That Vending Smell?

Vending Never Smelled So Good
It seems that just about anything can be placed in a vending machine: soft drinks and snacks, DVDs — even technology hardware. It was a $19.25 billion market in 2010, according to industry group Automatic Merchandiser. And at some point soon, Google Wallet payment terminals will likely be available on machines.

In Paris, a baker is pushing the vending envelope. Jean-Louis Hecht’s automated, 24-hour baguette dispensers target those who want the staple French treat after traditional bakery hours. Hecht partially cooks the baguettes before placing them in the machine for final cooking, thus allowing them to be delivered piping hot. Calling the machines the “bakery of tomorrow,” Hecht says he sold as many as 4,500 baguettes in a month; selling just 100 baguettes per day brings a 33 percent profit.

Advocates say that after some recessionary times, the industry is poised to pick up as consumers’ incomes rise and operators roll out new, high-tech conveyances. Surely we would buy our doughnuts from a vending machine if we could get them fresh, right?
Source: stores.org