The idea of ​​healthy vending is not new, but its success in the industry is. Most traditional vending machine operators think that healthy vending machines will fail because they have been doing it the wrong way. To ensure success in the healthy vending industry, you need to follow these 5 simple rules.

#1 Healthy Vending Machines Need to Stand Out

It’s impossible to distinguish yourself as a health food vending operator if you operate machines that look like traditional junk food dispensers. If your machine doesn’t stand out from the crowd and shout “I’m different!” it won’t attract health-conscious customers. Health-conscious customers won’t bother looking in a traditional vending machine because they know there’s nothing for sale that they’ll eat. If your machines don’t look fresh, clean, and high-tech, the health-conscious crowd you’re targeting won’t give your machines a second glance. Spend the money on a new high-tech vending machine, it may cost a bit more to get up and running, but it’s the only way you can expect success.

#2 Don’t combine healthy snacks/drinks with junk food

Hungry people lack self-control. A hungry customer might walk up to a vending machine with the intention of eating a bag of pita chips, but when he gets there and sees a Twix bar staring them in the face, his stomach takes over. There’s a reason millions of dollars are spent every year marketing junk food: it works! Those TV commercials have conditioned us to believe that these items actually make us feel good. 15 minutes after the candy or chips are gone, the customer regrets it and the healthy items are still in their machine. Combining junk food with healthy food will cannibalize your sales of healthy items. Keep them apart for massive success!

#3 Healthy selling is about the experience

Just like a traditional health food store, it’s about creating a better high-end experience for its customers. Think of your machines as “automated retail health stores” rather than just vending machines. Think outside the box when creating your product mix and don’t be afraid to experiment with items that haven’t traditionally been sold. Think about the needs and wants of your customers and develop a plan to satisfy them.

Example 1 If your machine is in a gym, think about the people in the gym and their needs: workout towels, water bottles, MP3 players, protein drinks, Nike+ gear, recovery pills, etc. All of these items can and will be sold to people who are in a gym.

Example #2 If you are sitting in a hospital, you are likely to feel one of two ways; either you are sick, or you are worried about getting sick because you are surrounded by sick people. What will you sell to people who are sick or worried about getting sick? Try putting immune-boosting supplements and hand sanitizers in your machines. Think about what items will provide value to your customers, and then provide those items!

#4 Find the right location

Healthy vending machines won’t succeed everywhere, so don’t put your machines in places destined to fail. Playgrounds that already have candy vending machines are an example of high-traffic areas that would not be a great location for a healthy vending machine. Kids armed with quarters probably can’t be trusted to make healthy choices when surrounded by machines that give out candy and toys. Some great locations for healthy vending machines include schools, gyms, health-conscious businesses, and hospitals. The key is to place your machines in high-traffic areas filled with health-conscious people. Use common sense and analyze your clientele. Your local dive bar probably won’t be a stellar place to promote your healthy snacks and drinks!

#5 Develop creative and healthy solutions for vending machines

Because eating healthy is something that will improve every aspect of your life, be sure to develop plans to encourage people to make good choices. It’s been proven time and time again that healthy employees are more productive and cost much less to insure than unhealthy employees, so convince your corporate locations to subsidize healthy products to increase uptake. This can be part of an overall wellness plan that integrates healthy vending machines with nutrition seminars and yoga exercises. The sky is the limit, any integrated wellness plan you can develop as an operator will help you get to the best locations. If you plan to put machines in schools, consider offering a youth entrepreneurship program that allows students to operate the machines themselves. This is the best of both worlds, students eat healthy and learn to run a business, and as an operator you get profitable school contracts. Creativity makes money!

Follow these simple rules and you’ll be on your way to sure success in the healthy vending industry!