We make the SEEDA news

The government backed South East Enterprise Hub recently interviewed us to publish a news article about our successful application for (and winning) of the commercialisation funding.

They have provided good ancilliary support in addition to the funding award and I am continuing to work with them on future articles and news releases.

First sites agreed!

We've done it!

Today we signed up the first confirmed site - a really high profile and relevant site, too - William Reed business media in Gatwick, publishers of The Grocer amongst other industry topics - and we are very chuffed!

It looks like we shall also have a second site confirmed very shortly, another really high profile name that will add further credibility to our offering.

And we've got another few who are very keen to take things further, so we shall be carring out site surveys and checks to see if they are suitable locations to make a success for us and the client.

In all, we now have locations for around 6 machines pretty much signed up, and increasing interest for other locations, but note, we were only looking to launch with 10-15 machines for our pilot phase to complete our final proof of concept testing!

At William Reed we met today with Chris to plan out an appropriate launch strategy with them and we will be doing something along thse lines:
> internal awareness raising
> survey to staff
> Menu distribution
> external PR
> taste test to all staff
> banner promoting "machine coming!"
> installation
> ongoing feedback

Its all going in the right direction - and we got a good mention in the South East Business publication today, too.

Look out for a Go4Fresh machine in a location near you soon!

Promoting Healthy Eating at Work

Here's a great downloadadable booklet on how to promote healthy eating in the workplace. Of course, you could request a Go4Fresh machine and sit back and watch as your staff enjoy the fruits (and other healthy snacks!) of your efforts!

This was found on the Health Promotion Agency website.

Snacking trends research

This research paper from the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association provides further compelling insight into consumer demand for fresh, healthy food. This research revealed which snacks are selected, when and where they are eaten, and how those choices are made by the consumer.

Key findings from this paper that point to our Go4Fresh healthy food retailing opportunity being an ideal platform to deliver what the consumer wants include:

A healthy demand: Healthier snacks are in high demand as consumers today are very interested in products lower in fat, trans fats, and calories.
(With our machines, the consumer can choose their snack on calorific, fat or ingredient content)

Snacks take on new meaning: Having broadened their view of snacks beyond such items as chips, cookies, and crackers, consumers today are more likely to consider any small portion of food as a potential snacking candidate. Retailers, however, have not caught up to this new consumer thinking (while only 20% of consumers today define snacks traditionally, 40% of retailers still do so). This perceptual gap separating retailers and their customers is alarming — an indication that, as a group, retailers do not fully recognize their competition within the snack market.

Convenience is king: Busier lifestyles have led to an increased demand for convenient snacks — those that are easy to access, easy to prepare, easy to eat, and easy to clean up.
(You cant get much easier than healthy food provided in your workplace, with biodegradable packaging, too)

Eating several small meals a day: One of the greatest opportunities for the snack market — and one that directly addresses the health concerns that have triggered a decline in consumption — is to position snacks as part of a healthy diet of eating several small meals a day.
(With our machine, the retailer can cost-effectively and safely vend healthy foods, anytime)

The Perfect Snack: Consumers define the ideal snack as one that is healthy, tastes sinful, and is convenient in all aspects. This "holy grail" definition of snacks, though perhaps difficult to produce against, is insightful because it is constructed directly from consumer testimony. In other words, consumers know what they want and are very clear in expressing it. The question is, which companies will be able to meet this demand most effectively?
(And how are they going to vend it without the Go4Fresh system?!)

Compelling stuff, eh!?

The Launch - June 2008

On friday last, after a hectic week putting finishing touches to our two demonstration units and the marketing material needed, and a last-minute stress in actually moving the units (lessons were learned in respect to how contractors measure their vans is all I shall say on that!), we were finally ready.

The "steps to sustainability" event in which we were featuring, was organised by the Gatwick Diamond and was the first stage in efforts to gather local businesses of all sizes and engage them with local government representatives, SEEDA and other business experts to help promote and develop innovative ways for companies to introduce and maintain sustainability in the workplace.

The attendance was excellent and from our perspective we were able to put our proposition in front of many interested parties including vending experts BoxLogix, the former owner of CoffeeNation, Martyn Dawes, Sony (who have a large local presence) and the University of Brighton. Councillor Bob Lanzer of Crawley Borough Council also expressed interest and that was an important aim of mine, to get local support and backing.

I am immensely grateful to our supply partners, Nibbles, who brought literally tons of fantastic tasty sandwiches, snacks and salads; yet again I had to look at their superb food all day, but when I did get to eat some, it delivered the taste and quality I have come to expect and that matches our core values so well. They did a superb job and it was also great to have many of those involved in the project to date, including Andy, Duncan and Colin together to witness the final unveiling of the first Go4Fresh units.

I am hopeful that we will have placement partner sites for the first handful of units shortly; there was certainly the right interest and some great points on what we address for sustainability and health for employees were aired and discussed during the workshop sessions. Indeed, not one person in the room could come up with a reason as to why they would not buy from one of our machines and the possibilities in how we can arrange different payment options, incorporate subsidies and provide full audit data ticked many corporte CSR boxes.

We learned lots during the day and now have leads to follow up, planning and production to do but, for once, we have a small breather; having finally acheived what we set out to do in producing working demonstration units ready for production.

My heartfelt thanks go out to all past, present and future stakeholders and to the Gatwick Diamond for running the event. (better pictures to follow!)

How was it for you?

Food Safety Week - starts June 9th!

Promoted and supported by the Food Standards Agency, next week is Food Safety Week.

How good of them to coincide it with our official launch this Friday!

Listen up, food brands!

As this News story from Brand Channel reveals, pressure from consumers demanding fresh and healthy food, rather than food packaged as simply "good for you" is on the increase, and the big food brands are starting to address the challenge; of resistance through purely delivering a branded product.

Consumers want more - they want assurance that the food they buy is genuinely, reliably healthy and good for them. No confusion, no hidden ingredients, just facts.

Not that Ian (Our founder and technical whizz) has been saying anything different since he started the Go4Fresh development project! That's why our machines are not only stocked with only top quality fresh food (obviously!) but they also display the nutritional content and even calorific values of every product on the selection screen - we know consumers have a choice and, more importantly, an increasing voice.

What's your take? Would you choose to buy fresh, healthy, BRANDED food over an unbranded offering, or has your trust in the major brands weakened?

(photo credit> bingbing)