Westomatic Vending Services Ltd has a new addition to its UK sales team with the appointment of Tony Greensill as our Vending Sales Manager for the North. Tony has over 20 years of valuable experience ranging from technical support to account management for a number of leading vending brands, most recently with Brita Water Filters.

Following on from the success of AVEX 2011, the Automatic Vending Association (AVA) is delighted to announce that AVEX 2013 will be held once again at the NEC, Birmingham from 11^th-13^th June 2013!

AVEX 2013 will be developed with the planned introduction of several new areas to the exhibition; and a Hospitality Bar at the end of the first day and a Gala Dinner on the second evening will offer both exhibitors and visitors alike improved business networking opportunities.

Seaga , a full-service, global supplier of vending machines and the North American Master Distributor of Saeco coffee machines, has announced the appointment of David Llewellyn as General Manager of Seaga UK Ltd and Seaga Caffè.

Vendex North returned to Old Trafford (home to none other than Manchester United) on 15th November, offering the perfect platform for vending manufacturers and suppliers in a variety of sectors. Vending International reports...

Vendex 2011 proved once again to be an exciting and successful show, with a good variety of sectors represented. Showcasing its ability to supply all parts to all vending industries, Abbeychart enjoyed good footfall throughout the day with Sales & Marketing Manager, Linzi Sahota-Moore, commenting; “Vendex allowed us to speak to a number of customers and potential new leads whilst also being able to follow up on some current projects. Basically, a good show!”

Already extremely popular around the world, the Let’s Pizza vending machine has finally arrived in theUK. Currently being installed in venues across the country, the pioneering technology is a cost-effective option for catering managers thanks to an innovative design which allows it to serve up freshly baked pizza around the clock – in just three minutes!

There is no doubt that pre-prepared meals are convenient. The ‘stab, stab, ping, ping’ approach to cooking is common in households and offices across theUK. In this age of austerity eating out is a luxury we can ill afford which is why the gourmet style ready meal, with the promise of using only the freshest ingredients, is a much more cost effective option…

Concerns about rising obesity levels and other dietary related diseases make healthy eating a constant cause for concern. While much of the focus is often on food in schools, being able to eat healthily outside of the home is an ongoing issue for the consumer.

Vending International investigates…

As recently as five years ago, there was a common perception amongst consumers that vended coffee was sub-standard compared to what was offered on the high street. As cafes popped up across the country, vending lost out and operators suffered from decreasing sales and plummeting profits.

Paul Freeman, Marketing Director at Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems UK, explains how the vending sector has been grabbing back a share of the Out-of-Home hot beverage market.

On Wednesday 23 November 2011, as part of his last tour as Executive Chairman of AVS, Brian Tustain visited the new Barry Callebaut Vending UK Ltd premises in Lea Green St Helens.

The association between Fekade Zewde and Brian - pictured - is one stretching back to the earliest days of the AVS Group of companies.

Christmas is just around the corner and we’re very much looking forward to celebrating the year’s successes with you at the AVA Christmas Lunch on 8th December! We’ve secured an amazing venue – LSO St Luke’s, home to the world famous London Symphony Orchestra – so if you’ve not already booked your ticket, please contact Bridget as soon as possible. There are just 2 tables left! Mark Pawsey MP has kindly accepted our invitation and will be joining us for lunch and sharing a few words with us after we’ve all eaten. We’ve even got a top secret act to entertain us too!

Three years ago Hard Rock Cafe Europe were looking to improve their coffee experience and establish a corporate partner that was Pan European; Lavazza was the perfect fit. Three years on and Lavazza coffee is now served in the majority of Hard Rock’s EU Corporate Cafes.

Lavazza participates in the active training of Hard Rock staff in the countries it partners. Both parties feel that this is vital to the success of the partnership as Hard Rock and Lavazza both place a lot of value on training and service and so invest heavily in training practices and procedures.

The Board of Directors of N&W Global Vending S.p.a. is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Zocchi as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1st January 2012. He succeeds Antonio Cavo, who - in a planned succession process - will remain as Chairman ensuring a smooth transition and management continuity.

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions attended the Vendex North exhibition on the 15^th November held at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United Football club. Vendex North is one of the most established and respected events for the UK vending industry.