Having skipped breakfast and abandoned our sandwich making chores to make it to work on time, grabbing a bite to eat on the way is more a necessity than a treat. As the nights draw in and we return from work late, it’s easier to buy a ready made meal at work or en route than it is to go to the supermarket and cook from scratch at home. Emulating the efforts of a celebrity chef is fine in theory, but in practice, we would all much rather be cooked for after a hard day at the office...

The value of the fast-food sector has increased by 16.4% over the past 5 years, rising from £8.33bn in 2006 to £9.7bn in 2010. Further increases are predicted for the future, with Key Note projecting that value sales of fast food will top the £10bn mark for the first time this year, reaching £10.08bn. In the long term, Key Note has predicted that the fast-food and home-delivery sector will have grown to £11.86bn by 2015, up by 17.7% from 2011 and up by 42.3% from 2006.

Once upon a time, a take away was a pizza or maybe a curry delivered to the door in under an hour. The other alternative was to visit a fast food outlet and escape the washing up altogether. Vending machines were filled with snacks, not meals: the perception was that if you wanted something hot  and nutritious to eat, this was not the place for it. Oh how times have changed; from pizza to wraps, burgers to world wide cuisine - vending machines offer a whole host of competitively priced culinary delights, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Fully automated canteens with a considerably lower footprint than the traditional cafeteria and none of the associated running costs, vending is a good solution for businesses that need to increase the productivity of their staff, while operating under strict budgets. With few employees taking a full lunch hour off site, use of a vending machine would encourage them to remain in the office for longer, having quickly and conveniently satisfied their hunger.

With the demands of modern life keeping us out of the kitchen for much of the week, it’s hardly surprising that sales of fast food are increasing - but how big a slice of the market has vending really taken? Is it being taken seriously as an alternative to the traditional fast food outlet, or is there some way to go? A recent Euromonitor report seems to suggest that vending has transformed its image in recent years: "The development of a more modern vending infrastructure, thanks to the use of machines with more recent technology, is a major factor boosting the image of the vending channel. Hence, the consumer perception of vending has gradually changed, with a greater trust in the reliability of the machines and in the quality of the products that they offer."

Leading market research company, Mintel explains further why the vending machine has become a serious contender for the fast food crown: “Convenience is the one constant among vending machines, extending back to their earliest days. Furthermore, these machines give product manufacturers a way to extend the reach of their products in a cost-effective way. In some ways, this remains the core appeal of vending machines as operators are attracted to their high profitability per square foot, and consumers are still seeking immediate gratification when buying from a vending machine.”

Writing for the Independent in October, Rebecca Armstrong commented on the launch of a vending machine in New York which produces a freshly rolled, sauced and baked pizza in 90 seconds. “Fast, fresh(ish) food at the touch of the button, which is discharged with a throw-away pizza cutter and napkin. The 30-minute waiting time for a Domino’s delivery suddenly seems positively glacial,” she says, alluding to the direction of fast food in the future. Whatever the opinion on modern life and the decline of the family meal time, the vending industry is responding quickly to consumer demand, driving trends and competing with some of the biggest players in the fast food industry.

HOT Choice Automated Systems aims to provide America with the ability to “indulge in their favourite brands in locations where food service is not typically available.” The company claims to have created the only automated diner that’s versatile enough to cook a wide range of products - from sandwiches to pizzas to chicken strips - all of which are delivered in, you guessed it, approximately 90 seconds. What’s interesting about these machines is that the dinner is contained entirely within the machine, all the customer has to do is make his selection, pay and the food is delivered - not even minimal preparation is required.

Back in the UK, hot food vending continues to improve with much of the focus being on a healthier alternative to the usual fat laden fast food diet.

