Avanti Markets Blog

Are micro markets a good option for food at work during COVID-19 times?

Avanti Markets featured at the Self Service Innovation Summit

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 18:44:12 GMT

Avanti Markets at the Self-Service Innovation Summit

Avanti Markets, a leader in unattended retail technologies, is set to participate in the first ever Self-Service Innovation Summit next month.

As a pioneer of the self-service micro market and kiosk in the workplace, Avanti Markets is well positioned as a leader and trailblazer in the unattended convenience services industry and is happy to lend its support to this important industry gathering as a sponsor of the event.

Avanti Markets’ innovation continues today beyond the micro market and the breakroom, having recently added Smart N Go intelligent vending markets to its portfolio as well as walk-in, walk-out markets under the brand Express by Avanti Markets. The company’s product evolutions in the industry are set to continue with new product announcements in Q1 of 2021.

Lawrence Lerner, head of product for Avanti Markets, will participate in a panel entitled ‘ State-of-the-Art Touchless Options for Kiosks and Vending’ . Avanti is well positioned in meeting the needs for touchless transaction options , which have become even more sought after during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lerner is a digital payment pioneer and an expert in technology advancements used to scale business. He has worked across retail sectors, driving innovations to Costco, HEB, Walmart, Safeway Stores and many others.

Hundreds of refreshment services operators rely on Avanti Markets to provide the hardware and backend systems to run their businesses both seamlessly and efficiently. The company continues to bring innovation to unattended retail with best-in-class technologies and world class support and is a trusted partner in unattended retail and self-service technologies.

Learn More Today:

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

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:54:52 GMT

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.

\ 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.

Food at Work Part 2: The Shift From Office Pantries to Fresh Food Micro Markets

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:51:26 GMT

Adapting to Food at Work Challenges Created by COVID-19

PART 2 OF A SERIES

THE SHIFT FROM OFFICE PANTIRES TO FRESH FOOD MICRO MARKETS

Not so long ago, an HR professional touring their facility with prospective employees might point to an open bank of food dispensers with pride. “We provide our employees with unlimited snacks and refreshments throughout their workday,” would be the sentiment, no doubt thinking of their office pantry as a recruiting tool to bring in and retain the best talent.

However, since the COVID-19 pandemic hit , that display of open, shared food bins would be more likely to bring about feelings of fear and anxiety from employees rather than pride and appreciation.

Most pantry service setups involve shared dispending bins for bulk snacks, and shared refrigerators for things like yogurts, cheeses and beverages. An open setup with lots of room to interact and mingle while enjoying a break and connecting face-to-face with colleagues.

By its nature, a pantry service is designed to promote interaction. Everyone touches the same snacks, handling products searching for what they might like for their morning pick-me-up or to combat the afternoon slump.

A situation like this can no longer exist while we continue to fight a pandemic. Shared food options are no longer a perk at work, but instead a source of concern.

That’s why an Avanti Micro Market makes more sense than ever.

Employers can offer a huge variety of food and beverage options, while also greatly limiting the number of shared touchpoints . A micro market customer can easily make a contactless purchase meaning they can enter the market, select their products, and pay without touching any equipment by using the mobile app, debit/credit cards (swipe, insert or tap), or a mobile wallet. Stored value accounts can also be managed through the app or online, so there is no need to worry about reloads at the kiosk.

In addition to the added safety, many companies are finding that the increase in variety and freshness from their pantry setups is adding more benefits to their employees than a limited-item pantry service ever could. With more fresh and healthy options and more choices, employee satisfaction is positively impacted.

While some employers may think they are giving up a free perk to their employees by eliminating pantry service in favor of a micro market, that does not have to be the case. Avanti micro markets offer the option to provide a meal allowance on a daily or weekly basis, distribute one-time use coupons, or even work with their market operator to subsidize costs for employees. This actually offers more control to employees on how their food benefit is used. They can choose what they want to eat from the large variety found in the market instead of being limited to what is offered in the office pantry.

There is generally no cost to install a micro market, and Avanti can connect you with the right operator in your area to assess your needs and plan for the right setup. Companies can give up the headaches of managing a food program and let their local Avanti operator take care of the equipment installation, product stocking and account management. All you need to provide is the space for your new market, power and internet access.

Avanti Markets can help you make the switch from pantry service to a micro market to help meet the changing needs of food service at work.

In the News: Vending Times, Automatic Merchandiser & Vending Market Watch

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:50:19 GMT

Articles released regarding our brand new look on our site and our Operator focused help desk.

Everyone needs a reset button for 2020. Here at Avanti Markets Inc, when COVID decided to unfold, we decided to take a number of strategic moves to create a whole new experience for our operators and end users. Not only have we made planograms easier than ever, we have 100% re-vamped our brand and the way will be seen by the public eye.

Avanti operators now have fast track access to technical support plus a library of resources at their fingertips, thanks to the new Avanti Help Center. This 24/7 online resource gives operators collections of training resources ranging from technical documentation to videos educating on AMS (Avanti Management System), plus sales and marketing resources to help operators grow their business." - VendingMarketWatch.com

Food at Work Part 1: Three Ways Companies are Adapting Onsite Foodservice During COVID Times

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 22:04:44 GMT

Adapting to Food at Work Challenges Created by COVID-19

PART 1 OF A SERIES

FOOD @ WORK: HOW COMPANIES ARE ADAPTING EMPLOYEE FOOD SERVICE DURING COVID TIMES

If you found yourself on your heels re-imagining the workplace after COVID-19 hit, you are not alone. From businesses forced to close temporarily, to workforces now working from home, to workforces growing exponentially, many businesses are facing changes in the wake of the pandemic.

As a company that focuses on innovating food at work and unattended retail solutions, Avanti Markets works with hundreds of micro market operators who serve thousands of companies across the United States. Because of this, we have a unique window to view how companies are adjusting their corporate food service options during Coronavirus times.

This post is the first in a series that will share the top three trends we see companies doing to adapt food programs to meet today’s challenges of keeping their onsite employees safe at work, happy and fed.

THREE TRENDS WE'LL EXAMINE IN THIS SERIES:

1. The shift from office pantries to a fresh food micro market

2. Moving away from vending and into fresher options with more variety

3. Contactless options for the workplace, including coffee service

To start this series, it is important to realize everyone across the US has been impacted in some way by this pandemic.

With waves of uncertainty ongoing for most of 2020, some offices still have limited workforces in attendance while a large array of companies have the majority of employees working from home. Some major employers have already announced work from home until Fall of 2021.

Alternatively, other businesses are operating at or above pre-pandemic levels in order to meet demand including: manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, food processing plants, grocery and essential retailers, healthcare hospital facilities, and those who manage the infrastructure that keeps our society functioning.

For employers who do have staff onsite now, as well as those planning to bring their employees back soon, measures around health and safety are high priorities. This is where the importance of adapting food options at work comes in.

The way people eat at work and company breakrooms will continue to evolve as companies remain committed to the health and safety of employees. Open cafeterias and crowded breakrooms are no longer an ideal situation, and neither is seeing employees leave the workplace during breaks to visit public locations in order to get food. The more environments and people an employee comes into contact with, the greater the chance for virus exposure brought into the work environment.

Keeping employees safely on site from the time they arrive at work until the time their shift ends is now a preferred situation for employers to ensure peace of mind by limiting potential virus exposure in the company. Many companies are more motivated now to adequately provide a variety and quality of food and beverages employees in safely packaged containers in a way staff could quickly grab and go.

In the rest of our blog series, we will examine the the three trends listed above in greater detail. In the meantime, if you are looking for creative company foodservice solutions that include safe packaged foods and contactless transactions? Learn more about micro markets as a company breakroom and let us know if you have any questions.

