Food and Beverage Vending Supplies Key Terms

Learn some terms associated with food and beverage supplies in the vending industry

Food and beverage vending machines are a large part of our culture. Whether they are located in malls, parking garages, airports or wherever, consumers can't stop helping themselves to a quick snack or refreshing beverage. If you're think of operating a food or beverage vending machine you should become familiar with some of the terms associated with operating and supplying the machine. Following is a quick glance at some key terms.

 

Freeze-dried coffee

Freeze-dried coffee is "instant coffee," and is prepared by the extraction of all liquid from ground roasted coffee beans. Hot water, a crucial supply to have in the machine, is added and the result is a hot cup of coffee.
Try: Visit OnCoffeeMakers, where it says it's possible to get a good cup of coffee from a vending machine.

Generic refill schedule

Many vending machine suppliers use what they term as generic refill schedules. The seasons of the year will affect what food and beverages will be consumed, so this needs to be carefully monitored.
Try: See Vending Solutions, a company that caters to each business to schedule the refills.

Office coffee service

Office coffee service, or OCS as it's sometimes called for short, refers to a vending machine and the related supplies for an automatic coffee maker. These machines are usually rented out, and some have pay mechanisms installed while others do not.
Try: Visit  Coffee Tico Services. There is an explanation of several of the "OCS" machines that are available for lease and the related supplies that go along with them. The Heritage Coffee Company is another great resource with similar information.

Bulk vending

Bulk vending refers to vending machine supplies that are unwrapped and unsorted. Examples would be gum balls, confections or novelty toys.
Try: Visit  National Bulk Vending Association for a description of bulk vending, as well as industry news, events and the latest technology.

Snack foods for vending

Snack foods in vending machines do not have to be junk food. Everything from energy bars to dried fruit is now available for supply to customers.
Try: The Vending Connection has information about the various healthy snacks available for vending machines. Also see healthysnackstore.com for more information.

Plan-o-gram

Plan-o-grams refer to a plan given by the vending company to the business owner who will put the machine in their store or location. The plan-o-gram outlines the best possible places to put each item being sold based on target focused sales date. For instance, gummy worms may be placed lower at a child's eye-line, while a healthier trail mix is in the eye-line of the adult.
Try: Visit All Business.com for an in-depth discussion on how plan-o-grams are being used in conjunction with the vending industry.

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