Ian Reynolds-Young
As the current holder of the Vendie Award in the category ‘Best Vending Operator (£2-5m)’, Excel Vending has every right to be proud of the standards of service it delivers to its customers.
Excel is the only Scottish vending company to attain the ‘grand slam’ of ISOs: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 – and the only one in Scotland that consults a dedicated nutritionist systematically. Why?
‘To ensure that the products in our Healthier Eating range are the genuine article, and comply with NHS and Educational Guidelines’, Excel Director John McDonald told PV.
‘If the nutritionist says ‘yes’, then our tasters take over’, John added. ‘Seriously, we have a tasting committee and if it tastes like cardboard, we won’t be selling it, regardless of the fact that it might be ‘good for you’. It has to be ‘completely delicious’ to make the cut for our customers.’
Excel says it ‘stand out from the crowd in vending because we actively promote healthy eating to our customers.’ ‘We’re happy to hold tasting days to give customers the opportunity to ‘vote’ new products in, or out’ John says, ‘which is not to say that we ignore the wishes of those customers with more ‘traditional’ requirements…
Bearing in mind all of the above, Excel’s current promotion of the Diablo low-sugar and sugar-free range of confectionery is as good an endorsement of the new range as the vending industry can provide.
‘As the name suggests, Diablo has developed some truly tasty treats, but with a careful eye on sugar content.’, John said. ‘We’re delighted to have added Diablo Strawberry & Cream Sweets and Diablo Cranberry & Raspberry Muesli Bars to our machines.
‘In recent years we’ve worked with many companies, including the NHS, keen to offer a range of snacks catering to the health conscious and the Diablo range is designed to be diabetic sensitive: most products have no added sugar and some are sugar free.’
Given the current media attention focussed on the evils of sugar, there’s never been a better time for businesses with a healthy living policy to stock these products and provide their customers with new, health conscious – but above all, in John’s view, ‘delicious’ snacks.
‘As well as being moreish’, John admitted a little guiltily, ‘Diablo’s Strawberry and Cream Sweets are just 13 calories per sweet and they are sugar free, so they’re ideal for everyone.
The second product Excel is stocking in its vending machines is designed for those on the go. ‘It’s the Cranberry and Raspberry Muesli Bar, our favourite of Diablo’s breakfast style bars. It’s full of fruit and muesli goodness’, John said.
Diablo’s whole range is designed to cater for diabetics who should follow a low sugar diet but despite that, apparently, they taste great! ‘They’re not simply a healthy ‘alternative’ but snacks that we would reach for – but don’t take our word for it, try one’, John said.
Excel has been ‘on a roll’ these past couple of years and it’s clearly enthusiastic about Diablo, but in the blog and on the web site, Excel is asking for customer feedback and rest assured, they’ll take the feedback on board.
Given Excel’s award-winning track record and its backing of Diablo low sugar / no sugar confectionery, we imagine there are a number of operators out there – not to mention one or two owners of ‘traditional’ brands – who’d just love to get a sneak peek at the initial numbers…
