Automatic Merchandiser - 31

feedback. That way, the company was
able to get some buy-in from employees prior to the rollout.
"We reached across the company to
different departments, explaining what
we saw as the future of the company,
how this new technology would allow
us to get to that future, the path that
would need to be taken and how it
affected them," Ted said. "To me, it's all
positive effects, but it was a big change,
and people generally don't like change."
Over the course of a few weeks,
they explained to employees what operations adjustments and improvements
were in store. Employees were able to
recommend how to make the rollout
more efficient and share concerns
about the changes. Upper management
was able to reassure employees and
address those concerns.
"We're really committed to having a
great team, keeping the right members on the team and moving them
forward," Ted said.
Casco Bay now runs its office coffee
service, vending and micro markets
through Cantaloupe. Running quality
reports to see the buying trends for the
industries they serve is critical, Ted said.
"I strongly believe the future of our
industry depends upon us understanding technology and understanding the
trends of our customers," Ted said.
SERVICE FOR THE STATE

Niki, who joined the company when Ted
acquired Pine State Vending and Canteen, has enjoyed seeing the rapid evolution within the industry. She also likes
the multifaceted aspects of the industry,
which has the business-to-business component, in which operators work with
the businesses they have as clients, and
the business-to-consumer component,
in which operators serve the individual
people who are making product selections from the vending machines, micro
markets and dining centers.
"No two days are the same because
technology is advancing so quickly that

Another busy day at one of Casco Bay's
three strategically placed warehouses
that service the state of Maine.

Assembling sandwiches at the Bangor
Culinary Center. With a rotating menu of
over 180 unique items, the company uses
local and whole ingredients as much as
possible. Offering Maine-made meals
to the hardworking employees of the
many organizations it partners with has
raised the level of quality in what can be
expected from the convenience industry.

it's really allowing us to dig into the
operations of our business and find new,
better and more efficient ways to service
our customers and our clients," she said.
As a relatively new professional in
the industry, she has also noticed that
consumers, in general, don't always
notice the impact of vending.
"I think what surprised me is that
people take vending for granted. They
just see it as a group of machines sitting
in a corner where you can get a beverage or a snack," Niki said. "I find it surprising that so many people miss the
bigger impact those machines have."
For example, Casco Bay has vending machines in emergency rooms,

where family members might wait for
hours to hear about the condition of
their loved ones and where staff have to
eat quickly during long shifts.
"In some cases, sandwiches and
entrees in our cold food machines
could be the only wholesome meal
some of those folks will have in a given
day," Niki said. "We're really providing
sustenance to hardworking Mainers
and therefore become an extension of
an employer's benefits program."
Casco Bay also encourages its
employees to become involved in
the community. It gives locally on an
ongoing basis to certain organizations,
like the American Heart Association,
Big Brothers Big Sisters and Coffee For
Our Troops, a local organization that
supports American military troops
from Maine who are stationed in the
Middle East.
Casco Bay has partnered with Coffee For Our Troops to send snacks, toiletries, popcorn and sundries to these
military members in appreciation for
their service. In return, the soldiers
send letters and pictures.
"We're putting together holiday
boxes right now that will include
Christmas lights, stockings, games and
snacks, to let our troops know we're
thinking about them," Niki said.

December 2019 * VendingMarketWatch.com

http://www.VendingMarketWatch.com

Automatic Merchandiser

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