Healthy vending machines to improve student eating habits

Posted by Andrea Hogan on 16th August 2017

A Vendy Healthy Vending Machine

A number of healthy vending machines have been installed at Australia’s largest tertiary education providers, Monash University.

The 55 machines, provided by Vendy Healthy Vending, aim to encourage healthy eating by providing convenient snacks such as protein bars, coconut water, nuts and edamame.

Monash is the first university to implement the Victorian State Government’s Healthy Choices Guideline through the new vending machines. The machines are based off a traffic light system where green is the healthiest choice, amber is a sometimes food and red is a food which should only be consumed as a treat.

Making healthy eating convenient

Nutrition Australia’s Program Manager for the Healthy Eating Service, Margaret Rozman, said vending machines are a convenient way to grab a drink and snack when needed.

“It’s fantastic to see Monash University students now have access to healthier options that will give them the energy and alertness they need to fuel their studies,” Rozman said.

The initiative is part of Monash’s goal to be an accredited Healthy Workplace under the Victorian Government’s Healthy Workplace Achievement Program.

First step in making sure healthy food is on the menu

Monash University’s Chief medical Officer, Dr Vicki Ashton, said the vending machines were the first step towards improving the availability of healthy food choices for staff and students.

“We are now looking at how we can work with our food retailers and caterers to ensure our people always have access to healthy food on campus,” Dr Ashton said.

About Vendy Healthy Vending

Vendy Healthy Vending was established by two young Australian entrepreneurs, Simon Collins and Eamonn Hortle.

Vendy provides both healthy vending machines and vending machines for gyms, a service which they say is already proving popular.

“We were curious whether a healthy offering would result in a downturn in sales,” Vendy Director, Simon Collins said.

“However, the students have embraced the healthier offering, and some of our healthier selections have been best sellers, such as Cobs Natural Popcorn and Nutty Squirrel Dry Roasted Cashews.”

“What we are seeing is consumer behaviour truly changing – a recent study showed that 87 percent of vending consumers thought the current range of vending machine snacks are ‘too unhealthy’, with 80 percent willing to pay the same or even extra for healthier alternatives. This is the demand that we are trying to meet, and since launching our service at Monash University, sales show that the demand is there.”

 

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