees and operational effi- reported a significant increase in gaso- with these looming cost increases. ciencies will be required to offset the line prices ended October 2018, which Moser has a goal of really optimiz- [challenges],” said Rosenberg. “This drove up much of the “all items” index ing his business practices in the ware- will mean strong operators with oper- which increased 2.5 percent. There house and during location service. ating discipline, leverage of technology is worry we will see this type of cost “We put a lot of money into forecast- and diverse channel participation will increase in 2019, possibly even higher ing and prekitting, including some- force additional operator consolida- than a typical 2.5/3 percent increase one internal we hired to look at the tion and/or see an unbalanced growth that often comes with inflation. With data and make suggestions,” he said, within the operator community.”

We’re proud to see Scott Phillips recognized as one of the 2018 Pros To Know

Scott represents the values that are important to Avanti Markets:

• Positive attitude • Dedication to customer success • Always looking for solutions

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 25 LOOKING AHEAD

Hessling sees a similar evolution. “The focus from the operators seems to be less on the revenue side,” said Hessling. “While they still demand revenue growth when investing in new technologies, they are now trying to keep up with the demands of hav- ing their entire business connected to a few technology providers and then spending their time on running their businesses as efficiently as possible with minimal downtime and hassle caused by their technology providers.”

Payment innovations Investing in existing technologies that iStock will benefit operators is important, but to stay strong, the industry will we deliver to consumers,” Steiner Future vending machines may take bitcoin. also have to look at what is coming. said. “This industry is no longer about zon who is investing in thousands of “With the rate at which technology food and beverage. It is really about AmazonGo stores. “...Competition is keeps moving, we as an entire industry bringing convenience to consumers growing in unattended. We are not are going to need to continuously look wherever they are.” She mentioned vending operators anymore, we are at innovating the services and goods the distribution industry giant Ama- unattended retailers,” she said.

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26 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 LOOKING AHEAD

One evolution Steiner sees on the horizon is how payments are made ‘‘ Does [evolving] mean we start and what types are accepted. For an example she goes back to Ama- accepting new payments like zon and how consumers can use at- Venmo at machines, Crypto- home devices such as Alexa to make orders and pay. Steiner wonders if currencies, etc.?’’ operators can start doing new and innovative things with payments as Elyssa Steiner, director of marketing for USA Technologies well that will be meaningful to the consumer. “How do we as unattended cashless with the focus on connecting the first time in a decade same store retailers continue to evolve with the all devices on a common platform in account sales are rising as employers consumers demand for payment the workplace.” The future will be are adding employees and employees flexibility. Does that mean we start about payments and everything being are spending more money. In addi- accepting new payments like Venmo connected seamlessly. tion to this, operators continue to at machines, Crypto-currencies, etc.? transform their businesses by adding The ideas are endless, but if we stay The right path cashless acceptance to their vending open and curious about these trends While 2019 will have challenges, it machines and deploying micro mar- we can ultimately get ahead of them will also come with plenty of oppor- kets where applicable. This combi- and evolve with the consumer rather tunities. “2019 has me as excited as nation has me expecting 2019 to be than be late to the party,” she said. ever for industry!” said Jeff Whitacre, a record sales year for my operating Hessling adds, “Technology will president and CEO of USConnect. company and all of the operating continue to push towards mobile and “The economy has heated up and for companies within USConnect.”

Cory Hewett Colleen Calahan Co-founder & CEO Director of Operations

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 27 PRODUCT ROUNDUP

Great Taste. Quick Paced. Less Waste. NESCAFÉ Enjoy a quick, great-tasting cup of coffee with less waste. NESCAFÉ® Taster’s Choice® is precisely roasted and carefully brewed to capture a signature, smooth coffee flavor. Our 100% pure premium coffee is made with responsibly sourced beans help- ing you meet corporate responsibility goals. Get your free sample today. VendingMarketWatch.com/12433441