About us

Avanti Markets, a leader in unattended retail solutions, invented the micro market breakroom that has transformed many dull company breakrooms into into fresh food markets. Our self-checkout kiosk micro markets provide safe, healthy packaged foods with contactless transaction options to keep employees happy, healthy, and engaged. Adding a micro market is free for most companies, all you need is space, electricity and an internet connection - our market operators take care of the rest and build a program for your needs.

Avanti Markets works with a national network of operators to bring food service options to the workplace. We have provided guidance to our network on how to maintain safe practices with their operations, and our operators also each have their own set of guidelines and protocols to ensure they are meeting the needs of their customers in the safest possible manner.

The Mid-Day Slump and Boosting Brainpower With Food

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 18:25:41 GMT

Food and Brainpower align?

Anyone who has ever consumed a cup of coffee understands how food and drink can directly affect the brain. Whether it be the buzz from your morning latte, or a sugar high after an afternoon candy bar, studies show that the food we consume has a series of interesting effects on our brain, both in the long and short term.

THE ‘WHY’ BEHIND THE MID-DAY SLUMP:

According to the Harvard Health Blog , there is an apparent chemical explanation for why food is so deeply related to mood. Serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter that controls everything from our sleep to appetite, mood and pain level, is almost completely produced in the gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin levels are also influenced by bacteria found in the GI tract. A healthy diet that is full of lean protein, unprocessed grains and fruits and vegetables has been shown to be the best way to support brain health through nutrition.

When the body is deprived of food for too long, its essential processes begin to shut down, and we become sluggish and unproductive. This is why many of us experience that mid-day slump that sends us to the candy machine for a pick me up. Unfortunately, by the time we start to feel the effects of food deprivation, it is likely that our brain has already been deprived of energy for too long. A quick fix of sugar will send glucose to the brain immediately, followed by a crash that can leave us feeling even worse.

FOOD BECOMES THE BOOST WE NEED FOR OUR BRAINS:

Eating healthy in the workplace isn't as easy as it sounds. Looming deadlines, hectic schedules and the lack of access to healthy foods are just a few of the barriers that employees face. When employers recognize the value of access to good nutrition, they start to realize that they can take action to directly affect the productivity and health of their employees in a fairly simple way.

Experts suggest that the best way to keep productivity at its peak is by preventing blood sugar from dropping by grazing on healthy snacks throughout the day. When employers give their employees access to brainpower boosting foods, such as nuts, fresh vegetables and fruits, healthy grains and proteins, employees are more productive, happier and more willing to get things done.

A VERSATILE SOLUTION FOR BOOSTING BRAINPOWER WITH FOOD:

One option to help provide options to power the brain throughout the day is to provide a micro market, a grab and go station with fresh food options and healthy beverage items conveniently located within your corporate breakroom. With a micro market just steps away from their desks, employees have the ability to access a variety of food items to help power their brains or alleviate the mid-day slump, whenever they want.

Customer Success: Fostering a Top-Down, Company-wide Approach

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 16:34:26 GMT

Create a happier, healthier workplace.

All aspects of your business need to be focused on driving customer success, from the CEO to management to drivers to the warehouse. This is the first law of customer success and, in some ways, the most important for it to succeed in any organization.

Customer Success cannot be isolated within an organization. It is not at the bottom where everything rolls downhill from customers. Nor is it just for the C-Suite. It needs to permeate every role within your organization.

In fact, and very importantly, the responsibility of Customer Success should involve every employee throughout the organization to be thinking about retention and the long-term success of their customers. However, this responsibility requires your CEO and your leadership to be 100% committed to the cause. Customer Success involves shifting the orientation of your company from your product or your sales to your customer’s success.

Here are some thought starters to make sure you are keeping the focus on the customer when you think of roles within your organization:

Products – Which products will truly help your customers achieve their goals with your solutions? As an Operator, your goal is to make sure you provide the right solution for each of your customers individually. A traditional micro market might be the right play, but for some locations, you may have to dig a little deeper to find the right solution.
Sales – Which customers are a good fit for your solution? Spend the time to find customers that will be successful with the solutions you offer. Don’t try and fit a square peg in a round hole. Success isn’t just placing a market, but rather placing a new market with a customer that will result in benefit for both you and them.
Marketing – What messages authentically align with the success and value you deliver? Be honest about the solutions you offer and how they can help your customers. Authenticity should always trump flashy marketing that is just designed to make the sale.
Finance – What metrics reflect real success stories and value to your customers? Understand what matters to your customer and then dive into the metrics that will help support those goals.

Having the right customer success team in place to manage your customers is key, but more importantly, the total buy in from the top-down company-wide is the first step in creating a customer success company.

You’ll also want to know what drives your customers’ organization. Here are some questions your sales people should be finding out every time they visit a potential new customer.

What are your business goals?
What charities do you donate to?
What internal benefits do you give your employees?
Do you have employee events or functions?

You’ll gain insight on how you can better align with your customers’ goals and help drive your customers’ success. Presenting this alignment will also make you stand out from the competition and create a dedicated, loyal customer that will stay with you over time.

Once you have won the business, it’s time to invest in your customer. Provide best in class service, work with your customer to achieve their goals. Using some of the examples above, you might donate a portion of sales to their charities, help promote a wellness program or sponsor employee events. This type of commitment to knowing and understanding your customers takes input from all areas of your company. A true top-down, companywide focus can make all the difference.

Don't Get Left Behind... Does Your Market Kiosk Read Smart Phones?

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 19:19:19 GMT

If your kiosk scanner looks like this, you are missing out...

Upgrade Your Legacy Barcode Scanner to Read Mobile Phones- Limited Time Upgrade Offer

If your kiosk was installed prior to 2015, it probably has a linear barcode scanner. Only 2D imagers can read smart phone screens.

Why Upgrade?

Today kiosks with 2D imagers allow market users to:
• Register for an account using the mobile app
• Pay for purchases using the mobile app
If your market kiosk cannot read mobile phones, you are
missing out.

Stay-up-to-date

Avanti’s upcoming products and services will utilize 2D
codes, so ensure your markets are not left behind.

Upgrade kit includes

• 2D imager
• Mounting bracket
• Cable

2D imager assemblies are built to order. Please allow a six week lead-time.

Click HERE to Learn More!

*Offer ends 12/31/20

Customer Success: Don't Drift From Your Customers

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:55:08 GMT

Create a happier, healthier workplace

Your relationship with a new customer usually starts off with you both being aligned on goals , side-by-side on this new journey. However, over time, you will tend to drift apart. This can occur for a number of reasons, but almost all those reasons are centered around one thing- change. People and their roles can change, and so can business structures and leadership. That’s why aligning company to company is so important.

Thoughtful and proactive interaction is important to managing that change and ensuring the distance between you and your customer does not continue to grow. Otherwise, the value you provide could easily diminish, or at least be perceived to diminish.

The long-term success of your business is predicated on your ability to retain customers and prevent churn. When you think of churn, remember that it is not just the lost recurring revenue to consider, but also the loss of resources that were spent to acquire, onboard and maintain that customer, not to mention any extra effort put in to try and save that business relationship. It is critically important that customers stick around for as long as possible, and the way to make that happen is to be proactive in maintaining a successful business relationship. Remember that the definition of success will vary between customers, so you must be attuned with each of your customers’ definitions of success.

Too often, companies don’t catch on to a customer’s intention to cancel their service with you until it’s too late. Here are some signs to keep an eye on. If you see any of these it might be time to flag that account and pay attention to what’s going on and identify opportunities for you to right the ship before it’s too late.

Decrease in usage, inactivity after the start of service, or low rate of adoption

Guide your client through the implementation phase and also find creative ways to reinforce your value proposition (grand openings, promotions and giveaways)

The transition of your key contact or changes in leadership

If your internal advocate moves on from the company or takes on a new role, you’ll want to make sure there is documentation and a clear outline of why your service was chosen to begin with. Offer to meet with the new person in the role, and train and educate them on how the relationship works.
Request the chance to present the value of your service to the new leadership. Reinforce benefits you provide to the people in that organization

Performance issues

Pay attention is a certain one of your locations is generating a high number of complaints or service requests. That might mean you are missing the mark somewhere and need to step up your service in order to maintain the relationship.

