In times where social distancing has become a way of life, contact-free hot food vending has hit Australia just in time.

This comes as food businesses across the country have been shaken to their core amidst the carnage and chaos spread by COVID-19. 

In March 2020 the Prime Minister announced lockdown measures and business restrictions in response to the pandemic. No one could have dreamt that over a year later, many of us would still be dealing with the same level of uncertainty.

For the last 20 or so years, we’ve worked in the food catering industry. When COVID-19 hit – we, like everyone else, could not have anticipated the fallout as we watched day after day, as event after event was put on hold or even worse cancelled – and nothing could be done! 

Jobs have been lost and businesses have been shut down, with many others just staying afloat wondering how they’ll manage to hold on in the face of an unknown future. When will this end? Is the thought going through so many people’s minds. Given that no one has a crystal ball, we can only hope that the future is brighter than what it’s been. 

It has to be said that despite such a bleak and dire situation, there are still a lot of business owners fighting to keep their heads above water by finding new and innovative ways to trade. For those of us who have been in the game long enough, we know that for every challenge, there is also an opportunity to adapt, evolve and reinvent the way we do things. 

In such a modern and progressive age, technology could be that life-line, especially for food operators. Yes, there have been many advances in the way we live and work since the spread of the virus but one of the biggest, could be the arrival of hot food, contact-free vending machines in Australia – Your Food Pal. With such a new concept to arrive on our shores, we’ve broken down the most common questions, so you can jump onto this incredible chance to future proof your business.

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD PAL?

For businesses who want to increase their earning potential, Your Food Pal is a multi-functional vending machine that uses smart technology to offer hot or cold, ready-made, contact-free food options for busy customers wanting quick and tasty tucker on-the-go.

With Your Food Pal you can deliver fast and convenient food options any time of the day or night!

Manufactured in Holland for over 50 years and made with the highest level of European technology – these hi-tech machines are now in Australia for the very first time.

WHO CAN USE YOUR FOOD PAL?

In short, anyone with a food business. Companies all around the world have used these machines for decades but they are especially popular in Europe where you’ll find Your Food Pal in hotels, restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, amusement parks, zoos, supermarkets, at events, in food trucks and at day or night markets, trade fairs and many more locations.

HOW CAN YOUR FOOD PAL HELP MY BUSINESS DURING COVID?

The answer is simple – Your Food Pal is completely cashless and contact free so there’s no risk of spreading any germs. On top of this, all of our machines are antibacterial coated to ensure food and customers are safe from harmful bacteria and viruses.

You can literally set up a Your Food Pal machine in any foot-traffic environment and continue to sell food with no additional staff overheads and customisable opening hours.

WHAT OTHER BENEFITS DOES THE MACHINE HAVE?

Where to begin!  

–   Completely automated system  

–   Contactless payment system compatible for all electronic payment options

–   In-built Time Control system to ensure food can only be sold within its food safe time-zone

–   Software allowing food to move and be tracked across different hatch positions to increase sales potential

–   Low staff costs

–   Internal sales management system to track products and sales figures

–   Ability to sell hot or cold food

–   No human-to-human contact

–   Internal sales management system to track products and sales figures

HOW DO I MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR FOOD PAL?

The same way you make money with your traditional food business – by selling food! But instead of you standing behind the counter all day, Your Food Pal does the hard work for you.

Starting from just over $8000, your business package will be completely customised and installed to your exact requirements and specifications – all you have to do is create delicious food, set the machine functions and leave Your Food Pal to work its magic with your customers.

You can use Your Food Pal as a stand-alone business option, or as an additional point of sale to work alongside your current offering. 

WHAT FOOD CAN I PUT INTO YOUR FOOD PAL?

The options really are endless – from hot food such as burgers, hot dogs, pizza and other delicious takeaway meals or snacks, or chilled delights such as donuts, desserts and more. Each food business has a different offering, which is why Your Food Pal is such a diverse and adaptable model.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?

For a business that not only pays itself off fast, but also allows you to create additional streams of revenue in a safe, contact-free environment without increasing overheads like staff costs – Your Food Pal really is a pal you can’t be without.

Get an innovative edge that leaves your competitors for dust and helps to mitigate some of the disastrous effects that COVID-19 has had on the food industry.

Request a no obligation FREE information pack today by emailing info@yourfoodpal.com.au

A massive opportunity for food businesses right now is to understand the rising demand around conscious consumerism, and how they can adapt their practises to better align with customer expectations.

There’s no denying that we all want to live in a better world, right? But perhaps, for some that is more important than it is for others. Take millennials for example – the generation born between 1981 and 1996 – who are fast becoming one of the most committed groups dedicated to conscious change around equality, climate change, peace and consumerism.

Not only do these pioneering Gen Ys seek to work for more diverse, inclusive and transparent workplaces, but this also comes across in their purchasing behaviours more than any other generation to date.

Social awareness of issues such as sustainable supply chains, living wages, animal welfare, packaging, food waste and overall impact on the planet are dictating the brands consumers trust and purchase from.