VE Café CURVE VENDORS EXCHANGE INTERNATIONAL, INC. Vendors Exchange introduces the Café Improved Recipe! Butterfinger CURVE, modernizing your full-size cof- fee equipment. FERRARA CANDY COMPANY • Benefits: Interactive 21.5-inch touch- The Improved Recipe BUTTERFINGER will continue to deliver on the crispety, screen. crunchety, peanut-buttery flavors consumers love, along with better ingredients, better packaging, improved freshness, and increased advertising support. It’s • Upgrade your existing coffee machines a MUST HAVE in for Q1 2019! Available January 2019. Available Nationwide for a fraction of the cost of a new Packs: 1.9 oz SNG / $1.29, 3.7 oz SHR PK / $1.99, 3.5 oz Bites CONC / machine. $1.99, and 8 oz Bites SUB / $4.79. • Give customers the ability to customize VendingMarketWatch.com/12432808 drinks the way they like. • Increase your margins by increasing price and quality. • Intuitive route driver screen to ensure proper maintenance. Hillshire Farm With a new Café CURVE door with back- Individually Wrapped lit touchscreen, provide customers a large variety of customizable drinks and Sausage Rolls cup sizes. Control recipes to ensure the TYSON FOODS best, most consistent drinks. Add selec- With over 90 percent consumer aware- tion with an assortment of cup sizes, ness, Hillshire Farm is a brand your and upcharge for additional flavors or consumers know and trust. Provide condiments. Easy consumer ordering, them with the individually wrapped and intuitive service screen on a mod- Hillshire Farm Sausage Rolls. These ern, backlit 21.5-inch Touchscreen. are available in 3 bold flavors wrapped • Easy placement and ADA compliant. in premium breads and individu- ally wrapped for easy merchandising • Land lucrative government, education, for hot or cold sale. This handheld, warehouse, and healthcare locations. protein-packed snack or meal comes Also an ideal coffee machine solution in branded film designed for micro- for Micro Markets. wave or oven heating. VendingMarketWatch.com/12433181 VendingMarketWatch.com/12431253

28 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 PRODUCT ROUNDUP

La Colombe Draft Latte Inventure Foods TGI LA COLOMBE COFFEE ROASTERS® Fridays Sriracha Ranch La Colombe Draft Latte is a first-of-its-kind, ready-to- Potato Skins drink (RTD) coffee beverage that delivers the full taste and INVENTURE FOODS, INC. texture of a true cold latte, complete with a frothy layer of silky foam. Draft Latte is made with real ingredients like nu- Inventure Foods expands trient-rich and lactose-free milk and cold-pressed espresso the TGI Fridays® snack in a 9-ounce can. It’s naturally sweet with no sugar added. line with Sriracha Ranch Potato Skins. Featuring VendingMarketWatch.com/12431244 the wildly popular flavor, Sriracha, with cool ranch, this snack is sure to be a fan favorite. Each spicy Van Wyk Confections Sweet bite makes these snacks & Salty Pretzel TWISTS make even harder to put down. The Potato VAN WYK CONFECTIONS Skins will be available in Van Wyk Confections has announced the nation- 3-ounce bags with a sug- wide launch of the Sweet & Salty Pretzel TWISTS™ gested retail price of $1.99 per package. Straight Pack. A perfect item for Vending and Micro Sriracha Ranch Potato Skins joins the Markets. Crunchy, salty Bavarian pretzels dipped in premium milk choco- existing line of Potato Skins that includes late and covered in crunchy toffee. The 1.41 oz. TWIST is available in a straight favorites such as Cheddar & Bacon, Bacon pack of 4/20 count cases. It’s suggested retail value is from $1.29 to $1.79. Ranch and Sour Cream & Onion. VendingMarketWatch.com/12434984 VendingMarketWatch.com/12435809