Lack of Communication

When customers stop returning calls, reschedule meetings, and you send emails with no response, these are all key signs that something could be amiss. Time to have a pulse check and evaluate where you stand.
It’s important to be proactive in monitoring the health of your customers. The more you understand your customers and their business needs, and how they are currently using and benefiting from your service, the more likely you’ll be able to quickly address any of their concerns or make necessary course corrections when things aren’t going smoothly.

You should ‘check-in’ to make sure they are happy with how things are going. You can also communicate regularly via email to update them on new features or changes. Offering webinars or dedicated resources can make customers feel like they are really getting the most out of their relationship with you. Help them share the value of your service with the rest of their company.

Remember that perception of value sometimes goes down as the novelty of a ‘new thing’ wears off. Stay connected and build a solid relationship, not just by person to person, but also company to company. Sometimes that value begins to be taken for granted, and it is up to you to make sure that doesn’t result in you and your customer drifting away from each other.

Happy employees and productivity: is there a link?

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 23:41:42 GMT

Are happy employees more productive?

Research says yes. Economists at the University of Warwick report that happy employees are 12% more productive on average. It has been shown that happiness has a bigger effect on productivity than salary. Studies show that happiness in the workplace is directly linked to a positive environment and how well the employer understands and responds to the employee’s needs.

The importance of perks

Happy employees feel like their opinions are heard. Benefits like paid sick leave, vacation time and a path to upward mobility are important. But day-to-day perks also play a role in employee happiness. According to Forbes.com , the best type of happiness reinforcement comes from small rewards that happen often, rather than grand gestures that happen less frequently. For example, Google (ranked the best place to work by Fortune Magazine) provides free food to all employees in areas no more than three minutes from each work station. So, while providing food may seem like a distraction from work, it is quite the opposite. Employees who gather on campus for meals and special events are more productive overall and spend less time away from the office.

Get creative

Employers across the country are figuring out creative ways to keep employees excited about the workplace. These employers provide everything from free snacks and meals to childcare, car washes and massages, based on the logic that taking these things off their employees’ to-do lists will keep them at the office longer. They might be right. Studies show that employees who are offered food when they work late are more effective at staying engaged. Productivity quickly offsets the price of food.

The best way to understand what might keep your employees happy is simply to pay attention. Keep an open line of communication and observe their habits. Do five of your employees disappear to the local coffee shop every morning at 10 a.m.? Maybe it’s time to consider a gourmet coffee cart and a space for them to gather on campus.

Be sure to consider the overall lifestyle and demographics of your employees so your perks align with their needs. The point is for your employees to feel like you understand them and care about what is important to them. That way, they will care about what is important to your business.

Ready to increase happiness and productivity?

Want an easy to implement and fun food and beverage option for your workplace to help increase happiness and productivity? Consider adding a micro market to your break room as a fun and exciting way to incorporate your employees’ favorite food and beverage items.

Learn more about how you can offer the ultimate employee perks package from Avanti Markets and how to get one at your office today .

Start Fueling your Employees with more than just food! Get your Micro Market today.

Using Planograms to Maximize Efficiency

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:33:10 GMT

We've recently upgraded our planograms tools within the Avanti Market System (AMS), to increase planogram features and make it easier to use. Particularly in today's changing business environment, Avanti Market's new planograms enhancements can help our Avanti operators to more quickly adjust market layouts and resets across multiple markets to best suit their operation needs.

What are Planograms?

Planograms are an important tool in product layout and inventory planning, as effective use of space can dramatically affect micro market revenues. Planograms are a visual representation of a micro market’s products and where they should go. They can be built right inside the Avanti Markets System (AMS) to improve your operational efficiency.

When merchandising a market, a planogram will be a benefit to help increase sales and encourage product pairing and impulse buys. For example, placing dips near chip options, or some new treat offerings right beside the self-checkout kiosk.

How Planograms Help

Planograms enable efficiency and consistency to plan market layouts and help drivers be more efficient in stocking. Planograms give drivers an easy visual of the market layout and how many of each product should be stocked. In fact, it is estimated that using planograms can reduce inventory times by as much as 50%.

When you place the right products in the right place (based on buying trends), you can maximize both visibility and profitability.

Adjustments Due to COVID-19

As the pandemic persists, operators are needing to make adjustments to how and when they stock their shelves. Whether reducing SKUs or adjusting min/max stock levels, these actions can all be made easily through the Planograms tool with the ability to quickly adjust min max levels and copy market layouts to apply to a different market. This can aid with quicker store resets and new smaller footprints given reduced traffic in many market locations.

New Planogram Features Include:

Inactive Planograms- You can stage a market makeover with a new planogram that can replace an existing one at a future date
Copy Planograms- Standardize market layouts easily by using existing planograms with similar layouts across different locations
Placeholder Text- Define areas where drivers can decide what products to place
Adjust Min/Max- Easily adjust min/max without switching screens within the platform
Recent Change Tags- Quickly see changes that occurred in the last week so drivers can maintain efficiency in stocking markets
Printable Planograms- Print out planograms and provide to drivers or post at locations
Swap or Replace Products- Drag and drop products within the planogram to allow for quick changes
Reorder Rows- The feature now allows repositioning entire rows within the planogram
Equipment Type Description- Use the Equipment Type field to add an equipment label representing the planogram you are setting up

With these enhancements, planograms have become an even more useful tool help operators be efficient and consistent when planning and stocking markets. By laying out your markets using this platform, you will be able to make changes and adjustments seamlessly and communicate those changes easily with your drivers.

3 Ways COVID-19 Will Change College Food Service - Unattended Markets Might Help

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 23:41:49 GMT

College students are weighing in about how their dining habits will change as many colleges and universities plan to at least partially re-open this fall. With continued concern about COVID-19, will large student dining centers become a thing of the past? How will this impact educational institutions that relied on food service for additional revenue?

Food service industry magazine Total Food Service* recently published data from a Nutrislice survey of more than 800 college and university students across the United States. Results point to the need for three key changes to on-campus food service programs for both faculty and students.

Think satellites, not student centers
Maximize perceptions of safety and security
Restructure revenue expectations

Why It Matters

Giving students dining and snacking options that reflect their preferences is important. 25 percent – one out of every four college and university students – said the institution’s food service program impacted which school they ultimately decided to attend (2019 College & University Consumer Trend Report). You can even find lists of colleges ranked for “best college food in America” online.

On-campus food service and vending revenues make up a significant portion of revenue for many U.S. colleges and universities. While the cost of food for U.S. consumers has risen 26 percent over the past ten years, the average college meal plan has increased by 47 percent over the past decade. Losing the patronage of students or being unable to offer traditional meal plans would significantly reduce revenues that many colleges and universities have come to rely on to help make up budget gaps.

What Students Want Now

Before COVID-19, students on-campus food service preferences might have revolved around types of foods available, overall cost, convenience, or choices. Today, students planning to return to campuses across America are concerned about safety:

40% say they do not plan to get food from on-campus dining facilities due to safety concerns

Of the remaining students who are still willing to utilize on-campus dining, food service and vending options:

85% are worried about how they will order and pay for meals if contactless options are not available to them on campus
30% say they will completely avoid any on-campus dining venue that does not offer mobile ordering or payment
70% say having the ability to order and pay for food via mobile devices would make them feel safer

Three Ways COVID-19 Will Change College Food Service

1. Think satellites, not student centers

Even if student preferences for mobile ordering and payment can be accommodated, it might not be tenable to transform traditional dining halls and on-campus cafeterias into spaces that comply with COVID-19 requirements for student or faculty safety. Retrofitting these spaces with dividers, more space between seats and updating procedures for cleaning and disinfecting will be costly, especially since it will be necessary to serve fewer patrons at the same time.

