Automatic_Merchandiser_June-July_2021 - 40

forward through all the unnecessary
parts, " Jacob said. " We run the
reporting and watch the transaction
history and cross reference with
human movement. If one Mountain
Dew was sold and anything else exits
the breakroom, it's a slam dunk.
Panoptyc also lets us see how a market
looks to be sure it's kept orderly, like
we're right there. "
THE HEAT IS ON
Hydration stations, also known as
heat-relief programs, are a boon for
business for MVG especially during
the hot-weather months, but also
year-round since it serves a heavy
manufacturing base with employees in
need of constant hydration.
" I'm showing how old I am, but I
remember when they gave employees
salt pills in the hot weather, " Todd
recalled. " Nowadays, when the
temperature reaches or exceeds 80
degrees, many of the manufacturing
facilities we serve supply free bottled
water or Gatorade syrup, or a machine
filled with Gatorade bottles on free
vend. Some give free popsicles. "
Prior to COVID-19, the norm
in large facilities was for Maumee
Valley to place five-gallon, bottledwater
coolers in different locations
throughout a plant so employees
would not have to leave the worksite
to hydrate. The coronavirus health
crisis prompted locations to replace
the coolers with small refrigerators
that MVG keeps stocked with their
beverages or frozen novelties of choice.
HAVE MICRO MARKETS,
WILL TRAVEL
In its early days, Maumee Valley
Vending employed fewer than 10
individuals who focused on serving
the local area. After moving to
Defiance in the 1950s, Maumee
Valley Vending's staff grew to more
than 50 people and serviced vending
machines in locations across a few
40 Automatic Merchandiser * June/July 2021
Zach Plassman, Jacob and Jordan's brother (who has moved abroad and currently
does not work at MVG) readies orders for delivery to its 700-plus locations throughout
Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.
counties in northwest Ohio. When
Todd joined his father at MVG in
1979, one of its largest accounts had a
sister plant in Indiana about an hour's
drive away, which further expanded
the operation's geographical reach.
Today, the company's service
extends to Cincinnati, Detroit and
South Bend because of how much
more efficient micro markets are
to service than vending machines
and the growth of the segment.
MVG's drivers rack up a collective
200,000 miles a month. The company
purchases 15,000-plus gallons of fuel
during the same time period.
" We can cover a lot of territory
OPERATION PROFILE
Maumee Valley
Group
Headquarters: Defiance, OH
Year founded: 1946
No. of employees: 175
No. of micro markets: 450
No of vending machines: 1,000
No of routes: 45
Equipment providers: Minus
Forty, Genesis Décor, Vendor's
Exchange
Tech providers: Avanti Markets,
LightSpeed Automation,
Cantaloupe, Azuga, Panoptyc
because drivers take only exactly
what they need, " Todd said. " Also,
it used to be they had to open and
fill 10 machines; now they go in and
replenish one micro market and are in
and out and on their way. "
He added that the company can
be profitable with accounts two hours
away drive time and that for some of
its largest routes, drivers must travel
four to five hours a day.
" Markets are a game changer, "
Todd commented. " We have to be
very thoughtful how we structure the
routes, and we have fantastic drivers. "
He added that maintenance costs
have gone down with micro markets
compared to vending machines
because many kiosk issues can be fixed
remotely with a reboot from a cellular
phone versus machine spiral jams that
require in-person service.
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