Dig in and check out my feature on Fairtrade. I read heartbreaking stories of extreme poverty during my research for this article. There really is no need to be apathetic, we can all give a little back simply by endorsing Fairtrade and Ethically produced products. A fair deal for the farmers of our goods has been a long time coming and as an industry we should not stop the drive toward shifting this unfair balance of power.

Hotels and Catering is another area of interest this month. I discovered a fantastic technology originating in Canada that allows for the payment of vended goods using the hotel room key! A huge money-spinner, it opens up more than a few direct marketing opportunities too!

By talking to the consumer, the trade and looking at a couple of market reports I also took the time to find out about what’s going on in terms of office refreshment. One person that I spoke to called for more junk food in the office, whilst another wanted to see more fruit! It’s certainly a difficult market sector to gauge. That said every office should have a well-stocked machine - we all know what it’s like to roll into work on an empty stomach, I’m sure!

Vending international has now launched its very own web site www.vendinginternational-online.com to run hand in hand with the publication. Here you will find all news articles, key features of the month and have access to the vending international archive where you may source information and contacts from previous editions. The directory section will be available in the near future to enable you to source products, ingredients and equipment suppliers. Please view the web site and join our monthly polls your comments are welcome at vending@datateam.co.uk

Enjoy

Becci Knowles

Features Editor

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