Everything is changing

Wherever an institution has wall space, electricity and an internet connection, Avanti can transform traditional college dining services and markets into the contactless solutions students are demanding without sacrificing quality. If you are evaluating how to modify a university or college food service for COVID-19 requirements, this might be an ideal time to test the waters with micro markets and smart vending food service options.

Smart N Go Vending Machines

Micro Markets

Express by Avanti

2. Make students safer (and make them feel safer)

To comply with COVID-19 requirements and improve safety and health for students and faculty, colleges and universities are evaluating changes in course delivery, on-campus living arrangements, college food service, sports, arts, clubs and similar enrichment programs and more. It is likely that many lectures will be delivered online instead of in class, and that students will be spending more time in their dorms and other on-campus living facilities.

Decentralizing dining by placing contactless college food service options throughout your campus provides students and faculty with safer ways to buy and consume food. Because food is more convenient to their locations, it may even increase consumption, in turn producing additional revenues.

3. Restructure revenue

Educational institutions which have come to rely on campus dining and meal programs for revenues can continue to do so. Avanti Markets’ Smart N Go, Micro Markets and Express provide colleges and universities with flexible, scalable food service solutions that can be implemented at a low cost (or even no cost) and still generate profit.

Our team is ready to help! Contact us today and we will work with you to determine which solutions would be ideal for your college or university and what equipment you will need. We will then pair you with an operational expert in your area to finish customizing your contactless college food service program. Your solutions can be in place in days – just in time for when students return to campus.

MORE RESOURCES

About Avanti micro markets

About Smart N Go intelligent fresh food vending

Is a micro market as food at work during COVID times

Get a micro market or Smart n Go

Preparing Micro Market Breakrooms for Employees Returning to Work

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 21:15:40 GMT

10 Ideas for Micro Market Company Break Rooms During COVID Times

Employees are increasingly returning to work as stay-at-home orders due to Covid-19 are being lifted. Micro market hosts locations can take this opportunity to partner with their market operator to reintroduce their micro market break room to those employees. Having a great onsite company break room with fresh foods can encourage employees to stay on-site for meals and breaks. This can limit the chances of virus exposure compared to leaving the workplace for meals. Below are ten ideas for company break room micro markets best practices during this time.

No-Touch Purchases
Mobile App Use
Floor Decals
Market Signage
Market Cleaning Logs
Micro Markets vs. Vending- Which is Safer?
Market Sanitation Communications
Market Re-Grand Openings
Communicating with Market Operators
Employee Rewards Programs

No-Touch Purchases & Using the Mobile App

As employees return to work, it’s important to remember that they can make a purchase at the market without touching the kiosk screen. Simply scan items and then scan market member card or mobile app for payment. If users have not yet setup their mobile app, encourage them to download it. They can associate an existing member card with the app and transfer any existing balances. They can also create a new account right from their phone.

Floor Decals & Market Signage

Physical distancing is probably something you are already thinking about in your workplace and breakroom. Work with your market operator to use floor decals to make sure shoppers keep appropriate distance from one another.You can also post market signage to remind employees to wash their hands before and after using the market, and to only touch items they intend to purchase.

Cleaning Logs & Sanitation Practices

With today’s heightened awareness of cleaning and sanitation across company locations, market hosts may want to partner with their operator to align on cleaning schedule and tracking. Some Avanti operators may be using specially-designed cooler handles to keep high-touch handles safe. Partner with your operator to employ correct cleaning techniques so equipment does not get damaged.You can also keep a joint cleaning log so market users know when the market was cleaned and feel more confident using the service.

Considering Vending Instead?

There are differences between micro-markets and vending as it relates to consumer touch points. While products may be behind glass in a vending machine, making a purchase still requires touching the same control panel as everyone else, as well as reaching into the same dispensing slot. With micro-markets, foods can be picked up and purchased without touching the kiosk screen. So while the ‘open’ concept of a market may seem less safe, markets can actually be used in a very safe manner with limited touch points.

Market Re-Grand Openings

This may be the time to work with your market operator to host a ‘re-grand opening’. This will reacquaint your employees with the market and can be a great way to showcase no-touch purchase options and other safety measure you have put in place.

You can even work with your service provider to add credits to employee market accounts to encourage them to use the market and stay onsite instead of going out for meals and snacks and lending themselves to further exposure.

Communicating with your Market Operator

Communicating openly with your market operator about the steps you are each taking to maintain safety will go a long way in the strength of your relationship. Communicate openly about new policies or procedures at your workplace that may affect how the market drivers come on site to stock the market. Are there specific doors to use or traffic flow they need to follow? What times of day are they permitted inside? Proactive communication can help the market continue to be well-stocked to meet your employee needs.

Employee Rewards Programs

Work with your market operator to enact a new rewards program for your employees. You can use meal allowances, one-time use coupons, or product promotions to show appreciation to your employees and encourage them to use the market.

Reopening Breakroom Micro-Markets Safely for Employee Returning to Work

With health and safety at top of mind for everyone right now returning to the workplace, working with your market operator on some or all of these ideas can help maintain the confidence of your employees. They’ll want to know the steps you are taking to keep them safe and the ideas here can help you achieve that goal.

Check out the CDC Guidance for Office Buildings for more tips.

Food at Work: Micro Markets for Fresh Healthy Food Options During Social Distancing

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Sun, 17 May 2020 00:23:13 GMT

Are Micro Markets the New Normal for Changing Work Environments?

The workplace is changing moving forward. It is a reality we can’t avoid. Social distancing at works means space, less contact with others, and a general heightened awareness for health, safety and office sanitation.

Businesses are investing in keeping their employees safe and a clean environment, so for snacks and meals having healthy options easy to grab and go onsite at work is critical. But how can you create a fulfilling work environment with the amenities your employees have come to expect? And do so while maintaining recommending distancing and safety standards?

The time for cafeterias, salad bars and buffets is probably over, or at least on hold for now. The new norm may mean it’s time to consider an unattended retail solution for your workplace.

The New Normal for Changing Work Environments: Micro Markets

A solution like a fresh food micro market can offer the convenience of food service, without overhead costs associated with running an on-site cafeteria or always having your employees leaving the office to get a bite to eat. In fact, you can probably anticipate a reluctance to venturing out for lunch and typical options that your employees count on may be limited.

When looking at alternative options, micro markets offer more than a traditional vending setup can.

Fresh and Healthy Options
These markets include an array of fresh and healthy options including salads, sandwiches, frozen entrees, and really anything else that may be in demand for your employees. That could include snacks, drinks, or even pantry staples. Your micro market operator can be a trusted source of packaged, fresh foods to meet employee needs and keep them safe.

No-Contact Payment
Touch-less payment options mean contact with frequently touched surfaces can be limited or entirely eliminated. A shopper can pick their items, scan at the kiosk and pay without ever using the touchscreen.

Scan market card for no touch payment

Count on your Market Operator

Market operators, those who stock and service your market, have placed an emphasis on standard cleaning practices. You can read more about those here.

Your market operator will stock your market regularly with products your employees want and need the most.

Coffee services are also generally available, with the latest bean-to-cup solutions that provide an incredibly fresh and satisfying experience for coffee lovers. Fresh espressos and lattes with the touch of a button and the convenience of staying on site instead of venturing out.

Micro markets are all about convenience and satisfying consumer needs through a seamless unattended retail experience. Employers who set up a micro market in their employee break rooms can enjoy a variety of benefits including improved employee efficiency and enhanced company culture.

