Mark Rhodes, Marketing Manager at Westomatic says: "Busy educational establishments are finding that healthy vending options can provide an excellent extension of the food service, especially at times when the dining rooms are very busy or closed. Following a successful project with schools in Devon, we found that in many cases, given the choice, children will select the healthier choices of food and drink options for example smoothies, cereal bars, or low-fat popcorn. We are also seeing plenty of interest in our Azure point of use water dispenser, as the benefits of drinking water for children are increasingly well documented with studies showing that water reduces tiredness and can have beneficial effects on pupils' concentration. The Azure has already proved popular with schools as far a field as Canada and Italy as well as in the UK."

Westomatic says that healthy drinks and snacks are not only getting top marks from students. With the credit crunch biting, education authorities agree that offering a range of healthy and organic snacks and drinks can be a valuable source of additional revenue. The fact that the education authorities can buy British, with all Westomatic's machines sourced and manufactured in the UK, is an added bonus.

The new standards for school food vending became mandatory from September 2007, stipulating that children are given the chance to eat nutritious foods, while educating them on the importance of a healthy diet. To support this, Westomatic has developed stylish health conscious branding on its SnackPoint range of machines, incorporating the BDA's Balance of Good Health Chart that promotes the benefits of a balanced diet in terms of increased alertness and reduced fatigue, and this has been a big hit with schools, colleges and universities. When fitted with the School-Friendly Timer facility schools can also ensure that snacks are only available from the vending machine during allocated break times and at lunch.

Fluctuating air temperatures are no problem for Westomatic's SnackPoint range, with its total temperature control system, so the machines can be sited anywhere on the school site. And the SnackPoint Duo with its dual temperature zone is popular with sites wanting to offer sandwiches and cans for example, alongside options such as yoghurts and smoothies.

www.westomatic.com

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