Automatic_Merchandiser_October-November_2020 - 22

markets, Smart N Go controlledaccess coolers, and contactless delivery solutions. Avanti is also seeing
increased interest in its planogram
tool because it allows for flexibility
to quickly change micro market
layouts and manage products.
Vending machines are also a
24/7 substitute to fill the staffed
foodservice void. One novel
machine that can easily be added
alongside micro markets or offered
in their place is Le Bread Xpress'
Bake Xpress, which delivers a menu
of hot, gourmet foods including
quiches, pizzas and sandwiches that
are partially prepared at a traditional bakery before being freshly
baked at the time of order.
The company's first machines
have been in operation in California
for a year through a partnership with
Compass Group and are gaining traction at retail, university and corporate
locations, including at a large office
park and manufacturing site and the
University of California, Berkeley
near its Bay Area headquarters. Le
Bread Xpress is installing additional
units at university sites and several
machines in Dubai, with additional
installations planned. The company is
also custom branding machines for a
bakery chain in Portland, Ore.
"It's been a challenging year but
those challenges have made automatic
retailing and touchless food delivery
one of the most desirable solutions for
the future, and we're seeing demand
for many different uses and locations,"
said Benoit Herve, CEO and founder
of Le Bread Xpress.

TOUCHLESS AND
CASHLESS ARE NO

LONGER OPTIONAL

COVID-19 has ramped up requests
for touchless solutions to minimize
the spread of the virus through shared
surfaces and the trend is measurable,
with both 365 Retail Markets and 32M

Placing signage around the micro market
helps remind customers about the safety
precautions operators are following.
Avanti Markets

reporting that biometric purchases
edged down by 10%.
"Touchless is clearly here to stay
on coffee machines, kiosks and vending machines with payment by apps
and cards only growing, but we need
to continue to offer flexibility and
options," Hessling emphasized.
32M updated its kiosk purchase
and checkout process to be 100%
touch-free in response to client
requests, which requires no mobile
app, key fob or any other device. The
company also revamped its mobile app,
which allows customers to select items
from their store and pay using their
phones. Next up from 32M will be a
touchless bean-to cup coffee machine
that integrates with its kiosks, launching by the first quarter of 2021.
Another innovation 32M has
brought to markets is its "COVID
handle" for cooler and freezer doors,
which allow employees to use their
forearms to open the cooler or freezer
instead of having to touch the handles.

Josh Rosenberg, former chairman
and CEO of Pflugerville, Texasbased Accent Food Services, is now
CEO of USA Bottling (Crystal Lake,
Ill.), a manufacturer of surface and
hand sanitizers and disinfectants.
Its lineup includes Via Clean hand
sanitizer foam that provides six-hour
protection and a game-changing
protectant that seals surface areas to
prevent bacteria and virus growth for
90 days. It can be applied to vending
and coffee machines, micro market
kiosks, break room cabinets, counters and fixtures and on any other
high-touch points.
"We suggest operators sell sanitization as a service," Rosenberg emphasized. "It can be done in a break room
or throughout an entire facility to provide added value for the location and
create new revenue for the operator."
He instanced a blind operator
who was only able to keep his vending
machines on-site at the University of
Ohio amid the pandemic by using
Bottling USA's surface protector. Hand
sanitizers have become a necessity at
all locations across the board.
"PPE [personal protective equipment] is in vending machines and
micro markets everywhere, and
several suppliers sell into our space,"
added 365 Retail Markets' Hessling. "Take more solutions to your
clients. They trust and know us and

SANITIZATION AND PPE
ARE KEY

"Our operators are being asked to
show they can create and maintain
a safe environment in the markets
they place," said Reilly.
"So, there is still a huge
emphasis on cleaning
Le Bread Xpress' Bake
Xpress delivers a menu of
procedures with estabhot, gourmet foods.
lished protocols."
Le Bread Xpress

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