From Micro Markets to health trends, food to go in the workplace is an ever-changing sector. Elyas Coutts, CEO at Connect Vending, elaborates on partnerships with major suppliers.
Your business has three decades of experience in vending. In terms of food to go consumer trends, what key changes are you seeing now?
Since we started Connect Vending in 1996, consumer expectations have completely transformed. Back then, workplace environments were happy to deliver the bare minimum in terms of their food offering.
There has also been a material shift in attitude towards recruitment and retention of staff. Wellbeing is now front and centre, and companies must be seen to champion that. In addition, the high street, combined with intense decades of globalisation, has completely changed what is available to the consumer day to day.
People now expect quality food in the workplace – such as freshly made sandwiches, protein-packed salads, plant-based options and premium coffee, plus they want it round the clock.
In reality, they are now competing with the high-street brands, and rightly so. Employees deserve the same quality and variety from their on-site food offering as they’d get from popping out to a good sandwich shop. This shift is the single biggest change we’ve seen, and it drives everything we do at Connect.
FTG is on a real high in the UK – is that your experience too?
Absolutely. It’s how people today choose to consume food & beverage. The high street is already heavily saturated, with almost too many brand names, but this has created an opportunity in workplaces.
Employers are increasingly looking for ways to keep staff on site to boost productivity and improve wellbeing. So, the best-quality fresh food has become a genuine retention and engagement tool – and businesses are seeing real results.
In recent years, we have witnessed the ‘trendification’ of categories. This is where a consumer trend arrives, such as veganism, and becomes a must-have product line. You will literally win or lose contracts based on the perception of say sustainability, or healthy options, or even more acutely vegan/gluten free or gut health, etc.
How do you get the message of ‘freshness’ across with machine vending?
It starts with the equipment. The fresh food vending machines and smart fridges used in our builds are glass fronted and strategically merchandised, so the quality is immediately visible.
But the real key is the supply chain. We work with premium suppliers, like Simply Lunch, who are delivering short shelf-life, handcrafted products on a regular cycle. Packaging also makes a a big impact.
Clear use-by dates and recognised branding also do a lot of work. Finally, our merchandising team are on site regularly, managing stock rotation meticulously, with every visit involving date checks, rotation and cleaning. Merchandising products by colour, brand and category is impactful on the visual appearance, just like a shop.
Who do you work with – and who would you like to work with going forward?
We partner with some fantastic fresh food suppliers, including Ginsters, Tanpopo, Raynors, Tiffin and Food for Now. Having such a wide range of relationships is important because every workplace is different, with a variety of needs. Simply Lunch is a great example of the kind of business we value. They offer an extensive range of products, including MADE premium and basic.
Moving forward, we would like to expand our product ranges and stay at the forefront of consumer trends and preferences. Ultimately, we are always looking to develop our offerings.
What does the future look like for your business and FTG?
It’s incredibly promising. Consumer trends are shifting towards the need for more choice, wider product ranges and more convenient access to fresh food. We are also seeing an increase in the role of technology, with smart fridges on the rise and new methodologies available to supply FTG in workplaces. And there’s a massive opportunity in workplace catering spaces.
Independently of this, our fast-moving consumables for kitchen spaces continues to grow, and there’s a growing customer demand.
What really sets us apart is our ability to offer Micro Markets, smart fridges and event catering through wholesale. We can do this interchangeably and simultaneously to match the specific circumstances and needs of each workplace. On top of this, there’s a real growth in high-street vendors looking to expand into workplace catering, which opens up even more doors for us.
For more information, visit connectvending.co.uk.