With the buying power of millennials now coming into full force, it makes sense for smart operators to adjust in key areas in order to get an edge over their competition and remain relevant in today’s ever-evolving market space.

Here are four basic areas to assess in order to keep up with customer’s beliefs and values.

MEATLESS OPTIONS

Younger generations are known to eat less meat than those of older groups. While not all are vegans or vegetarians, many are choosing to cut back on their animal in-take and lean towards plant-based food options to lessen the load on the planet while prioritising a healthier diet. Many companies have capitalised on this movement, offering consumers delicious tasting synthetic meat options that are derived from plants, giving them the chance to enjoy the traditional foods they know and love such as burgers, dumplings and fast-food. Including a sustainable food range within your product suite, gives you the opportunity to tap into this fast-growing market, which due to our current environmental landscape, is unlikely to slow down.

TRANSPARENCY ETHICALITY

On top of this, consumers are becoming more interested in the production line and transparency around how food got to their plate and into their tummies. There was a time not so long ago where as long as food tasted good, that’s all customers cared about – now, they want to know how ethical their meals and snacks are, and what practices they are supporting by eating the food that they’re buying. In fact, according to research by Innova Market Insights, transparency will be one of the top trends for the food and drink industry in 2021, with six in 10 global consumers interested in learning more about where foods come from. This of course stems from the broader momentum around sustainability. Finding ways to communicate transparency around your food products or services will go a long way in instilling faith and loyalty among customers now and in the future.

FIND WAYS TO SHOW YOU CARE

What does your company stand for? Companies that have principal-led practises that stand for something, will go far among today’s conscious consumers. Whether you’re a supermarket, a butchery, a tourist operation or even a school canteen – by centering your food business around a clear purpose that seeks to make a difference can be a game-changer in what customers you attract as well as the ones who will keep coming back.

THOUGHTFUL PACKAGING

Food businesses have long got away with thoughtless, single-use packaging that ends up as toxic pollution in our waterways and land-fill. Consumers are now demanding better and are voting with, you guessed it – their dollar. Investing in recyclable packaging that does not place burden on the planet will be much more favourable among millennials and their younger counterparts.

THE FUTURE IS YOURS

These are just some of the ways your food business can ensure it’s built for the future. In the next 10 years, the food industry is likely to see changes that are inconceivable today as climate becomes more extreme and humans have to find radical new ways to better live, work and of course eat together. The reality is, this transformation is already underway, with almost nine in 10 millennials saying they would buy from companies that supported solutions to specific social issues.

To learn more about how Your Food Pal can support your business throughout all of industry’s new and emerging trends, contact our team today.

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From Uber-eats to Click and Collect – there is one clear theme around how consumers are choosing to purchase and eat food – convenience is king.

Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen customer demand soar as food now not only has to be quick to access, but it also needs to be served safely and often-times in a contact-free environment.

Technology in this space has been rapid as operators move fast to adapt to the new landscape thanks to the global pandemic of COVID-19. But despite an abundance of innovation now at our fingertips, competition has been fierce making it even harder for businesses to find their foot-hold. 

FOOD INCREASINGLY OUTSOURCED

According to a report from Deloitte, a greater share of food budgets is going towards food that is prepared outside the home. In Australia, money spent on meals prepared outside the home has grown from 25% in the 1980s to more than one-third of household food expenditure today.

When you consider the additional expectations and responsibilities on families in this day and age, it’s not surprising the outsourcing of food preparation is appealing. The lure of tap and go business models, Uber Eats to your doorstep and app-based ordering, gives people back precious time in an extensively time-poor society.

Food businesses who move quickly to cater to busy customers who want to eat when and where it suits them, could have a clear advantage.

SMART TECH MAKES BUYING FOOD FASTER

And it doesn’t just have to be delivery that reigns supreme, with many traditional retailers, such as supermarkets, fast-food chains, restaurants and bakeries giving customers more fresh food options that offer convenience in amongst their fast paced lifestyles through a very unlikely source…vending machines.

For example, in every Shell Service Station positioned across Dutch motorways, you’ll find Your Food Pal – a multi-functional smart hot food vending machine used to sell snacks and meals. Why? Because customers don’t have to queue up for products and can pay quickly with contactless payment options.

PLUS is one of Holland’s leading supermarket chains. 

And, with over 200 stores, it’s no wonder the Dutch brand is up there as a favourite among customers. But it’s not just great groceries that PLUS does exceptionally well – they’re also a trend-setter when it comes to selling hot food from a vending machine. 

The progressive IGA type retailer says that using a Your Food Pal machine creates an inviting atmosphere that customers have come to know and love, all while making it easy to buy food without being held up in lines or queues. 

The added benefit of the machine’s in-built artificial intelligence and anti-bacterial coating to keep food and people safe from harmful bacteria and viruses, ensures that the convenience factor has also been matched with COVID-19 measures. 

