So you’ve kept your eye on the vending machine industry for awhile.  You think there is promise.  You think there are big bucks to be made.  You think you have a plan to slay all the competition like how a fat kid slays his triple cheeseburger pumped with four times the mayo.  You are ready to start a vending machine business.

Hold it right there, buddy.  Let me be the one to tell you that the vending machine market is no longer what it used to be.  Things are changing.  The old method of stuffing random assorted goodies into vending machines is starting to take a backseat to today’s demands.  Consumers are now more selective of what they eat: wheat bread instead of white, brown rice instead of white, and lettuce wrapped burgers instead of regular burgers are just a few examples.  This change is carrying over to vending machines as well — people want to eat healthier snacks.

Some numbers

Statistics today show that over 34 percent of Americans are obese — quite a staggering number considering that this percentage was at 17 percent thirty years ago.  What’s even more alarming is the percentage of obese children has more than tripled, jumping to 17 percent.  Imagine what the next generation will look like if this number continues to increase.  Word gets around fast, and eye-popping statistics like these prompt swift action from Americans.  Today, there are a plethora of health gimmicks designed to attract the average American.  Punch lines for these products can include: “Get a toned abs in 5 weeks” or “Become Shredded in 2 Months!”.  Americans blindly buy into these tricks, shelling over their hard earned money for products that will most likely end up collecting dust; or even worse, products that will do nearly nothing to eliminate that sagging gut.

The point? Stop throwing away your dough on these useless products and do things right.

P90X? Hold that thought.

It all starts with Diet.

Most people usually see some advertisement on television showing how some fat dude got ripped all of a sudden.  They look at the before and after pictures and decide that they too can easily achieve rock solid bodies if they just buy the program.  This is unrealistic for most people.  If you are already obese, you most likely will not be able to  just simply dive into a 6 day a week program for 90 days.  I am by no means knocking the P90X workout itself — I think it is a tremendous workout.  But you need to think baby steps.  You can’t run before you learn to walk and you can’t walk before you learn to crawl. Losing that obesity tag starts with 80% diet and 20% working out.  Anybody that tells you that working out or cardio is your ticket to shedding those pounds is a blatant fraud.  Remember, it all starts with GOOD NUTRITION.

So let’s say Dumb Debra decides to finally go to the gym.  She has devised a new diet plan and has committed to working out four times a week.  Great.  Debra finishes her workout at the gym, but has a meeting to get to.  She has no time to pick something up or put something together.  However, she sees a vending machine stocked with an assorted mix of usual goods plus some new healthy snacks.  Being the dullard that she is, she quickly inserts two dollars to pick up some Pop Tarts and a bottle of Coke.  Great move. Not.

Conversely, Smart Sally runs into the same scenario, but she decides to choose the bag of mixed nuts and a bottle of water.  Great choice.  The nuts provide good fats and a nice source of protein to help the body recover.  The bottle of water naturally has no calories and helps recharge the body.  This is a great snack for Sally to grab on the go and certainly will pay dividends down the road for the beach body she desires.The same cannot be said for Debra — deciding to drink empty calories as well as load up on carbohydrates and sugars means Debra has essentially negated her workout.  Again, GOOD NUTRITION.

Healthy Snacks in Vending Machines

By now, I’ve already beaten it into your head(I hope) that achieving that sexy body comes from mostly diet.  Americans usually follow current trends — and the current trend is eating healthy and battling obesity.  What does this mean? This means no more Doritos, no more Corn Nuts, no more Pop Corn.  Food trends are shifting to the healthy foods, which means a sharp decline for the old vending machine staples.

If you’re looking to start that vending machine business, be mindful of new consumer demands.  Achieving that sexy body is mainly about good nutrition.  Stock up your new vending machine with healthy goods and avoid the sweets and fats that will damage the body.

Share this: