Vending machines in high schools are pretty standard these days. But two Utah schools have landed in trouble for violating federal school vending machine regulations. In fact, they've had to pay some hefty fines.
Two Utah schools fined for vending machine practices
May 18th, 2012Posted in Information | No Comments »
California teens eat fewer calories in school
May 18th, 2012NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – High school kids in California, a state that limits the junk food sold in vending machines, eat fewer calories in school than kids in states without such regulations, according to a new study.
“We were definitely pleased by the size of the differences, particularly for calories and sugar,” said Daniel Taber, the study’s lead author and a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The study doesn’t show that students are necessarily replacing unhealthy foods with healthier ones, but the California law “was a bold first step” to improving children’s diets, said Patricia Crawford, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in the study.
Several years ago, California mandated that schools offer so-called competitive food — that is, food sold in vending machines or other sources outside of the school lunch service — that meets calorie, fat and sugar limits.
Each snack has to have fewer than 250 calories, no more than 35 percent of calories from fat and no more than 35 percent of its weight from added sugars.
To determine what impact California’s regulations have had on students’ diets, Taber and his colleagues compared how much children in California ate each day to kids who lived in 14 states that did not have such limits on the foods sold in school.
The study — published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine — used survey information, collected in the first half of 2010, from more than 100 kids who lived in California and about 560 kids who lived in other states.
The researchers found that the California kids ate 158 fewer calories each day than the other kids, primarily because they ate fewer calories during school hours.
Although the study did not look at whether kids’ diets had an impact on their health, “a difference of 158 calories can go a long way toward preventing excess weight gain, particularly if students maintain a healthy level of physical activity,” according to Taber.
The California children also ate 17 fewer grams of sugar than the other kids.
“These laws were specifically designed to improve students’ intake at school, and that is exactly what the evidence suggests they achieved,” Taber told Reuters Health in an email.
The kids don’t necessarily choose healthy foods over unhealthy foods, however.
The Californians ate the same proportion of vitamins and minerals as the kids from other states.
“All states could focus on providing more healthy foods in schools, in addition to banning high-fat, high-sugar, high-calorie foods and beverages,” said Taber.
Taber said other states have taken action to restrict the least healthy foods in school, but California has been the one of the most ambitious in terms of also offering healthier foods.
“They should definitely be applauded for their actions. But I think the lesson is that even their laws were only a starting point,” Taber said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is developing federal standards for what foods kids would have access to in vending machines or from a la carte lines at schools.
A recent poll found that most parents support the stricter guidelines (see Reuters Health story of April 19, 2012).
The USDA has already set standards for school lunches that are expected to make the meals healthier.
Crawford said the study is a good first step in examining the dietary benefits of California’s laws.
“I’m glad they did the first step here to look at the nutritional benefits,” she told Reuters Health. “Because they are benefits, we just need to go further.”
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/KfPcUS Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, May 2012.
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New Rules for York City Vending Machines; Ordinance says Some have to be Removed
May 16th, 2012Rules concerning vending machines in York have some city business owners upset. Dozens of business owners received letters from the city stating, according to a new ordinance, vending machines cannot be on sidewalks or other right of ways. Business owners who are in violation were informed they had 30 days to comply. Some business owners told FOX43 without the machines in front of their properties they would lose valuable business.
“That could be devastating to my business as far as paying the taxes on the buildings and stuff like that in the city of York,” said Ray Shaffer, American Music Machine Vending.
Ray Shaffer said he could lose up to $30,000 if his vending machines are removed. He also said he thought he was in the clear until he received his letter. He said about nine months ago he was told existing machines would not be affected.
The city said parts of the ordinance need to be revisited. Owners can expect to be contacted within two weeks. Enclosed vending machines or machines that are indoors are not in violation.
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Vending machine prohibition brings outcry at city council
May 16th, 2012It seems like there are more important things for the city to do than go after vending machines, Russell Wantz said as he flipped through pictures of his York City car wash business.
Tucked between the pages was the reason Wantz had showed up at a York City Council meeting.
In a letter dated May 2, the city informed Wantz he had 30 days to remove two vending machines enclosed in a three-wall building on his property. One sells soda. The other sells car-wash products.
“My whole facility is vending out there,” Wantz told the council. “None of it’s on the sidewalk. Why would I receive a letter?”
Wantz was one of six York City business owners who had a lot to say Tuesday about the letters sent to more than 80 property owners this month.
The city is gearing up to enforce a part of its new zoning ordinance, passed last year, that essentially bans outdoor vending machines, said Kevin Schreiber, the city’s director of community and economic development.
When the ordinance was being developed, advocates promoted the ban as a way to improve the city’s look and cut down on littering and vandalism, Schreiber said.
The letters were sent to notify property owners that their vending machines were a violation of the ordinance. Official cease-and-desist orders would give owners another 30 days to comply, followed by the city’s filing a civil suit, Schreiber said.
“This was not an attempt to grab pitchforks and go after anyone,” he told a gathering crowd shortly after the meeting. “We’re happy to work with you.”
Council President Carol Hill-Evans said the public had many opportunities to comment on the zoning ordinance when it was being proposed.
“We spent years trying to get this right,” she said.
According to the letters, the zoning ordinance prohibits vending machines on sidewalks or in the public right-of-way. But many of the business owners, like Wantz, said their machines are far from both.
Joe Gurreri said he’s had vending machines at his auto-repair shop for nearly 50 years. They sit 75 feet from the sidewalk, he said.
“I don’t see why I should have to remove them,” he said.
Both Hill-Evans and Schreiber said they would research whether existing vending machines should be allowed to remain as grandfathered nonconforming uses.
Unless something gives, Ray Shaffer said he figures he has more to lose than most. The owner of American Music Machine Vending, a business his father started decades ago, said he has about 25 soda and snack machines scattered throughout the city. All of them sit on private property, he said.
Shaffer said he also got a letter about the soda machines outside his East Market Street office.
“We’re just saying, ‘Hey, we use this money to pay taxes,’” Shaffer told the council. “It’s not the best time to do this kind of thing. I don’t think there’s any deadbeats here.”
Several other business owners said they also offset property taxes with vending-machine revenue.
That’s the case for Charles Braun, a laundromat owner who said he’s had soda machines outside his business for 40 years.
Debora Ness, who owns the Jim and Nena’s Pizzeria at 501 W. Philadelphia St., said the soda machine at her business has been there for 20 years.
“Now they’re saying it has to be removed,” she told the council. “I don’t think it’s fair.”
- Reach Erin James at 505-5439, ejames@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter @ydcity.
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Healthy Vending Machines: What Would You Stock In Yours?
May 14th, 2012
Craving a late afternoon snack? For many of us, satisfaction is found in the form of a vending machine.
But what if instead of a bag of Cheetos, out came a perfectly-portioned string cheese? Or what if instead of a blueberry Pop Tart, four quarters got you a handful of actual blueberries? Or instead of a Coke, a seltzer water?
We have a hunch those changes would add up. According to data from the Institute of Food Technologists, a whopping 25 percent of Americans’ daily calories come from snacks, making those often-mindless noshes just as important as any meal when considering a healthy overall eating plan. In fact, snacks add on a full 580 calories to the average person’s diet every single day.
For some of us, opting for a Snickers over a pack of almonds comes down to convenience — as much as we encourage people to plan ahead, the reality is that a vending machine is often the only choice, especially in the middle of a busy workday. Some vending machine companies have begun to notice the need for healthier options, swapping out, say, candy bars for an organic yogurt. But for many, healthy vending is still a dream.
When HuffPost Healthy Living asked our online community what they’d stock in a healthy vending machine, the responses went wild. Popular answers included hummus (a filling source of iron, fiber, manganese and other nutrients), grapes (a one-cup serving is loaded with healthy nutrients, including potassium), greek yogurt (a calcium- and protein-filled snack when served plain), green tea (which is packed with healthy properties) and soybeans (which are which offer tons of protein, calcium and iron).
We were inspired. And hungry. So we put together some of our favorite (and playful — red wine, anyone?) suggestions. Click through, then tell us what healthy snacks do you wish were in your office vending machine?
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VendScreen™ Hires Vending Industry Experts Stephen Pasker and Erich Markee
May 14th, 2012Stephen Pasker and Erich Markee join VendScreen, Inc., adding a combined 30 years of vending machine industry experience to the team behind the VendScreen Revolution™ smart device
Portland, OR (PRWEB) May 14, 2012
VendScreen, Inc., inventor of the VendScreen Revolution™ smart device for new and existing vending machines, is happy to announce the addition of two full-time professionals to its team — Stephen Pasker and Erich Markee — who augment the VendScreen, Inc. team with over 3 decades of combined vending industry experience.
Stephen Pasker was most recently an industry consultant following his departure from Crane Streamware, where he worked for 11 years. At Streamware, Pasker operated in the departments of customer support, documentation and quality assurance — leading to his most recent management role presiding over the implementation team and its processes. For over a decade, Pasker has worked with hundreds of operators, helping them realize significant operational efficiencies and improvements.
“Stephen learned about the vending machine industry from bottom to top,” said Glenn Butler, Co-Founder and CTO of VendScreen, Inc. “He understands the needs of vending machine operators, the challenges they face, and what it takes to improve the profitability of their businesses.”
Erich Markee brings over 19 years of vending industry experience to VendScreen, Inc. Prior to joining VendScreen, Markee consulted for several operators, focusing on process development, data analysis, and cash and inventory accountability. Prior to his work as a consultant, Markee’s positions included General Manager for Next Generation Vending, Systems Implementations Manager for Sodexo Vending Services, and Operations Manager for A&B Vending. He rolled out Crane Streamware’s VMS to item level for over 130 routes, and implemented pre-kitting, dynamic scheduling and various cashless systems for numerous vending operators. Markee is considered one of the vending industry’s technology power users.
“Both Erich and Stephen add immense depth to VendScreen, Inc. with their tribal vending knowledge,” continued Butler. “We are delighted to have both of these A players on our team as we work to commercialize VendScreen Revolution™.
The VendScreen Revolution™ Device
The VendScreen Revolution™ device uses an Android operating system, which can be easily retrofitted into the cutout slot of any vending machine. For the first time in vending, advertising and promotions can be directed at the user of the machine, while the machine itself is kept in compliance with nutritional information disclosures.
“VendScreen Revolution™ exists to provide leading edge innovation and technology to help operators make more money,” said Butler. “Our goal is to help them drive more sales, more revenue and to increase ROI through their existing machines.”
VendScreen Revolution™ combines a 4.3 inch touchscreen, credit card swipe, Near Field Communications (NFC), and connections to DEX and MDB supported by all recent vending machines. VendScreen’s patent pending solution integrates with back end systems like MEI and Streamware, ensuring the product and nutritional information displayed matches the contents of the machine. Unlike other solutions, this device is self-contained and installs on the front of vending machines, requiring no Velcro or complicated in-machine box solutions. The company also has an OEM version named VendScreen Realize™, which uses a larger format screen, replacing the keypad in existing machines and integrating fully with the machine’s operations.
###
About VendScreen, Inc.
VendScreen, Inc. is the inventor of the VendScreen Revolution™ smart device, founded by Paresh Patel and Glenn Butler; two longtime veterans of the vending machine industry. Patel is a lifelong entrepreneur with a passion for applying breakthrough technologies to established business models. At age 17, he founded Courtesy Vending to help pay for college, then propelled the company to become the largest independent vending operator in the Portland area. Anticipating the rapidly evolving technology needs of vending operators, Patel again applied his entrepreneurial instincts, business savvy and industry experience to launch VendScreen Revolution™; a game-changing product which advances vending’s position in the retail channel.
Glenn Butler is a serial entrepreneur, having been involved in many startups from the “garage” stage to pre- and post-VC funding. Only two years out of college, he co-founded Streamware Corporation and sold it 10 years later to Crane Co (NYSE: CR). In addition to focusing on VendScreen, Inc., Butler is a contributing editor to Automatic Merchandiser magazine.
For more information, please visit http://www.vendscreen.com
VendScreen Revolution is a trademark of VendScreen, Inc.
Maggie Palmer
VendScreen, Inc.
(888) 748-4249 805
Email Information
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Healthy Vending Machines: What Would You Stock In Yours?
May 12th, 2012
Craving a late afternoon snack? For many of us, satisfaction is found in the form of a vending machine.
But what if instead of a bag of Cheetos, out came a perfectly-portioned string cheese? Or what if instead of a blueberry Pop Tart, four quarters got you a handful of actual blueberries? Or instead of a Coke, a seltzer water?
We have a hunch those changes would add up. According to data from the Institute of Food Technologists, a whopping 25 percent of Americans’ daily calories come from snacks, making those often-mindless noshes just as important as any meal when considering a healthy overall eating plan. In fact, snacks add on a full 580 calories to the average person’s diet every single day.
For some of us, opting for a Snickers over a pack of almonds comes down to convenience — as much as we encourage people to plan ahead, the reality is that a vending machine is often the only choice, especially in the middle of a busy workday. Some vending machine companies have begun to notice the need for healthier options, swapping out, say, candy bars for an organic yogurt. But for many, healthy vending is still a dream.
When HuffPost Healthy Living asked our online community what they’d stock in a healthy vending machine, the responses went wild. Popular answers included hummus (a filling source of iron, fiber, manganese and other nutrients), grapes (a one-cup serving is loaded with healthy nutrients, including potassium), greek yogurt (a calcium- and protein-filled snack when served plain), green tea (which is packed with healthy properties) and soybeans (which are which offer tons of protein, calcium and iron).
We were inspired. And hungry. So we put together some of our favorite (and playful — red wine, anyone?) suggestions. Click through, then tell us what healthy snacks do you wish were in your office vending machine?
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Tri Leisure healthy option vending sales down
May 12th, 2012
By Brandi Morin
Posted 2 days ago
A new initiative to start providing healthier food choices in vending machines saw a decrease in vending sales for the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre (TLC) in the past three years.
The TLC is currently a part of a study being conducted by the University of Alberta and is one of three across the province to participate.
They started offering snack foods that are lower in salt and fat content such as baked chips and granola bars, as well as low sugar beverages such as water, diet and sport drinks.
“From what we hear not many other facilities in Alberta have implemented this,” said general manager, Deborah Larson. “It’s kind of a new initiative. We haven’t gone totally healthy. Our concession owners still provide a full range of foods. We’re just providing as many healthy choices for people so that there’s a choice.”
The study has completed its first phase that looked at implementing Alberta guidelines for healthy choices. Now it is moving into Phase Two, which will be focusing on training opportunities and educating people about healthy food choices.
“There’s internal benefit as far as some of the services that we offer,” said Rob Savrich, manager of programs, marketing and events. “We’ve been building nutritional coaching services over the last few years, we have contract dietitians on staff and as that education piece gets out there are more opportunities to get those services out to the public as well.”
Larson said low vending sales numbers may be attributed to a lack of education and the time it takes to change health perceptions. She also said they have no plans to bring back regular junk food.
“We’re committed to staying with what we’ve done. For us eating healthy is just a part of active living so the two go hand in hand for us,” ended Larson.
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Healthy Vending Machines: What Would You Stock In Yours?
May 10th, 2012
Craving a late afternoon snack? For many of us, satisfaction is found in the form of a vending machine.
But what if instead of a bag of Cheetos, out came a perfectly-portioned string cheese? Or what if instead of a blueberry Pop Tart, four quarters got you a handful of actual blueberries? Or instead of a Coke, a seltzer water?
We have a hunch those changes would add up. According to data from the Institute of Food Technologists, a whopping 25 percent of Americans’ daily calories come from snacks, making those often-mindless noshes just as important as any meal when considering a healthy overall eating plan. In fact, snacks add on a full 580 calories to the average person’s diet every single day.
For some of us, opting for a Snickers over a pack of almonds comes down to convenience — as much as we encourage people to plan ahead, the reality is that a vending machine is often the only choice, especially in the middle of a busy workday. Some vending machine companies have begun to notice the need for healthier options, swapping out, say, candy bars for an organic yogurt. But for many, healthy vending is still a dream.
When HuffPost Healthy Living asked our online community what they’d stock in a healthy vending machine, the responses went wild. Popular answers included hummus (a filling source of iron, fiber, manganese and other nutrients), grapes (a one-cup serving is loaded with healthy nutrients, including potassium), greek yogurt (a calcium- and protein-filled snack when served plain), green tea (which is packed with healthy properties) and soybeans (which are which offer tons of protein, calcium and iron).
We were inspired. And hungry. So we put together some of our favorite (and playful — red wine, anyone?) suggestions. Click through, then tell us what healthy snacks do you wish were in your office vending machine?
“;
var coords = [-5, -72];
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FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, ‘top’, {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: ‘clear-overlay’});
});
Posted in Information | No Comments »
Tri Leisure healthy option vending sales down
May 10th, 2012A new initiative to start providing healthier food choices in vending machines saw a decrease in vending sales for the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre (TLC) in the past three years.
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