VENDING IN EDUCATION InnovaInnovation tion drives vending


drives vending evolution in schools


evolution in schools


ending has always been present in educational settings, but more often as the backup option outside of catering hours, rather than an integral part of it. After demonstrating how much value it could add during the COVID lockdowns and with technology advances like contactless payment now the norm, vending can now become more integrated with the main catering service and even help to drive sales growth. Historically, vending machines have always provided students,


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teachers and staff with a convenient and accessible source of food,  include accessibility and convenience at the top of the list. But there are other advantages too. In many cases vending machines offer consumers enough variety to satisfy all dietary requirements including healthy alternatives in snacks and drinks and even hot meals. Available 24/7, vending allows students and staff to access


refreshments even outside regular hours, particularly helpful for students attending class or studying late. But what vending can offer educational institutions is evolving


rapidly and thanks to cashless and mobile payment innovations, the potential for operators to capitalise in these environments is immense. Laura Barwell, head of UK Sales at VMC says: “Over the last


few years, we’ve assisted several colleges and universities with the transition to cashless payments. For some this was simply an attempt to minimise cash usage on site, but for others it was about  points of sale within their setup including vending.” “One client, City of Bristol College, chose to go further than just cash


free payments by adding our Flex cloud hosted system onto campus to incorporate all their catering purchase points (including vending) into one system. This solution enabled students to pay anywhere on campus using their student cards or the Flex mobile app, and also made it much easier for the site operations team to manage subsidies and free school meal vouchers directly in student accounts.” “Bringing vending into a campus-wide system like this really helps to encourage sales through impulse and repeat purchasing, and utilising incentives such as loyalty. It also gives students more choice and freedom on where they can spend their money on site.” 365 Retail Markets head of Europe, Rutger Planken has a similar


take. He contends that recent vending innovations have catalysed an evolution in convenience in a variety of environments across the world. However, scholastic environments have reaped a multitude of 


14 | vendinginternational-online.com


“Most prevalent is the after-hour access to food options that scan-and- go mobile technology and controlled access devices facilitate. With this technology, students who keep late schedules beyond typical cafeteria hours can now leverage an app on their phone to pay for items in controlled- access cabinets and coolers such as 365 Retail Markets’ PicoCooler Breeze.” These types of innovations secure vendors’ products by protecting them


in a locked cooler or other shelving device and only unlocking after payment is rendered. In turn, the industry remains in sync with payment advancements so that consumers can use anything from a phone to typical payment methods. “Unattended retail technology, regardless of environment, cuts


 enjoy during peak hours. Long lines at bookstores, event venues and cafeterias often plague tight schedules that students manage. With unattended retail technology, students who need a quick snack or beverage can conveniently select and pay for their item allowing staff to more attentively address students with more complex needs. “This ends in positive consumer experiences, stronger schedule


adherence and more manageable workloads for employees. Additionally, innovations in retail technology reduce overhead costs that these campuses endure in order to staff bookstores, cafeterias, and other various markets. When market overhead is reduced, there 


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