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 29 PRODUCT ROUNDUP

Ferrero Tic Tac Gum Cool Tropical FERRERO U.S.A., INC. Ferrero introduces a new Cool Tropical Tic Tac Gum flavor. Cool Tropical shows impressive test results with 71 percent purchase intent accord- ing to TURF Aug 2017, CPT Research Jan 2018, Flavor Zone Refresh Feb 2018. Cool Tropical, compared to tested flavors also is over indexing with Millennials. Tropical is the fastest growing flavor zone, reports IRI National Consumer Panel, Total US, 52 w.e. 12.31.17 and is ranked second for flavor in the fruity gum segment, according to Crane’s simplifi software IRI MULO+C, 52 w.e. 03.11.18. CRANE MERCHANDISING VendingMarketWatch.com/12434350 SYSTEMS Crane Merchandising Systems offers simplifi, its next generation Cloud platform for enterprise and connectivity software designed for operators to man- Silk Plant-Based age their business on the go. simplifi is developed as a native Cloud platform Creamer Singles with solutions delivered as Software as a DANONE NORTH AMERICA Service (SaaS), eliminating the need for upfront investment in servers, licens- Danone North America has launched Silk® ing, and IT staff. The mobile-friendly Dairy-Free Vanilla Creamer Singles, the first- platform allows users to access their ever plant-based coffee creamer in a single- data and perform key actions from any serving format. The New Silk Dairy-Free device, anywhere. The simplifi platform Creamer Singles are Non-GMO Project Veri- includes a consolidated and redesigned fied, Vegan Certified, Kosher, Gluten-Free, mobile application that allows field Soy-Free, Carrageenan-Free, Cholesterol-Free personnel to perform critical route and and contain no artificial colors or flavors. The creamer service tasks efficiently and accurately. singles have a slightly nutty, smooth vanilla flavor and are With this app, available for Apple and available in 9mL cups in a 192 count display box. Android as well as tablets and mobile VendingMarketWatch.com/12429866 devices, operators and users have ulti- mate flexibility and can get up and run- ning quickly. simplifi MOBILE also works with Streamware’s VendMAX program, and includes newly added support for Wandering Bear Multi-serve Cold Brew Office Coffee/Delivery Services. Crane Cashless customers will see a Boxes For OCS change to the on-line portal previously WANDERING BEAR known as Streamware Connect into sim- New York-based Wandering Bear is an plifi CONNECT. Users will immediately organic, Fair Trade certified cold brew benefit from the new design of the por- iced coffee, with no preservatives or tal through the free simplifi CONNECT sugar. The ready-to-drink brew is bold, service. For those customers looking to yet uniquely smooth with a bright, add remote management capabilities to chocolatey finish. Wandering Bear is their devices and screens, a new value available for OCS in multi-serve “on add service will be launched called tap” sizes, that can be purchased in- simplifi CONNECT PLUS. store, online or as a recurring subscrip- VendingMarketWatch.com/12435750 tion for home or office delivery. Pricing is 36 oz. (6 serving) for $11.99 or 96 oz. (16 serving) for $27.99. VendingMarketWatch.com/12434417

30 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 It’s Time To Shine!

Categories include: Salted Snack • Healthy FitPick Select • Cold Beverage Equipment • Cookie & Pastry • Candy • Food • Technology • OCS Products

Product entry deadline:

If you launched a NEW vending, OCS or micro market product in 2018 and would like to enter your product(s), please send a product photo accompanied by the launch month/year and a 100-word description to [email protected] no later than January 15, 2019.

Please note that all products considered for the award MUST be launched in 2018. COFFEETEA&WATER SHOW New Orleans Hosts Industry’s Biggest Coffee, Tea And Water Show

on’t underestimate coffee ser- vice. That was the message from New Orleans during the D2018 CTW. This year NAMA again co-hosted the event with the Inter- national Bottled Water Association, bringing more than 800 attendees to the Hyatt Regency New Orleans from Nov. 12 to 14. It was three days of fact-packed education, industry net- working and a tabletop trade show. It buzzed with excitement as operators tasted and learned about coffee and tea options that can enhance their business. Bean-to-cup stole the show, Danone North America was spotlighting its award-winning Silk dairy-free vanilla creamer but cold brew was a close second. The and popular Stok cold brew. big talk was about trends, from tea to non-traditional flavors and foods that will be in high demand by younger consumers at work.

Cold brew coffee was a big trend at CTW from single-cup pods, such as the Java House® Authentic Cold Brew meant to be used in a Keurig® brewer, to ready-to- drink varieties from relative new comer Wandering Bear.

32 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 COFFEETEA&WATER SHOW

NAMA CEO Carla Balakgie welcomed more than 800 attendees to CTW in New Orleans.

CTW 2018 was a record breaker in terms of number of exhibitors and attracted more than 800 attendees being co-located with the International Bottled Water Association conference.

NAMA

Kraft Heinz brought some new snacks for attendees to munch while sipping coffee and tea, including P3 Portable Protein Packs and new Planters Crunchers coated peanuts.

Vistar had some new faces in the industry including Stag coffee and Waterloo sparkling water.

Klarc Snowden, entrepreneur; coffee service innovator, director of national accounts & strategic partnerships at De Jong DUKE NAMA elevated the new said “There are five strategic elements of a product area by allowing attendees to vote for successful bean-to-cup venture: Technical proficiency, products they were financial creativity, bold pricing, differentiation, and excited about. passion.’’ He went into detail about how he used these Boylan Beverages nitro cold five strategies to build his successful bean-to-cup brew Oatmeal Latte was among the New product program and how others could as well. award winners at CTW.

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 33 OPERATION PROFILE

Idaho-based Oasis Northwest was started by a one-time route driver who saw the potential of what micro markets could offer the industry and his community.

