Dive Brief:
- A Hong Kong-based food entrepreneur said he wants to create vending machines that offer a variety of healthy, ready-to-eat boxed meals that are under 550 calories each, according to CNBC.
- Maximilian von Poelnitz, founder and CEO of NOSH, is having his idea funded by tech giant Alibaba’s entrepreneurs' fund.
- The startup currently prepares boxed meals from central kitchens in Hong Kong and uses services such as Foodpanda and Deliveroo to deliver to customers. These hot meals will soon be available in vending machines throughout Hong Kong, thanks to an internet-connected approach.
Dive Insight:
It wasn’t too long ago when vending machines were basically used for housing candy, cigarettes or soda. Innovation in vending technology, combined with some creative thinking by savvy corporations, has transformed vending machines into ways to distribute just about anything.
A company in California is selling caviar and truffles from vending machines. A London company sells shoes. Others are experimenting with different types of produce offerings.
Brian Wagner, vice president of consulting solutions for Packaging Technology Integrated Solutions at HAVI Global Solutions, said that today’s vending machines can accommodate items of any size, and can be retrofit to dispense anything—including food.
Today’s consumers gravitate to the new and trendy (just look at the popularity of food trucks) so NOSH’s idea to sell boxed meals makes perfect sense. People today are always on the hunt for healthy alternatives, and by making it so convenient, there’s no reason to think that it won’t be a hit.