Holland Produce Promotion will be exhibiting a newly developed vending machine for fruit and vegetables at Grüne Woche (Green Week) in Berlin next week.
The promotion organisation recently finished its Dutch FreshDay Vending pilot project, which saw it install 24/7 snack vending machines in schools and factory canteens.
The major problem with provision of fresh produce in these locations is perishability.
During the pilot that involved partners from several sectors, a customised vending machine, with a specially developed cooling system, was trialled, with the aim of creating a new channel to provide consumers with fresh produce, snack fruit and smoothies.
The participants were: Automaten Centrale Neede, Albron, Chiquita, DeliXL, Fruity King, Inova Fruit, Rainbow Growers, Syntens, Tuinderij Vers, Unilever (Knorr Vie), Hero, Van Marrewijk & Van Mil (Tommies), Vezet (Znek) and Holland Produce Promotion.
The pilot indicated that fresh vending can be carried out on a commercial basis.
The machines are available under licence from Holland Produce Promotion, and 30 companies have already indicated an interest in implementing the initiative.
