Tilly’s Travels on t’ Internet October : a collection of interesting news stories from the world of vending.
Hello again!
October. The start of the Spooky Season. Toffee apples, tricks and treats, and of course, more slightly whacky stories from the world of vending. From North Wales to New York; from mystery machines to Japan’s bid to reduce waste… Let’s go!
We begin Tilly’s Travels on t’ Internet October in the ‘Big Smoke’, also known in these parts as ‘That London’. Remember Biblio-Mat, the book vending machine at the Monkey’s Paw antiquarian shop in Toronto, created by Craig Small? Well now, there’s Literarium. This machine adds to the ‘all things vintage’ ethos of Jack White’s Third Man Records. Click this link to read the fascinating history of the machine and its intriguing designer.
A new, contactless tea vending machine? ‘Hold the front page!’ But this might actually be a big deal, if it heralds the increasing penetration of vending in India. An outfit called Cherise has set about making vending more hygienic, accessible and affordable. Following this link will take you there. And actually, it’s QI.
Tilly’s Travels on t’ Internet October
There’s an interesting look at Selecta through the lens of PYMNTS.com, which the portal has filed under ‘Unattended Retail’, as opposed to ‘vending’… It’s always an eye-opener when a stranger wanders into our neck of the woods and offers a fresh insight. Take a look here. It falls short of our own interviews with Selecta’s Paul Hearne, but that can only be a good thing 🙂
Question: How much did you pay for the last cold beverage you purchased either between a class or during a break at work? How many said ‘too much’? A vending machine in Southwest Japan has found a way to bring the public cheaper cold drinks and at the same time, reduce waste. Starting from 10 yen (around 65p) this machine sells products that are close to their use by date, or have been superficially damaged, at a fraction of their original cost. A fella called, Michinori Kawagoe set up the company in 2019, and already he has 2000 vending machines out there. Read more about this amazing and sustainable development programme.
And on a similar theme, Minatoku has collaborated with Nestle to create food loss reduction packages. As previously mentioned, Japan is a leading country in the reduction of food waste. These boxes also offer food that’s passed ots sell-by date but is still edible. The machines are located in train stations and office blocks. So, what do you think? read more here and let me know.
A new trend appearing in vending, especially in rural parts of the UK such as North Wales and Cumbria, is milk vending. Neuadd, in Cemaes, has had the planning permission they need to get started withheld by Anglesey Council. The good news is that a petition has garnered several hundred signatures, including those of local business leaders and councillors, that aims to get the farm up and running. Hopefully by next month, we will know what’s what. For now, have a look here to get up to speed.
Tilly’s Travels on t’ Internet October : One restaurant in Ohio has been on the receiving end of a special gift this month. The original owner of Mike’s Place in Kent, Ohio, has donated a vintage 1950s PepsiCo machine to complete the restaurant’s recent renovations. I have a sneaking suspicion that this machine will become the centre piece of the whole shebang. Look here.
Meanwhile, the TikTokracy is obsessing over a ‘secret’ convenience store in New York City that has a bizarre ‘mystery’ vending machine. It has, apparently, appeared out of thin air. The machine itself is unusual, as it accepts anything from 2 dollars to 20-dollar bills and dispenses novelty sweets and fizzy drinks, which is sooo Willy Wonka. take a look here.
Alexis Moulton, meanwhile, has been on a mission around Tampa Campus to review vending machines. Thanks to intrepid Alexis, students can check out which machine has the best water, which is best for bargains or where to find the best multipurpose vending machine. You can only imagine how tough life was before such a facility was available. Click here to read into the review of the on campus vending solutions. Will you be surprised, or not?
Finally, Amazon is trialling a new way to show parents the top 10 toys that are set to be ‘must haves’ for this festive season. The first ‘trending machine’ (geddit?) has appeared on the Embankment in London, with none other than Rachel Riley advertising it. Machines like this will be on a road trip around the UK, to find out more, take a look here.
That’s all folks! See you next month for fireworks, woolly jumpers and more of vending’s most interesting articles and updates.
Previous ‘Tilly’s Travels on t’ Internet’ are available HERE on Planet Vending