By Emily Refermat, Editor BETTER SERVING T

aron Lawton fell in love with vend- route driver as a side job that allowed Aing 16 years ago. It lets him be part him evenings that he could dedicate of the life blood of the community to property management. It wasn’t as he visits businesses throughout his long before two things became clear. service area in Boise, ID. When he “I found out I hated the residen- saw a micro market for the first time, tial rental business,” Lawton said. he saw a way to answer all “But I loved being a route driver.” the requests consumers had The ability to go into his com- with vending. He jumped munity and interact with people at all in, including pushing various jobs drew him in. “I love the micro market model visiting different businesses,” he further in 2018 with a said, “going from a hospital to a hybrid cafe/micro market blue-collar break room to a lawyer’s Aaron Lawton concept. office in one day. What other job lets you do that?” A career through serendipity Lawton sold off his properties Lawton came to the vending indus- and turned his attention to mak- try by accident. He had purchased a ing a career in vending. few residential rental properties with “I went to the plans to expand. He applied to be a

34 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 OPERATION PROFILE

G THE COMMUNITY

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 35 OPERATION PROFILE

management of the vending division I was a driver for and said I wanted to lead the division. I wanted to sell vending and expand the operation,” Lawton said. Over the next 12 years, Lawton grew the vending division of the foodservice company from one route to more than five. It became so suc- cessful that the foodservice company would later be able to sell it to Can- teen. After more than a decade at the company, Lawton wanted to expand into a new, emerging technology that he had seen firsthand at a mentor’s Salt Lake City, UT operation — micro markets. However, his company then declined several large vending con- tracts, and opted not to invest in the micro market concept. “Vending made up only 1 per- cent of the revenue for this foodser- vice company,” explained Lawton. “Our small division wasn’t their primary focus.” Lawton believed in the micro mar- ket concept so strongly that he decided to leave his position and go out on his own. He told the foodservice company and even offered to buy their entire vending division, although the sale didn’t come to fruition.

Launching a new business Lawton founded Oasis Northwest in December of 2013. “I built the busi- ness with micro markets as the pri- mary focus,” he said. He jumped into the solution immediately, deciding on a provider he had researched while working for the foodservice company. It had a reasonable cost of entry and wasn’t competing with independents the way some other suppliers were. He added micro markets quickly under the new system and it was exactly what his area needed. He was adding a market every pliers with a good idea of what he Customers can checkout with the Baristas or at the self-checkout kiosk. few weeks with eight by 2014 when now needed in a micro market sys- his company experienced some tem that would grow with his com- locations to Three Square, so all 22 growing pains. Lawton educated pany. He invested in Three Square of his micro markets would be on himself on some of the other sup- Market, eventually converting older the same system.

36 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 OPERATION PROFILE

‘‘ They were building a medical school and the company we partnered with to create our micro market food suggested the potential of a hybrid instead of just a market.’’ Aaron Lawton, founder of Oasis Northwest

Three Square prekitting is organized, Regular service and fresh food including each item being alphabeti- Lawton creates the service sched- cal within a category. ule for his micro markets based on “Some software exports with how much fresh food goes to each. a random flow to how orders are Because the food is made locally it printed. With Three Square, it’s has a shorter shelf life and needs to alphabetical, so for example, ‘Almond be refreshed more often. “Our average Joy’ is first in the list,” he said. This micro market’s minimum service is helps Lawton set up his warehouse twice a week,” said Lawton. “How- space efficiently. He prekits the micro ever, many of the micro markets get market orders with assistance from serviced up to 6 times a week.” Con- his other two employees, Art Gon- tributing factors that can affect the zalez, a full-time driver and techni- level of service for Lawton include cian who followed Lawton from the the number of employees at the loca- foodservice company, and one full- tion and the hours employees work. time person who splits time between “A 24-hour warehouse or call center The micro market hybrid has an open-air deliveries and warehouse work. usually needs more than an 8 to 5 cooler and is staffed for 8 hours each day. Lawton also appreciates how location might,” said Lawton. Three Square makes bookkeeping He has also tried non-food loca- easier with online access. He can tions as a way to meet the demands perform tasks such as inventory of smaller locations (those fewer Operation Profile: adjustments from home. “It’s nice than 100 employees); however, it Oasis Northwest to see the people I care about even if hasn’t been a tremendous success yet. I’m behind a laptop,” Lawton joked “Eventually I think we and the indus- Founder: Aaron Lawton about the flexibility the online sys- try will get there,” Lawton said. He tem gives him. believes that market saturation will Location: Boise, ID From an end-user standpoint, make it necessary or operators will Year founded: 2013 Three Square offers consumers recycle down, as many operators did No. of micro markets: 22 chip-enabled card payments and with vending machines, putting older No. of employees: 3 acceptance of Google and Apple Pay. micro market displays in smaller loca- Three Square also offers Lawton all tions during upgrades and renova- Micro market supplier: Three Square Market the displays, coolers and accessories tions to larger ones. for the micro market, not just the Lawton does offer some vend- kiosk and back-end software. “We ing machines in public venues and have so far used our point-of-sale smaller accounts. He also provides “Operationally, Three Square operator [Three Square] for every- coffee services to 25 locations, mostly works better for the way we operate,” thing,” Lawton said. It’s easier. We drip brewers, but he has a few bean- Lawton explained. He has the ware- can go to the lending company and to-cup machines placed in micro house set up in accordance with how ask for just one check.” markets. “We have several Cafection