THE FUTURE OF OUR PLATE

Every day, 7.7 billion people around the world eat, consuming 14.5 million tonnes of food. 

For many developed countries, technology is at the centre of how, when and where people are eating, driving a new and exciting food culture. With the ability to collaborate and outsource so many aspects of our lives, food and its level of its accessibility and convenience could be a deciding factor for consumers. 

The question is, how might your business adapt to these rising demands? 

For an option that delivers safety and convenience, talk to the team at Your Food Pal about our full turn-key business solutions.

Sale and lease options are available. Find out more here.

You may have thought it was impossible to enjoy fast-food faster than ordering it in your car at a drive-through, but the reality is, one clever business has managed to pull off quick and tasty food at a rate that’s more convenient than most could have ever imagined.

Meet Smullers – a fast-food restaurant chain in the Netherlands, located at 27 key transit locations, designed for busy commuters to grab food on the go. Smullers say the premise of their operation is to provide customers with delicious meal or snack options, contact-free and at lightning speed.

But how?

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

They do it with Your Food Pal.

Your Food Pal is a hot food vending machine that allows customers to purchase and devour food immediately.

The concept, which Smullers celebrates as a key part of its success, may sound genius but it’s actually pretty simple. Tap and go food for people who don’t have time to line up and order.

Shop manager, Rene Thielen, says the company has built its entire business around the Your Food Pal machine model.

FASTER FOOD = MORE SALES

“The machines generate most of our turnover. People disembark from the train and quickly want to grab some food. This is what our company Smullers is about. We cannot operate without them,” Rene says.

Be it French fries, sweet potato chips, croquettes, burgers or spring rolls, when customers are hungry – Smullers are there with Your Food Pal.

“By using the machines we are able to serve customers faster, which results in more sales.”

Rene says they have set up rows of the hot food vending machines to serve travellers as they come and go all day long.

“Most of our product is set at 30 minutes, because we’d like everything in the machine to be fresh. Having said that, it’s very unlikely that we have to throw out any food, because we have so much foot traffic and high turnover,” he says.

DEMAND SOARS

And it’s not just Smullers who are having major success with Your Food Pal. The machines are now exploding in a range of different locations and businesses, such as petrol stations, theme parks and supermarkets.

Your Food Pal owner Wiel Jansen says the possibilities for operators are endless.

“The machines can be placed almost anywhere there are people, offering additional streams of revenue for almost any business.”

He adds that low staff costs and being able to operate outside of normal business hours are all also key benefits.  

COVID-19 DEPENDABLE

Possibly one of the most important features given the current climate, Wiel says, is the fact that Your Food Pal is cashless and contact free.

“You simply tap the machine with your card and don’t have to worry about coming into contact with people.” 

And as an extra precaution Your Food Pal also has an anti-bacterial coating to ensure food and customers are safe from harmful bacteria and viruses

To enjoy the same benefits as Smullers and so many others, learn about how a full turn-key business solution from Your Food Pal could be just the thing you need to take your enterprise to the next level.

Sale and lease options are available. Find out more here.

PLUS is one of Hollands leading supermarket chains.

And, with over 200 stores, it’s no wonder the Dutch brand is up there as a favourite among customers. But it’s not just great groceries that PLUS does exceptionally well – they’re also a trend-setter when it comes to selling hot food from a vending machine.

INNOVATION MEETS HOT FOOD VENDING

The progressive IGA type retailer says that using a Your Food Pal machine creates an inviting atmosphere that customers have come to know and love.

“Your Food Pal does this in a number of ways,” PLUS supermarket owner Mathieu Linssen says.

“Your Food Pal helps us create a delicious and warm ambiance in our store, so when customers enter, they are much more inclined to buy.”

Mathieu also says that for them, the machines create a place for locals to connect.

“Our supermarket has also become a place where people like to meet. They grab their food and then hang around for a chat and a catch up while they have a bite to eat.”

SUCCESS FROM GOOD FOOD SOARS

According to Produce Business UK, it’s no surprise that the PLUS group’s success comes from it’s close relationships and love of quality food.

In a recent 2020 report they sighted PLUS, in a nutshell are, “A unique, close-knit cooperative of independent supermarket entrepreneurs that reflect a clear focus on good food”.

With annual revenues of over $4 billion in 2019, it’s clear their business model which is based around sustainability, fresh produce, great customer service and hot food vending is working.

“Our customers vary from young to old, but everyone likes using the Your Food Pal machines,” says Mathieu.

He adds that their customers most loved snacks from Your Food Pal are classics like meatballs, spiced meat sticks and sausages.

PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN STAGGERING

And while each PLUS store has it’s unique differences, one thing is for sure – sales from Your Food Pal always perform.

“Our average number of sales just from two stainless steel cupboards are around 900 a week.”

PLUS is a testament that warm and tasty food for people wanting satisfaction on the go, is a great addition to it’s traditional offerings.

To find out more about Your Food Pal and how it can work for you, browse our latest packages here.

To find out more about Your Food Pal and how it can work for you, browse our latest packages.