We constantly hear that choosing fresh is about access, prep time, cost and more. That simply put, it’s easier to choose a candy bar or chips over a healthier option.
I myself have fallen to this notion. When I travel I always pick up Peanut M&M’s versus fresh cut fruit. Some of the options just don’t look that good.
So when I saw this NBC news report for Farmers Fridge I was intrigued. Not because the concept of fresh vending machines is new…but because he’s on his way to building a better mouse trap…a potentially disruptive product position.
Why is it disruptive…why might it be better.
- Well, it actually looks fresh and appealing. Just look at the difference. What would you pick? They also guarantee that each salad will not be out for more than 24 hours before being pulled and donated. No 12-16 day shelf life like current fresh cut produce.
- It’s on trend. Have you seen the abundance of salad in a jar on Pinterest?
- It addresses food waste and sustainability. All unsold product is donated to local shelters for daily meals and the containers are reusable.
- This isn’t your basic iceberg or romaine house salad. Ingredients like kale, quinoa, edamame and beets kick up salads and offer taste bud tempting incentives to purchase.
As I mentioned, fresh vending isn’t new… here are a couple of examples.
Farmers Fridge admits that their process is expensive and labor intensive and they are not yet profitable. But testing proves that when price is equal, consumers will choose fresh. The NBC News clip proves this. They created a test lowering the price and people unequivocally chose the fresh option.
The proof is consumers are looking for healthy choices…but we need to find ways to deliver healthy products that meet our needs for quality, inspiration, sustainability and price. I’m confident that we can get there. What are your thoughts?
Written by Melinda Goodman
Managing Partner
Melinda@FullTiltMarketing.net