Get A Fresh Food Micro Market at Your Office

Here at Avanti Markets, we provide plenty of options to build a micro market that best suits both the employer and employee needs. And at zero cost the employer. With changing work environments, it may be time for you to consider this option. Discover more of our products and solutions now and learn how to get a micro market installed at your workplace. We would be happy to schedule a time to share how a micro market can reinvent your break room.

MORE RESOURCES

Get a micro market at your company

Are micro markets a good option for food at work during COVID-19 times?

Fill out the form below to learn more about the solutions our company provides during these challenging times.

Reward your employees with food at work, custom promotion options with micro markets.

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Sat, 16 May 2020 21:31:54 GMT

Show Appreciation with Custom Market Promotions

There are a myriad of ways to show your employees you appreciate them and their hard work. Many are working tirelessly and rewarding your employees with additional perks can be an easy way to say thank you.

While you may already have a rewards program in place, there are also options with a micro market that you may not have thought of. Employee perks in the form of food and snacks can go a long way to help boost morale.

Rewards in Micro Markets

If you have a micro market in your break room or office, initiating some perks may be easier than you think. In fact, if you work with your market operator, they will do most of the work!

Your market operator can help you implement any of these employee rewards programs quickly and easily.

Here are 3 easy ways to say ‘Thank You’ to Employees

Meal Allowance Credit
Keep employees fueled by setting up a Meal Allowance program with a daily or weekly allowance amount
Coupons as Rewards
Create one-time use coupons with a value designated by you
Custom Promotions
Choose items in your market for special promotions or discounts

These opportunities can help boost convenience and productivity for your employees. They can stay on-site for food and drink options instead of needing to leave your facility. Also, providing easy access to healthy snacks can help with focus at work. Rewarding your employees can be a win-win for both them and your organization.

The Impact of Covid-19 on Convenience Services

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 23:41:58 GMT

Challenges, Optimism and Flexibility as the Industry Faces These Unprecedented Times

This blog post features excerpts from an article previously published on VendingMarketWatch.com in the “Micro Market Forum” section about how the conversation has shifted given the challenges presented by Covid-19. Click here to read the full article on VendingMarketWatch.com.

How COVID-19 is Impacting the Micro Market Business

John Reilly, President of Avanti Markets, took some time to chat with Abby White of VendingMarketWatch.com about the changing landscape of unattended retail given the new challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Two months ago, I think micro market operators would have been talking about how to place more markets, improve operating efficiencies, and the next innovation in the space,” said John Reilly, president of Avanti Markets. “Avanti would have been discussing how to position our platform to support our customers’ operations and growth, innovation and frictionless shopping. All that has changed now. Our customers are talking about how to save their business and protect their employees. Avanti is also now intensely focused on keeping our employees safe and employed and our operators in business.

“We are all talking about shelter-in-place, lockdowns and essential businesses,” Reilly continued. “These are things we could not have imagined in January. The impact for all of us is that [as] the at-work environment continues to shrink over the next couple of months, sales will bottom out. How long they will stay down is unknown.

“It is heartbreaking to watch this happen. But markets will recover and that has to keep us going.”

Convenience Services as Essential Businesses

Reilly said that the convenience services industry is taking the lead by pressing on the government to be recognized as an essential business.

“So, in these quarantines, lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders, we still support the food distribution supply chain, which is necessary,” he explained. biggest challenge for us is providing the right kind of support for our customers, and their biggest challenge is surviving all the closing offices.”

Micro markets serve an especially important purpose for essential businesses such as hospitals or distribution centers as they’re often the closest and most convenient place for employees of these essential businesses to purchase food and beverages. Reilly says that operators can best serve their accounts by creating an open and transparent communication platform with their customer base to alleviate any fear about spreading COVID-19.

The Future May Require Some Flexibility

Reilly said that he’s been optimistic about the future of micro markets, and the current slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has shifted his focus to helping operators get through this difficult time.

“Before today, we were very optimistic about the market and about growth and expansion,” he said. “It’s really an interesting environment. Now, we’re seeing things happen that we never thought could happen, and there’s a lot more to come — it’s still a very fluid situation.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the market space, but we’ll continue to focus on what we can deliver that helps operators. And if they come out of this with fewer at-work environments, then we have solutions for them to grow in a different channel.”

As for what these channels could include, Reilly noted that operators have the capability to expand into rapidly growing areas like contactless delivery, frictionless environments and more public locations.

“We were pretty bullish on the micro market space in our extension into other channels, and I think we’re even more so now as we look to see what happens,” Reilly said. “I think the micro market operators are uniquely positioned to be the last mile suppliers, to run the back office systems and to support the community. I can only talk about Avanti, but we can continue to innovate in the market and bring a frictionless experience to [operators] on the same platform so they don’t have to go and learn a whole different system. We can continue to offer our operator base the tools, the application and functionality to address the changes that the market is going to have. That’s how we can best support them.”

“There has to be an ongoing focus on how to grow your business,” he said. “Where can you get innovative? What new channels can you get into? What new products and services can you offer to the market that will continue to make you relevant and be attractive to the marketplace? If this [coronavirus pandemic] goes longer than we think it’s going to go, let’s keep looking for new channels, new distribution and new applications that you can deploy and use to continue to build the value in your business.”

Santiziation for Micro Market Company Breakrooms

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 00:04:53 GMT

Micro Market Sanitation Best Practices

Across our network of local market operators there is priority focus on keeping markets sanitary for customers while protecting the health and safety of all who enter and use the market. While all market operators have their own company policies and practices, many are adopting cleaning commitments for when delivery staff arrive to stock the markets. This is in addition to the sanitation and cleaning that businesses are already providing to break rooms through their own janitorial services and schedule.

Cleaning recommendations from Avanti Markets for our micro market operators and host locations:

Proper cleaning techniques for your markets should always be a central part of your food safety and maintenance plan. Given current heightened awareness around the spread of viruses and bacteria, Avanti Markets reminds you of best practices related to cleaning market equipment to ensure consumer safety.

KEY TIP: PROPER CLEANING OF KIOSK SCREENS

To clean your kiosk screens, we recommend a 1:1 solution of water and 70% isopropyl alcohol on a microfiber cloth.
Spray the solution onto the cloth and wipe the screen, rather than spraying directly onto the screen.
Do this no more than two times a day.

IMPORTANT: IMPROPER CLEANING OR THE USE OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT RECOMMENDED CAN RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE KIOSK SCREEN.

OTHER TIPS

Use sanitizing wipes on cooler/freezer door handles in addition to any other high traffic and frequently touched surfaces.
Wrap you fresh produce items, or consider not offering them at this time.
Route drivers are traveling to multiple sights each week where thousands of consumers go to work every day.
Handling unwrapped produce items across a wide geography could increase the risk to consumer safety.
Coffee solutions – Encourage consumer not to reuse their paper coffee cup. Wash your reusable coffee cup with hot soapy water before getting a refill.
Remind drivers to wash their hands regularly after using the bathroom, eating, coughing, sneezing, etc.

Fill out our form below to get started with a Micro Market today!

MORE RESOURCES

Are micro markets a good option for food at work during CO VID-19 times?

Avanti Markets’ Updated Mobile App Simplifies Market User Registrations

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:57:08 GMT

New Mobile App Means Grand Openings Just Became Easier for Avanti Market Operators

RENTON, WA – March 10, 2020: Avanti Markets has announced the release of its new mobile app which includes an improved user interface experience and “mobile first” streamlined new user registration.

For the Avanti Markets operator network, the updated mobile app simplifies new market user registration. The new “mobile first” registration feature lets new market users pre-register for a market card account in the mobile app and pre-load funds, even before a market is installed at their location. The first purchase connects their market account to that market location

“Grand Openings of new micro markets just became easier,” notes John Reilly, President of Avanti Markets, “now HR can email employees before a market Grand Opening with links to register for an account. Before an employee steps into the market, they can be fully registered with pre-loaded funds. This makes market Grand Opening day go smoother for Avanti Operators, host locations and market users.”