A leading supplier of microwaveable snacks, Feasters has selected Jofemar’s ‘Gourmet’ hot food vending machine for its latest initiative in the vending market. Feasters is a division of Eatwell UK, which sells 33 million microwave snacks each year through the retail trade, including distribution in the major supermarkets. Having turned their attention to vending, Feasters scoured the market for a suitable machine and the Gourmet, with its integral, professional quality microwave oven was the stand-out choice.

Founded in 2005, Feasters has grown rapidly since its formation, basing its marketing strategy on low calorie, low fat snack meals. The initial vending range consists of five meals – quarter pound cheeseburger; chicken sandwich; ham and cheese melt; barbeque pork ribs and a bacon, sausage and egg breakfast baguette. These are of the same high standard as Feasters’ domestic products but, since vended products are reheated in the wrapper before dispense, considerable research and development was undertaken to perfect the packaging. The cost of each meal is set by the operator or the site itself, however, Feasters recommends a resale price of £2.50, which represents excellent value for a meal of this quality, yet yields a highly satisfactory gross margin.

The quality and nutritional value of the products is without question and belies public perception of vended fast food. The cheeseburger is said to be the only one of its type to be made from 100% pure beef. The chicken sandwich is made using only chicken breast - no offcuts or reconstituted meat. The average calorific value of these meals is just 230 cal per 100g. The fat content is modest, too, and lower than either of the two best known high street fast food chains. None of the products in the range contains any trans fats (hydrogenated fats) whatsoever.

Feasters has selected Jofemar’s ‘Gourmet’ vending machine as the vehicle for its marketing initiative in vending. It is an advanced hot food vending machine with a built-in microwave oven, which is well suited to self-service. Once a selection is paid for, the machine does the rest, reheating the food integrally in a high power microwave. The maximum time any hot product will take to dispense is 90 seconds and the Gourmet may be used to vend all types of hot food.

Feasters is offering the machines on a free loan basis through distributors to qualifying sites based on a minimum throughput of 40 meals per day. The Feasters machine is telemetry controlled for total security and strikingly branded with the Feasters livery. It will suit a wide cross-section of outlets including workplaces, cinemas, universities, travel termini, shopping centres, hospitals and other public areas with a high footfall. One of the most recent installations is at a ferry terminal.

David Boothby, UK Vending Manager for Feasters, commented: “The Feasters brand is rapidly gaining a reputation as a nourishing, value for money snack. The brand is perfectly suited to vending, but finding a machine to do it justice was difficult, until we tested the Gourmet. There is nothing quite to match it on the UK market and it matches our requirements perfectly. Now we are seeking operators, wholesalers and food companies with chilled distribution facilities to help us to roll the business out across the UK.”

With the difficult economic conditions of recent years showing no signs of abating the business community continue to focus their attention on reducing costs.  A key area receiving attention is whether staff/customers can be served high quality, hot food more cost effectively than at present. Well, the answer is a resounding yes, and Bon Appetit has been reaping the benefits with their hot food vending service.

What sets Bon Appetit’s Hot Food Vending Service apart from other catering solutions is that is available 24 hours a day and also saves over 90% of the cost of a conventional workplace canteen. In a retail environment it is a profit generator.

Key business sectors now using the Bon Appetit service include hospitals, the military, call centres and logistics/distribution, with clients including the RAF, John Radcliffe Hospital, Nestle, Honda, Cambridge University, P&G, Barclays & Virgin Atlantic.

Whilst meeting key considerations of cost and availability the service would not succeed unless it met the demand for high quality, tasty food, which is quick to prepare, with plenty of choice and variety. Bon Appetit’s recent addition of their 2 breakfast muffins to their 8 product breakfast range is a good example of meeting staff/customer expectations.

Food at the touch of a button at prices the consumer can afford, hot food vending is yet another success story. In the office and educational establishment it will improve concentration, enhance motivation and boost productivity, while in the leisure and retail environment it will add value to the consumer experience and profit the business. With scope for new recipes and the technology to support, there is still plenty of opportunity for innovation in the market place, leaving consumers hungry for more top products every day.

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