Fresh-O-Matic, Tour High Tech Vending Machine Operator Program Facility

[Arob]

At the end of the summer, Thursday Aug 28th 2014, I got a tour of the people, products and places behind the scenes at 931 Progress Ave, the Fresh-O-Matic HQ. This is the headquarters of a well structured vending machine dealer opportunity program company in Toronto. I met a friend and got an inside look at this cool business that most people never think about ... Most established dealers work only a few hours a week. This office building accommodates company executive offices, a tech support call center, shipping receiving in machine distribution and testing facility.


This place is described in even more detail Fresh-O-Matic is realizing the future of vending machines, advancing the possibilities for Canadian consumers and dealers.



Inside of a vending machine, laid open in the test facility you can see there's now enough electronics to get hacked. Experts are required to make sure the chip is free of any viruses or malware. Computerized keycode panels can be programmed to learn and collect data about the various product offerings, as well as run secure anti-theft coin and bill collection hardware.

The designers and support staff at Fresh-O-Matic have been leading innovation in the Canadian vending machine industry for many years. These people practically invented combo machines which hold both snacks and drinks; in most such machines the bars and bagged food is held at room temperature above refrigerated drinks below.


This one machine type has proven to be extremely popular in workplace lunchrooms across Canada, doing two or three times more business than old school machines in the same area. The product designers work at making new rigs and here in this unique facility people are already working on making the next generation of smart vending machines for Canadian consumers, ensuring the company will remain relevant for years into the future.


Tech support goes through the exercise of servicing coffee vending machines while talking dealers through the complicated processed on the other end of the phone; it helps to have a working model right in front of your eyes and to see and experience the same issues the caller is having with the machine. Tech support walks callers through the fix, holding their hands every step of the way.

Its estimated the entire North American vending industry could be worth over 40 billion dollars in 2014, and its getting bigger every year because such conveniences are actually a very economical use of space; well positioned machines can realize a very high per square foot profit margin. its a fact vending machines can do business 24/7 and so are good for citizens who work odd hours.

When nobody was looking, I grabbed some peanuts from an unlocked machine in the lobby.