December 2018 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 37 OPERATION PROFILE

machines in markets,” said Lawton. “They make a great cup of coffee.” The most recent have a receipt printer the customer can carry over to the kiosk and scan. If it’s an older model, Lawton does a coffee day where he can educate customers on using the touchscreen to search for the coffee type and size, plus hand out samples of free coffee, boosting interest in the market machine.

One driver, multiple services No matter what type of service is provided to a location Lawton wants there to be only one point of contact. Water, coffee, vending, micro mar- ket — it’s all on one vehicle. “I’ve always felt it was important to have one driver per account — they are a representative of the company,” said Lawton. He knows there are differ- ent philosophies regarding service, but he believes if a customer has a single point of contact than they become part of the culture. “The company trusts them, relies on the driver to provide service to them,” Oasis Northwest stocks its markets with fresh food made locally. Lawton explained.

Realizing the hybrid concept Lawton knew micro markets were ‘‘ I’ve always felt it was important to going to be the future of vending, but he wasn’t about to stop there. As an have one driver per account – they are employee of a foodservice company for years he saw terrific food being a representative of the company.’’ provided to employees at worksites. Aaron Lawton, founder of Oasis Northwest He had tried to incorporate this into vending machines, but it never worked. “The perception was — it’s just vending,” said Lawton. “No mat- ter what we did it never worked.” Combatting Theft Micro markets helped but they still don’t offer some of the advantages of Like all micro market operators, Aaron Lawton, founder of Oasis Northwest, has to deal with theft. While each location is different, his average shrink- an onsite foodservice facility. Then age rate hovers at 2 percent. The best locations have management who opportunity came knocking. stress to employees how much they stand to lose by stealing. “They will tell “They were building a medical them ‘You will lose your job if you steal a Snickers bar,’“ Lawton said. “It’s school and the company we partnered really about building a culture that appreciates the market and therefore with to create our micro market food stays honest.” Lawton has had the clients hang signs about the micro mar- suggested the potential of a hybrid ket being a privilege. If theft is too high, they will go back to vending. That instead of just a market.” stops the increase in shrinkage.

38 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com December 2018 OPERATION PROFILE

Lawton saw its success at once. Market service schedules are adjusted This large facility would have lots of based on the amount of fresh food. people, staff and employees, onsite all day, looking for convenient food ness, it’s time to address some physical items. It could also be partially staffed growing pains. in order to draw customers into the “We are at capacity,” said Lawton. space. The hybrid was born. “We are bursting at the seams in our The hybrid location features warehouse so are looking to move to an open-air cooler that highlights a 3,000-square-foot facility,” he said. the locally made food. However, Oasis Northwest is also at capacity it is staffed for 8 hours a day by a for its food truck. “We are at the limit barista. She has a cash drawer tied and looking at what’s next,” Lawton to the micro market kiosk. “If they said. He is considering a vehicle with want, they can check out with her, refrigerated compartments rather than their food and latte, all with their a fully refrigerated truck as it better market account,” said Lawton. “Or “The pilot has been so good that we suits his one driver for all services it’s possible to skip the line and use are analyzing the numbers to see model. Lawton continues to love the the self-checkout instead.” where else we can place one,” Law- industry and is excited about what At the end of the day, the barista ton added. micro markets bring to the table. He shuts down the espresso side and the plans to continue serving his business cash drawer. It then operates like a Poised for growth partners, bringing a great attitude to traditional micro market allowing Now that Lawton has a micro market work each day and exciting solutions to access to nourishment at all hours. system that can grow with his busi- the break room for Boise residents.

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