Existing Avanti Markets customers can streamline management of their market account using the new mobile app by associating their existing Avanti Markets member account for mobile access. For new market users needing to setup an account, the mobile app lets them register and pre-load funds as a faster alternative to manually scanning a market card and registering at the kiosk. This saves their time at their first market visit and helps to keep payment lines shorter at the kiosk payment station.

The Avanti Markets new mobile app also has the option for market users to reload funds to their market account from various payment sources, just as they can at the kiosk or through their online account. This allows market users to manage their account from their device anytime, from anywhere.

The app is now available for download on android and iOS devices. Existing Avanti Markets app users should see their current app update automatically.

MORE RESOURCES

Learn more about the Avanti Markets mobile app

Learn more about contactless, no-touch transactions using the Avanti Markets mobile app

Learn more about the company Avanti Markets

Learn about operating unattended retail market, become an Avanti market operator

How to Make a No-Touch, Contactless Purchase at your Avanti Micro Market

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 21:15:42 GMT

At this time, consumers may prefer to complete their market purchases without touching the kiosk screen.

Market users can accomplish a no-touch purchase following these guidelines.

Shop your market and choose items to purchase
Scan your items at the kiosk
Pay using one of these methods

Scan

to pay

Scan Mobile App or Market Card

Present the bar code to the scanner.

Tap

to pay

Use Mobile Pay, Debit or Credit Card

Tap to pay at the credit card reader.

Swipe/Insert

to pay

Use a Debit or Credit Card

Magnetic strip and chip cards accepted.

Alternative Ways to Touch the Screen

If you are purchasing a no-scan item or need to reload your market account, you can touch the kiosk screen using one of these methods:

Stylus pen (with a rubber end)
Napkin or cloth over finger
Food service or latex gloves

MORE RESOURCES

Avanti Markets Mobile App

Contactless, No-Touch Payment Options

Connecting with your Micro Market Operator

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 22:15:38 GMT

Did you know that while the name ‘Avanti Markets’ may appear on your kiosk or market equipment, we are not the ones who are stocking and servicing your market on a daily basis?

Local food service providers, known in the industry as ‘operators’, are each responsible for the markets they place in various locations, including the market you visit and use.

While the staff at Avanti Markets is always happy to help if you have comments or questions, we’d also like to provide you with some helpful resources when it comes connecting directly with your local Operator.

Four Ways to Connect with your Market Operator

Information in Your Market
Ask Your HR Team
Reach out to Avanti Markets Customer Service
Through MyKioskCard.com

INFORMATION IN YOUR MARKET

Look around your market for contact information for your market Operator. Check on or near the kiosk, coolers or other market equipment. Market operators should have their company name and contact information posted.

ASK YOUR HR TEAM

At least one person from within your organization is likely to have a direct line of communication with your market operator. You can ask them how you can get in touch.

REACH OUT TO AVANTI MARKETS CUSTOMER SERVICE

Use this online form to tell us about your market location and our customer service team will happily connect you with your market operator.

Note: Our customer service hours are Monday-Friday, 6:30am- 3:00pm Pacific Time. Due to volume of incoming requests, please allow for 1 business day to receive a response.

Other general inquiries can also be answered here .

THROUGH MYKIOSKCARD.COM

Login to your market card portal ( MyKioskcard.com ) and use the ‘Feedback’ option under the ‘My Markets’ menu item. Your request should route directly to the service contact for your assigned market operator account.

Foodservice Is a ‘Can’t Miss’ Amenity for Tenants - Unattended Retail is here to help

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 00:41:46 GMT

Smart N Go Markets- The Foodservice Amenity Solution You’ve Been Waiting For

Amenities Matter

Amenities like parking, green spaces, fitness centers and natural light can offer a lot of appeal for potential tenants in your buildings. Just as valuable, if not more so, is on-site foodservice. Consistently listed as a top desired amenity by tenants, offering food options in your facility is not something to be overlooked.

What are your options?

But, operating or hosting a café or full-scale cafeteria in your building can come with costs. It also presents a myriad of operational challenges- from space allocation, to staffing, to limited operating hours that fall short of when tenants and their employees are actually in the building.

Vending machines, while available at any time, can be unsightly and certainly can’t be relied upon for fresh and healthy options.

So, imagine being able to offer your tenants the convenience and benefit of fresh food options, all at no cost to you, at anytime of the day.

Smart N Go Markets

The new Smart N Go Markets help overcome these limitations. You can offer your tenants healthy and fresh foods like sandwiches or salads. You can also offer beverages and snacks, all without the need for staffing or checkout lines.

Users can touch products, read labels, experience broad product choices and use an array of payment options. All these benefits help elevate the Smart N Go beyond traditional vending and offer a viable solution for foodservice in your facility.

Variable size options for these markets allow you to place them in virtually any space. You may want a full market in your lobby and smaller scale solutions throughout your building. Once placed, your local market operator will take care of all the restocking and maintenance, ensuring the needs of your tenants are being met.

This high-tech shopping experience is just what you need to put your building a step ahead of the rest. Providing 24/7 access to fresh food, beverages, snacks, coffee and more, the Smart N Go is truly a revolutionary alternative to traditional vending.

Stay competitive with your amenities

This type of amenity is a must-have to keep your building competitive in the eyes of current and possible tenants. In-house foodservice allows office workers to stay within the building to grab breakfast, lunch or a snack. This can be a top priority for tenants as people are often pressed for time during the workday and it’s much more convenient to pop downstairs or into a common area to get something to eat instead of having to leave the facility.

Curious what makes the Smart N Go unique? Each market is equipped with secure, locked refrigerated and non-refrigerated bays. These coolers stock and display a large and diverse product mix. A shopper can unlock the door with any of several payment options and then explore products within the module they unlocked.

Using sensors to track products, their virtual shopping cart is automatically updated as items are picked up or put back. This allows users to browse and read labels and make informed purchase decisions.

If a user wants items from multiple bays, the process is easy. They simply close the door on the first and open the next with the same payment method. Their virtual cart will follow them and display on the screen so they can track their purchases. Once finished shopping, they simply need to shut the door and walk away, and the transaction will be finalized.

Seamless shopping = happy tenants

It’s a seamless shopping experience with no lines and no checkout. An experience that is sure to increase tenant satisfaction with the convenience alone.

If you’re looking for an innovative, secure food service amenity to enhance your multi-tenant building, then look no further than the Smart N Go from Avanti Markets. Not only will the clean and modern design make a bold statement in your facility, but you’ll also be providing convenient 24/7 access to healthy food options through a secure, high-tech shopping experience.

Swipe, grab and go. It’s really that simple.

Is a Micro Market s good fit for your breakroom?

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 00:41:48 GMT

Top 4 factors to think about when considering a micro market

Micro markets continue to grow

The micro market industry continues to expand, with micro markets in 27,000+ break rooms and similar locations across the nation [Source: 2018 NAMA Industry Census]. Micro markets bring convenience service options to business break rooms as well as other secure locations.

Are you missing out by not providing a micro market as a perk for your employees? How do you know if a micro market is a good fit for you?

If you’re wondering how a micro market might fit into to your business location, here are some things to consider:

Location
Number of employees
Need for food options
Need for a gathering space

Read on to learn more about the details.

Location

The first thing to ask yourself is whether you have the space to make a micro market work. While micro markets can be configured to fit almost any space, you still need room for a self-checkout kiosk and food racks and/or food and beverage coolers. A power source and internet connection also typically need to be accessible. But some micro market providers now use wireless solutions as well.

Number of Employees

Typically, a location that is accessible to at least 100 employees is most desirable. This ensures that the investment by your local market provider, who would be operating and stocking the market, makes sense for everyone involved. However, if you don’t have that number of employees, there may still be options to explore.

Need for Food Options

Is there a lack of quickly accessible food options nearby for your employees? Leaving the office for lunch or a coffee break can be a great way for employees to recharge and focus. But if you have to do that every day because there are no options in your building, that can be frustrating to both employees and businesses. Productivity is sure to suffer. It may even hurt you when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees. If that is the case, a micro market may offer a nice alternative for employees.

Need for a Gathering Space

Micro markets provide a nice gathering space for a quick ad hoc meeting, outside of typical conference rooms. A conversation over a snack can yield great results while simultaneously building camaraderie. If you create an inviting environment associated with your market, you will be surprised how often it is used for conversations that enhance relationships and trust among your team members.

If you’re a business leader, HR manager, or an employee looking to help enhance the workplace, a micro market could be the answer. We recommend you contact a micro market provider, like Avanti Markets, to help evaluate whether a micro market is a good fit for you.

MORE RESOURCES

Are micro markets a good option for food at work during COVID-19 times?

Avanti Markets Celebrates 2019 Winners of Annual Awards

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Sat, 21 Dec 2019 00:41:53 GMT

Avanti Markets Celebrates 2019 Award Winners

Avanti Markets recently held their annual Operators Meeting, in San Diego. Members of the Avanti Markets family gathered from Dec. 2-4, 2019 to reflect on the year, share best practices, and look ahead to continued growth and success in 2020. One of the highlights of the event was presenting annual awards to Operators for their outstanding achievements and dedication to the industry.

2019 Award Winners

Avanti Markets is proud to recognize the following companies with annual awards:

COFFEE PERKS , Coffee Spotlight Recognition

TOMDRA , Micro Market Legislative Advocate

BREAKTIME GOURMET MARKETS , New Operator Spotlight

PARKS PANTRY , Customer Appreciation Award – Parks Pantry

CONTINENTAL SERVICES , Growth Performer of the Year (100+ Markets)

THE KONOP COMPANIES , Growth Performer of the Year (<100 Markets)

FOLEY FOOD SERVICES , Operator of the Year

Smart N Go Markets featured in VendingMarketWatch

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:50:46 GMT

The convergence of vending and micro markets.

This blog post features excerpts from an article previously published on VendingMarketWatch.com titled, “The Convergence of Vending and Micro Markets” about the Smart N Go markets. Click here to read the full article on VendingMarketWatch.com.

Joel Berman, head of sales and customer success at Avanti Markets recently spoke with VendingMarketWatch about the innovative new Smart N Go product line. Here are some of the highlights:

What is a Smart N Go Store?

Smart N Go is a new unattended retail option for micro market operators. It can expand market accessibility beyond traditional private business locations, and into more publicly accessible areas which may have higher vulnerability to theft.

Because of its modern modular format, it can be customized to fit almost any available size location. Furthermore, Smart N Go provides greater theft prevention features than a traditional self-checkout kiosk. The Smart N Go features locked, refrigerated and non-refrigerated modules. They display beverages, snacks, microwavable items, sandwiches, salads and freshly brewed coffee and tea. Customers swipe a payment card to open the doors. They are only charged for items they remove.

“Unlike traditional vending machines, customers can actually open the door and touch products or read labels”

Why is Smart N Go Better?

Joel Berman is head of sales and customer success at Avanti and president of the Smart N Go division. He says that this product is designed to overcome the limitations of vending while providing consumers with a high-tech yet welcoming shopping experience. “Unlike traditional vending machines, customers can actually open the door and touch products or read labels,” Berman explained. “Leveraging infrared sensing technology, the Smart N Go system recognizes in real-time the products that a customer removes from a shelf and automatically adds those items to their shopping cart.”

Who uses Smart N Go?

Berman shares that customer facilities using Smart N Go modules include hospitals, colleges, multi-tenant buildings, hotels, airports and car dealerships among other locations. The customer experience is intuitive, fast and easy. First, a customer approaches the module and swipes their payment (credit, debit, member/mobile account or fingerprint) to pre-authorize access. “After a second or two, the lights brighten, a camera display comes on in the upper right corner of the module, and the customer can open the door and take out what they want,” he said. “If they pick up an item and decide they don’t want it, they can put it back. It will be removed from their cart. Finally, when done selecting items, they can simply shut the door and walk away. Upon shutting the door, the lights will dim and the door will lock.”

The Smart N Go is fully integrated with the Avanti Markets Software (AMS) platform. As a result, operators can to manage their Smart N Go with the same back-end tools and reporting they use to run their micro markets. This includes inventory management, dashboard and planogramming, account profitability and sales activity.

MORE RESOURCES
Smart N Go product information

Become an Avanti Markets market operator

How to Really Read a Nutrition Facts Label

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 00:41:52 GMT

Micro Markets & Nutrition Labels- What do all the categories mean?

One of the great advantages of a micro market is the ability to pick up products, look at the nutrition label and make an informed choice on the food or beverage item you’d like to consume.

The Food and Drug Administration requires that all packaged food include a standardized nutrition label. Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain a healthy diet or reach a specific nutritional goal, understanding nutrition labels can help you make informed choices about what you purchase and consume.

Use the following guide to help you better understand a Nutrition Facts Label for the next time you visit your breakroom micro market:

SERVING SIZE:

The first and most important thing to note before you proceed down the label is the serving size. All of the nutrition facts on the label will apply only to a single serving of the product. Check the serving size as well as the number of servings in the entire package to understand exactly how much of the product you will consume.

KEY NUTRIENTS:

Below the serving size you will find a list of key nutrients. Each of these nutrients are listed in a measure of grams and also as a percentage of the daily recommended total.

PERCENTAGES:

The percentages on the label provide the amount of the nutrient that you should consume in one day, based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day.

CALORIES:

The next section of the nutrition label lists the number of calories found in one serving. Calories are a measure of energy. This section will also tell you how many calories in the product are coming directly from fat, as opposed to calories from other nutrients.

TOTAL FAT, CHOLESTEROL AND SODIUM:

Just below the calories section will be three nutrients in bold lettering – Total Fat (saturated fat and trans fat), Cholesterol and Sodium.

CARBOHYDRATES:

Carbohydrates are listed next, with subcategories of sugar and fiber. Like calories, carbohydrates can come for different sources.

PROTEIN:

Protein is another key nutrient on the nutrition label. It is an essential nutrient that helps the body produce blood, muscle and tissue. Foods high in protein keep the body feeling full longer than those high in sugar.

VITAMINS:

The bottom section of the nutrition label lists a different set of nutrients – Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron. These nutrients are very important to a healthy diet. Getting enough of these key nutrients can improve health and reduce your risk of certain diseases. It is generally not a problem if you go over the daily recommended amount of these nutrients, unless you have specific diet restrictions set forth by your doctor. Aim to consume at least the minimum amount of these nutrients each day.

It is important to remember all percentages on the label are based on a diet of 2,000 calories, which is an average requirement. Everyone will have different caloric needs depending on body size and composition. Children will have different caloric needs than adults. The 2,000 calorie benchmark is meant to provide a frame of reference for comparing similar products.

Want to learn more about the products available at Avanti Markets micro markets? Contact us now.

SOURCES:

FDA

Office Coffee Trends – Creamer Options Expand

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 23:41:38 GMT

Arthur Siller, VP of Operations for Evergreen Refreshments, recently spoke with VendingMarketWatch about how Operators with OCS accounts need to stay on top of the latest creamer trends to best service their clients.

This blog post features excerpts from an article previously published on VendingMarketWatch.com titled, “How Do You Take Your Coffee” about trends in office coffee service and creamers. Click here to read the full article on VendingMarketWatch.com.

WHAT ARE THE TRENDS IN COFFEE CREAMER?

Consumers are increasingly personalizing their coffee, and suppliers have responded.

The variety of plant-based options — soy, almond, oat, etc. — continues to expand. Arthur Siller, vice president of operations and business development at Avanti Markets Northwest, noted that businesses want to keep their employees happy, especially when unemployment is low. Providing employees with a variety of flavor options is one way that employers can show they are taking care of their valued staff.

