As this issue of Vending International was about to go to press, the Automatic Vending Association announced the publication of its 2008 Census which, of course, reflects the figures for 2007. While some of the main findings of the survey follow, an in-depth report will appear in the next issue.
The 2008 census revealed that the star vending performers were traditional beverage vending machines. These, which now account for about half of all refreshment machines, enjoyed a 10 per cent increase (an extra 21,000 machines) in population between 2003 and 2007 and a 2 per cent rise between 2006 and 2007.
They were, however, the only sector to record positive growth, with much of it coming from the power of freshbrew and, in particular, freshbrew table-top machines which recorded a 10 per cent increase (4,564 machines) between 2006 and 2007.
No doubt this is a reflection of both consumer demand for top quality drinks which replicate (and even improve upon) the high street coffee shop experience, and the smaller workplaces which now benefit from what vending has to offer.
In-cup machines have continued to decline, while can machines, with a loss of almost 3,000 machines between 2006 and 2007, are no doubt feeling the impact of changes in the regulations on vending in schools. Good news for machine throughputs, however, is that the bulk of cans vended in the workplace are at 60p or above and away from work some 45 per cent of vended sales are at more than 65p.
The same level of decline has not been seen on snack and food machines, however. This indicates that, while there has been a reduction in the number of confectionery machines in schools, new machines have been welcomed in other sectors of the marketplace.
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