In case you hadn’t heard, junk foods like Fritos and Mountain Dew are the new cigarettes, and so they’re disappearing from vending machines in schools, and beyond.
But never fear, the vending industry isn’t about to go down without a fight. Healthy offerings are a natural (heh) choice in the post–junk food landscape. With YoNaturals offering fresh fruit, VitaminWater, and Tazo tea, Homer Simpson probably isn’t going to get his arm stuck in one of the company’s vending machines anytime soon.
YoNaturals might be selling apples, but ZoomSystems is putting vending machines in supermarkets to sell Apples: iPods, that is. Yes, in Southern California, some Vons supermarkets feature machines that vend iPods, digital cameras, and other high-end purchases. I can see a few arms getting stuck in that baby!
There is a place where all your vending-machine dreams can come true. Japan has always been ahead of the machine-vended product curve. And the blog Dark Roasted Blend has just posted a roundup of some of that country’s finest. From the Liquor House Mini, which dispenses beer, to the robot Coke vending machine that walks around dispensing cola drinks, the vended delights are infinite.
there is a fun little shop in NYC, in St. Marks place that is modeled after a japanese vending machine shop.
a photo can be seen here.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1197/1035862389_38f4c82071.jpg
the food was just ok, but it was lots of fun. They served everything from friend macaroni and cheese to dumplings, ribs, and desserts.