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Food at Work Part 3: Moving Away From Vending to a Fresh Micro Market

Adapting to Food at Work Challenges Created by COVID-19

PART 3 OF A SERIES
MOVING AWAY FROM VENDING TO A FRESH MICRO MARKET

Vending machines are not an uncommon sight in breakrooms or public spaces throughout the country. But since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been questions about the safety of using a vending machine.


That’s because to use a vending machine, every person has to touch the same set of buttons to make a selection, and also must reach into the same dispensing bin to retrieve their products.


Vending machines have also traditionally been a source of snacks and beverages, but rarely can be relied upon for fresh, healthy meal options. That means vending machines are more of a supplemental offering as opposed to a full refreshment solution. Employees who only have access to a vending machine are more likely to leave the workplace to get a meal. As the country struggles to get ahold of the pandemic, that type of ‘turnstile’ behavior for employees is not an ideal situation for any workplace. The more people coming and going, and the more places visited by those people, the greater the chance of the virus making its way back to your facility.


Avanti micro markets and Smart N Go markets can help provide a solution for both private workplace breakrooms and more public areas.


An Avanti micro market offers complete meal and snack options so employees do not need to leave the office for lunch and breaks. Instead they can stay on site and still have access to fresh and healthy meal and snack selections.

This increased variety in products can fit in the same space typically used by a bank of vending machines. And with a self-checkout kiosk that offers multiple contactless payment options, the safety benefits can go a long way in maintaining employee health and well-being.

Smart N Go

\With increased motivation to keep employees on site during the workday, a micro market from Avanti Markets will help employers maintain employee morale with a refreshed breakroom and more of what employees typically want during the workday. Products in your micro market will be customized by your local operator to meet the demands of its users.

Market operators also offer stored value accounts, so employees can create an account from the mobile app and manage it completely online or through the app. This further reduces any need to interact with the kiosk when making a purchase.

A Smart N Go market also offers more variety than vending machines can, with both refrigerated and non-refrigerated sections. These unattended markets are designed for public spaces, with all products displayed in locked-door modules. Once payment is pre-authorized, a user can simply open the door and take what they want and walk away. The market will know what products have been removed and charge the payment method accordingly. This results in limited touchpoints while still offering healthy and fresh meal options.


The network of Avanti operators offering micro markets and Smart N Go markets spans nationwide. These options are within reach for your breakroom or facility and can provide more peace of mind for both employers and employees alike.

Workplace Micro Markets vs. Restaurant Take Out and Delivery

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The effects and reality of COVID-19 changed the workplace for now and into the foreseeable future. One of the biggest concerns for employers is how to keep employees safer while at work, including reducing the need for workers to come and go during the course of their workday.

Avanti Markets Introduces New Kiosk Option

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Should We Keep Our Micro Market with Fewer Employees at Work?

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Whether you have had employees on furlough or working from home, chances are that your workplace turned into a bit of a ghost town when COVID-19 rules forced your operation to adapt. You may still have only a fraction of the number of employees coming to your physical location to work right now.

Why You Should Open a Micro Market Business Right Now

September 29, 2023
Even before COVID-19 changed the restaurant and retail landscape in 2020, micro markets were growing at a nearly unprecedented rate due to: increasing consumer demand micro market operator earning potential versatility of micro market options underserved markets which represent opportunity for entrepreneurs ever-evolving micro market technology and capabilities Micro market revenues grew nearly $1B between 2016-2019, climbing to a record high $26B in revenues in only two years. We believe there has never been a more exciting time to become a micro market operator , and here are five reasons why, including the benefits of partnering with Avanti Markets on your micro market business. 5 Reasons to Open an Avanti Micro Market Business Right Now 1. Consumer Demand and Preferences The growth of micro markets is not just about the consumer’s demand for food and beverages. Micro markets answer consumer preferences in many areas, especially now in the aftermath of COVID-19 and its impacts to food service. Micro markets answer the consumer’s growing demand for convenience, self-service, and touchless payments, especially among younger consumers (and a younger workforce). Micro market technology enables unattended retail as a food service solution that can be placed in nearly any setting, such as: Office buildings, lobbies, and corporate campuses Colleges, universities, high schools, and other educational institutions Hospitals, medical buildings, medical office parks, etc. Airports, train stations, bus stations, and other commuter facilities Hotels and motels Adjacent to (or in place of) traditional cafeterias Resorts, arenas, stadiums, convention centers, entertainment venues Neighborhood convenience retail locations Automobile service and sales facilities Today’s COVID-19 era consumer also demands food safety and security. Micro markets offer safer, smarter vending solutions where foods and beverages are safely stored, minimally handled, and where inventory can be managed in real time to avoid shortages and respond to demand. The size and type of items which could be dispensed by traditional vending machines limited their ability to satisfy the needs of consumers who are increasingly aware of the benefits of eating healthy. Micro markets and intelligent vending solutions are not constrained in the same way, and so they are able to deliver access to the healthy, fresh foods that consumers want from food service solutions in retail and employment settings. 
What is a micro market?

