I don’t know you’ve had any chocolate recently, but it still tastes really good. Even though there’s been a push for healthier vending options, sweet treats are still selling super well during all hours of the day. According to a Vending Market Watch article Indulgent and Better for You snacks are both seeing growth in the vending industry with snacks/candy/confections combining to lead all total sales. The article does a great job detailing that food variety in a machine is vital to its success.
In the article Rebecca Muller of Hostess said, “Consumers are driven by variety. People are aware of healthy, but they still also like indulgent.” Having a mix of both indulgent and healthy items is essential to keeping up with consumer demands.” Consumers also are showing that they prefer real over artificial ingredients and want to know what is in the food they are consuming more that calories and nutrition numbers.
Taste and convenience continue to drive the vending industry into the future. When consumers choose what to snack on, it all comes down to taste. “Taste is the driver,” said Mondel?z International’s Malcom McAlpine. “This is followed by portability and convenience, which is where convenience services come in.” It’s also important to note brands that have stood the test of time and have gained consumers trust, like Hershey’s are still vending pillars moving into 2019.
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