We’ve just returned from Avex International 2015 – the UK’s largest bi-annual vending conference – so here’s a rundown of what we spotted during the two-day event.
Avex International 2015 was held at Manchester Central from 30 June–1 July. The show attracted delegates from across the vending, water and HORECA sectors, and represented a fantastic opportunity to see a wealth of water dispensers and related equipment, alongside products and innovations from the coffee and vending markets, all under one roof.
Over the course of two days, we traversed Manchester Central to meet new and familiar faces, keeping an eye out for emerging trends and exciting innovations along with way.
First of all, cashless payments – which have actually been slow to take off in the UK – was a prevalent theme, and Nayax, Counter Solutions, Crane Payment Solutions and others were showcasing their own solutions.
One unique development that we spotted was the 24U app from Russia’s number one vending company, Unicum. This free mobile app tool (available on the App Store and Google Play), developed in partnership with British company 24vend, allows the customer to connect their phone to scan the QR code on the vending machine and view a planogram on their screen, with the available products. Michael Grinman demonstrated how the customer then makes their selection from the screen, pays through the card that is connected to the app and collects their chosen items. Because this application isn’t tied to specific types of machines or payment systems (the card information is entered via/stored within the app), it is universal. The operator can even reward regular customers with a loyalty programme.
Touchscreen, too, was everywhere – Broderick’s (who’d also brought along Levi Roots, who is launching his tropical drinks into vending) exhibited a number of their machines, while other items were completely touch-less. David Wilson of SmartVend demonstrated the G Drink contactless vending machine, which uses point-and-vend technology. It works simply by pointing at the item you desire, then pointing at the tick or cross to confirm or cancel. When linked with contactless payment, there’s no need to touch the machine at all.
Be the barista
When it came to coffee vending, a shift towards a more premium, out-of-home product was clear – we spotted some of vending’s latest and most innovative machines, which aim to bring coffee shop-standard drinks to this market. The idea of being your own barista was very much in evidence.
Just as you would in a coffee shop, many coffee machines came with the function that allows for customisation of drinks – for example, adding an extra shot of coffee to your espresso, or a dash of hazelnut syrup to your latte. Nescafé Professional, for example, launched its Nescafé barista-style Gold Blend floor-standing, self-serve coffee solution, which blends instant coffee with roast and ground coffee, creating a rich aroma and full bodied flavour every time.
Offering the most extensive choice, however, was the Coffee Kitchen by Douwe Egberts Professional. This “luxurious coffee and tea corner” is already proving successful in the Netherlands – including in the student market – and it offers a choice of three exclusive espresso blends for Americanos, mochas, raspberry lattes and cold cappuccinos – plus everything in between. Users can also use contactless payment.
Marketing and communications officer Gina Reay discussed the Lincoln & York coffee brand – “the best-kept secret in coffee” – which entered the vending market around two years ago. Lincoln & York has existed for 21 years, and also supplies coffee shops, the food service industry and catering businesses with high-quality coffee, bespoke blends and an array of packaging solutions. The brand has undergone a rebrand in a bid to build awareness of the business, which prides itself on its flexibility when it comes to meeting the customer’s needs.
The most distinctive coffee pod of the event had to be the retro-style My Coffee Station. Started in January 2015, there are already 60 units in place throughout the UK providing good-quality Italian coffee at a competitive price. The promotional van called Claude was practically impossible to miss, so we headed over to speak to director Laurentt Davies about his aim to break into the festival market. Find out more in our interview here.
79% of people say they would choose a healthy vending snack.
Reflecting an increasing trend towards healthy vending, the likes of all-natural Story Drinks, Emily Fruit Crisps (with new mini 15g–18g on-the-go packs) and Healthy Nibbles occupied the health and wellbeing zone. We also couldn’t help but sample some goodies from Ten Acre hand-cooked crisps and popcorn – Cousin Maisie’s fennel and lemon popcorn was particularly moreish. Crisp and popcorn taster Tony Goodman shared the news of the launch of a new, grown-up popcorn flavour with us – cappuccino – as well as smaller pack sizes better suited for vending.
With 79% of people saying they would choose a healthy vending snack, it was great to see so many delicious products on show.
Meanwhile, the water dispensing industry was represented by distributors, operators and suppliers in the Hydration Highway area, including Blupura, Allpure Filters, Borg & Overström and Pureflo.
Bibo director Jonathan Brown discussed with us the future of the home cooler market, which he sees as having huge potential for growth. The Bibo Classic provides instant boiling and chilled water for tea, coffee, hot and cold beverages, eliminating the need for kettles, filter jugs and bottled water. He also spoke of the important of appliance design in the battle for countertop space in the kitchen.
Blupura and SodaStream Professional also showcased some exciting new products – watch this space for further news in the near future.
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