“For our clients, keeping talent and gaining new talent has become very important”

“For our clients, keeping talent and gaining new talent has become very important,” Siller said. So, we’ve seen, especially on the West Coast, a pretty dramatic shift to where just traditional creamers is not enough. They don’t want just milk, they want unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, and three types of soy milk. These options have become increasingly important for our clients, which means they’re important for us.”

“These options have become increasingly important for our clients, which means they’re important for us.”

WHAT ABOUT OCS AT SMALLER COMPANIES?

Siller said that even smaller and midsize companies — those with 40 to 100 employees, for example — might carry eight different milk options to cater to the individual needs of their staff.

“They’ve got to have almond, unsweetened almond, vanilla soy, unsweetened soy, rice milk, 2 percent milk, 1 percent milk, fat-free milk. They may also ask for their dairy to be organic, or from a local source. Especially in the Northwest, our clients are increasingly interested in supporting companies and brands from their own city.”

SUPPORTING LOCAL

In addition to supporting local businesses, consumers like to know what’s in the products they’re consuming every day. Natural and organic products with minimal ingredients or additives are very popular. This is especially true with millennials and people who have dietary restrictions or allergies.

“The other piece that’s driving this trend, particularly with millennials, is the increase in health-consciousness, and knowing exactly what’s in the products you’re consuming,” Siller said. “People want ingredient lists that are short, not long, and they want products that are simple.”

WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR CREAMER OPTION?

Siller said that while French Vanilla is “far and away the leader” in flavors, the healthy, better-for-you trend is impacting this longstanding favorite.

“For a long time, vanilla and then hazelnut creamers were the standard, but now unsweetened is a must.”

“Unsweetened has become increasingly popular among non-dairy products,” he said. “For a long time, vanilla and then hazelnut creamers were the standard, but now unsweetened is a must. While every region is different, we certainly see this as trend to provide options without sugar.”

Siller pointed out that sugar-conscious consumers have been driving this trend for years, but instead of opting for chemically-based sugar alternatives, people are now gravitating towards natural and organic options like raw sugar, honey, stevia and agave.

WHAT’S NEXT IN OFFICE COFFEE SERVICE TRENDS?

The rising popularity of natural sweeteners and non-dairy milks and creamers doesn’t necessarily mean that traditional products aren’t still popular in OCS.

What it really comes down to — and this is true of every segment in our industry — is that our clients want to offer more choices. They don’t want to just limit it to healthy; they want to please everybody. Our clients want to have more options, not less.

That being said, Siller said this may not be the case in 10 years, especially as baby boomers continue to retire and a larger number of millennials and Gen Z enters the workforce.

“Traditional products will continue to lead, but the alternatives may start to take over,” Siller predicted. “For now, they want all the options, but I see a day probably not too far from now where they may say, ‘We just want to have dairy, dairy alternatives, and natural sweeteners in the office.’

Having a large variety of non-dairy options is more expensive, and that not every company is willing to spend that much on OCS, nor does their workforce demand it.

HOW CAN AN OPERATOR BE SUCCESSFUL IN OCS?

Siller said that operators can address the growing desire for greater variety in OCS by being proactive. Operators should take a consultative approach with clients.

“Don’t wait for the day to come where that large, potential new piece of business is making these requests and you’re not prepared.”

“Like anything, I would say to get ahead of it so you maintain control,” he said. “With our sales approach, we try to guide the conversation. If you want to be successful in having more dairy and dairy alternatives, lead that conversation with your client. Don’t wait for the day to come where that large, potential new piece of business is making these requests and you’re not prepared. Instead, you can be the expert and say, ‘Here are 10 dairy alternatives we currently carry, and here’s what makes sense from a cost standpoint.’ They’re a lot more willing to follow you in that conversation.”

Operators may find that they need to carry more products to satisfy the needs of their OCS clients. But it’s worth the extra effort.

“We’re carrying a lot more SKUs of OCS products than we did in the past,” he said. “It presents an interesting challenge for us, having to source all these different products, but the flip-side of that is we’re also winning new business, retaining business, and keeping happier clients.”

Office coffee trends may continue to shift, but staying on top of these trends can lead to growth and success in the OCS space.

Customer Success: Don't Drift from your Customers

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 22:32:00 GMT

Your relationship with a new customer usually starts off with you both being aligned on goals, side-by-side on this new journey. However, over time, you will tend to drift apart. This can occur for a number of reasons, but almost all those reasons are centered around one thing- change. People and their roles can change, and so can business structures and leadership. That’s why aligning company to company is so important.

The long-term success of your business is predicated on your ability to retain customers and prevent churn. When you think of churn, remember that it is not just the lost recurring revenue to consider, but also the loss of resources that were spent to acquire, onboard and maintain that customer, not to mention any extra effort put in to try and save that business relationship. It is critically important that customers stick around for as long as possible, and the way to make that happen is to be proactive in maintaining a successful business relationship. Remember that the definition of success will vary between customers, so you must be attuned with each of your customers’ definitions of success.

Too often, companies don’t catch on to a customer’s intention to cancel their service with you until it’s too late. Here are some signs to keep an eye on. If you see any of these it might be time to flag that account and pay attention to what’s going on and identify opportunities for you to right the ship before it’s too late.

Customer Success: Sell to the Right Customer

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 23:10:00 GMT

What does it mean to sell to the right customer?

Matching your company with your clients business is critical to your future success. Remember that your customers are you biggest assets and finding the RIGHT customer is critical. The right customer will help define and direct what needs in the market you should be solving with your products and services, while the wrong customers can derail your focus and take valuable resources away from your core business.

If you're trying to satisfy customers that don’t actually align with who you are and what you sell, you're wasting time and money. So, in other words, find your perfect business match.

But how do you define the right customer? There are multiple ways to look at it- whether a particular use case (e.g. solving a need for employee food service), a line of business, industry vertical or perhaps the size of a customer (e.g. An employee base large enough to support a healthy market), but most important, it’s the customer that values the service you provide.

Micro markets provide convenience of quick pay

marketing@avantimarkets.com (AMC Marketing) — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 23:41:37 GMT

As consumers, our preferences continuously change and evolve, but one thing remains consistent: we all still want convenience in our micro markets.

Convenience with the entire payment experience remains front and center. As a technology leader, Avanti Markets always seeks for new ways to blend technology with convenience, especially as it relates to offering fresh foods and micro markets so that you can have the best grab and go experience.

In order to exceed these expectations, Avanti Markets’ micro markets now have the latest innovations in payment technologies. Check them out:

TAP AND GO: Pay your way

Tap and go payments, also referred to as contactless payments, offer a quick way to pay with just a smartphone and a tap at the kiosk. This means that you can now use your smartphone to literally ‘tap to pay’ when purchasing items at the kiosk. This has many benefits:

No need to carry cash or credit/debit cards, just your smartphone
Ultimate convenience
Secure payment method

Apple Pay®, Android Pay™ and Samsung Pay are all available at the market.

FINGERPRINT: Check-out is easy as a finger tap

The great news about payment with your finger is that no one can copy your fingerprint! This feature is perfect for employees or companies that operate in a hands-free, wallet-free environment. No need to carry cash, cards or a smartphone – just you and your fingerprint!

PAYROLL DEDUCT: Make meals easy

With Payroll Deduct, employees can opt to pay for their breakroom market purchases at the pay period end directly via their paycheck. Another simple way to pay that caters to employee choice and preference.

Next time you’re at the breakroom market, make sure to try one of these new payments methods. Whether tapping your smartphone, checking out with your fingerprint or paying directly via your paycheck – take grab and go to a whole new meaning!

Want to bring a micro market to your office? Learn more here or watch how a micro market can transform your breakroom.

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