What is a Micro Market?

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Micro markets are popping up through the country and transforming traditional breakrooms with food and beverage options through choice and versatility combined with a perfect blend of technology for ease and functionality.

Food at Work Part 4: Contactless Options For the Workplace - Office Coffee Included

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PART 4 OF A SERIES CONTACTLESS OPTIONS FOR THE WORKPLACE - OFFICE COFFEE INCLUDED Contactless shopping is a term we are all hearing a lot lately. It’s one of the strategies being enacted to keep people safe given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But what could that mean for the workplace breakroom? The good news is that companies do have options to help keep their employees safe with contactless options while maintaining office perks such as coffee service or breakroom food options. With the new normal of minimized shared contact points in our everyday lives, the office coffee pot has come under scrutiny. Self-serve pours from the same containers used by virtually all employees no longer feels safe. To combat this, fully contactless coffee solutions are being introduced to the office coffee service landscape. Many convenience service operators are offering coffee programs that limit shared touchpoints to align with consumer expectations. One such example is a bean-to-cup brewer with a software add-on that allows for contactless beverage selection. Users can scan the 2D code on their smartphone and be taken to a mobile interface to make their drink selections. Once selection is completed, the coffee machine will dispense the coffee or hot beverage to the user’s specifications. Companies can use this system to continue to offer free coffee for employees. Or, if they want employees to pay or want to subsidize the cost, the payment can be completed through an associated micro market kiosk. The benefit of a bean-to-cup brewer is that employees can get a fresh, customized cup of coffee at a fraction of the cost of going to the local coffee shop. Not to mention, this way, employees are staying on site to get their coffee instead of traveling to an outside establishment. These are important benefits related to morale and safety of workers. As mentioned, a contactless coffee system can be used in conjunction with a micro market kiosk. An Avanti micro market in your breakroom is another contactless perk not to be overlooked for your facility. Fresh food micro markets offer a variety of fresh, healthy, and in-demand food and beverage items that are likely to keep employees on site for lunch instead of going out to pick up food from a different location.
Hospital Food Vending Options

Micro Markets on the Grow at Hospitals, Clinics, and Medical Buildings

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Micro markets are on the grow nationwide. The revenues generated by micro markets increased 99 percent between 2016 and 2018, representing more than $2B in annual sales. While they initially found success in manufacturing businesses and office buildings, micro markets and smart vending solutions have the potential to grow exponentially in other industries as well.

How can hospitals provide self-service healthy food options onsite 24/7?

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Smart N Go Markets give hospitals and medical facilities a reliable and secure food service solution that is available 24/7. Smart N Go markets are a revolutionary self-service food service alternative that is ideally suited to better serve the needs of hospitals and medical facilities beyond open cafeteria or traditional snack vending. Available at little or no cost to your facility, Smart N Go intelligent vending allows a variety of fresh food, beverages, snacks, coffee and more to be ready to grab 24/7 behind secured glass doors. 

Avanti Markets Announces 2020 Operator Awards

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7 Benefits of Micro Markets in Light of COVID-19

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7 Benefits of Micro Markets in Light of COVID-19 Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, micro markets were an emerging trend. These unattended retail establishments began cropping up in offices and apartment building lobbies since 2010 and are especially popular with Millennials and Generation Z. During the pandemic micro markets have evolved from fun novelty conveniences into essential businesses that provide key benefits to the general public and businesses, including the healthcare industry. Here are seven benefits micro markets offer during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: 1. No-contact, touch-free transactions 2. Safety and security 3. Provide safe and healthy food options 4. Entice employees back to the office 5. Not affected by labor shortages 6. Versatility and convenience 7. Opportunities to serve underserved markets 1. No-contact, Touch-free Transactions Micro markets are unattended retail spaces and even prior to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, they provided customers with a contactless way to purchase healthy food and beverages. Furthermore, micro markets provide added safety in that they offer consumers touchless payment options that can include things like subscription options and payments via an app they can easily download to their smartphone. 2. Safety and Security Micro markets provide the COVID-19 era customer with the added security and food safety they demand. Even fresh produce can be pre-packaged, providing consumers with the added confidence that a piece of fruit, such as an orange or an apple, hasn’t been handled by other people. And for added security, sneeze guards and other plexiglass display options can be installed as well. Additionally, the food and drinks at micro markets have always been safely stored and offered in an easy to access self-service environment where it’s easy for customers to stay socially distanced from each other for added peace of mind. 3. Provide safe and healthy food options According to a recent survey of nearly 1,500 adults, 56 percent of the respondents admitted they found it challenging to eat healthy, in spite of 89 percent also saying that nutrition is important to them. And because micro markets aren’t vending machines but mini one-stop shops, they can provide your customers or employees with healthy snack options in conveniently wrapped and sealed packaging. Furthermore, larger items like sandwiches, salads and fresh produce aren’t a size issue like they are for vending machines that are more limited to less healthy options such as candy or chips. 
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