In 2010, Fresh Healthy Vending was founded with a mission of revolutionizing the vending machine industry. Today they are continuing that quest, having placed over 1,300 machines nationwide and in Canada. In February alone, the company added 10 new franchisees and 116 new vending machine locations, adding more fuel to the healthy vending machine revolution.

“We are making great strides in transforming an industry that was once believed to be unhealthy and mostly undesirable,” explains Dan Negroni, the chief executive officer and president of Fresh HealthyVending (www.freshvending.com). “Our machines have not only changed the look of vending machines, but have also completely changed the options inside of them, all for the better.”

Fresh Healthy Vending now has machines in 44 states across the country, as well as in Canada. The company recently established new franchise locations in California, Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, and Missouri. Each month, new locations have been added, making the company the largest healthyvending machine company in North America.

While traditional vending machines were filled with unhealthy foods with long shelf lives, the FreshHealthy Vending machines have completely transformed the industry. Each machine is dual-climate controlled, providing the ability to offer cold foods. Franchisees choose from over 500 brands to stock the machines. Each machine is stocked with fresh, healthy food options, including drinks, fresh fruits and vegetables, protein and granola bars, yogurt, and baked chips and crackers.

“We plan to continue to grow even stronger this year, in an effort to provide more people with access tohealthy, convenient snacks,” adds Negroni. “If there’s no Fresh Healthy Vending machine near you now, there’s a good chance there will be one soon. Increasingly, people are seeking out our machines in an effort to support their goal of living a healthier lifestyle.”

The Fresh Healthy Vending machines are located in a variety of places, including hospitals, office buildings, military bases, workout facilities, and on school campuses.

Source: www.coronadopatch.com

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – (March 16, 2012) – According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are nearly 22 million military veterans in the country. Further, 9 percent of all businesses in the country are majority-owned by veterans. While the employment rate for military veterans is beginning to improve, they have consistently experienced higher unemployment rates than non-military veterans. Many veterans turn to starting a business, especially franchising one, in an effort to create their own employment after leaving the military.

“We have military veterans who have franchised our machines and are doing great,” explains Dan Negroni, the Chief Executive Officer and President of Fresh Healthy Vending (www.freshvending.com). “Franchising offers military veterans some perks that will help these small-business owners succeed. Plus, there are programs in place to help veterans obtain a franchise much more easily.”

Here are 5 ways that Fresh Healthy Vending helps veterans start their own business:

1. Innovative idea. Rather than the same old traditional ideas, Fresh Healthy Vending has taken it a step farther. They are revolutionizing the vending machine industry and providing a healthy solution, one that many people are searching for, especially in the face of the obesity crisis the nation faces.
2. Complete training. Many people assume that a business owner needs a lot of education and training. Part of what makes franchising so appealing is that the person receives comprehensive training, so they know how to completely and successfully run their business.
3. Mentoring. Starting a business can be an overwhelming experience. But having a mentor can help calm those fears and ensure that questions are answered. With the help that is provided to Fresh Healthy Vending franchisors, they always feel like they have a mentor, rather than feeling that they are doing it alone.
4. Flexibility. Many jobs and businesses do not offer flexibility. Flexibility is a major perk of being a small business owner. The Fresh Healthy Vending franchise allows the business owner to have flexibility regarding where their machines are located, when they will make their rounds to fill them, etc.
5. Full support. Fresh Healthy Vending provides complete support to each of their franchisors, providing them with a business that is ready to go and geared for success. Any time a franchisee questions or need assistance, they can get it.

“Our franchise opportunity has been designed to help military veterans, and others, have a successful small business,” adds Negroni. “We help interested candidates every step of the way, from funding sources and options to placement guidance and beyond. We succeed when our franchisors succeed, so we make it our mission to help them do just that.”

Source: www.franchising.com

Fresh Healthy Vending is offering financing programs to help existing and prospective franchisees with funding options that address the challenges of today’s lending environment. The new programs are part of Fresh’s new initiative to add an additional 1,500 Fresh Healthy Vending machines to the U.S. market by the end of 2012.
 
“As the economy begins to show signs of improvement, we recognize a growing optimism among prospective franchisees to get into the business as well as established franchisees looking to expand their businesses” said Dan Negroni, CEO of Fresh Healthy Vending. “We introduced our Small Business Loans program last year in an effort to assist potential franchisees with access to the credit they need to purchase Fresh Healthy Vending franchises and we are proud to say that we are the only vending company that is part of the SBA Register to date”.
 
To further address the current economic climate, Fresh Healthy Vending has also been approved to offer franchise financing to retired military personnel through the Patriot Loan and Navy Federal Credit Union loan programs. These military programs may also qualify potential retired military personnel with reduced franchise fees if they qualify under the guidelines of the program.
 
“With highly competitive incentive programs in place, our goal is to encourage new franchisee development and continue to fuel Fresh Healthy Vending’s growth initiative,” added CEO Dan Negroni. “We look forward to adding new franchisees to our family who are passionate about the brand and the communities they serve.”
 
Candidates interested in purchasing a Fresh Healthy Vending franchise should possess a passion for the brand as well as helping people in their community by providing healthy food and drink options in schools, office buildings, health clubs, hospitals and other locations in their area.

March 05, 2012 // Franchising.com // SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – March is National Nutrition Month and a great time for parents around the country to take stock of what they are doing with their children nutritionally. Most of us have some room for improvement, even if we do live in busy times that sometimes call for desperate fast food measures. The good news is that there are some simple things parents can do to help boost their children’s nutritional intake, the better to help keep them healthy, as well as lay the foundation for a healthy nutrition future.

“Parents have many food choices today when it comes to feeding their children,” explains Jolly Backer, the chief executive officer of Fresh Healthy Vending (www.freshvending.com). “Walk through the store or drive down the road, and the options are there in abundance. But many parents are beginning to seek out the healthy option today, which is wonderful.”

Here are 5 nutritional tips every parent should consider:

• 1. Limit the snacks. Children who fill up on a lot of calories from snacks eat less at meal times, and usually the snacks are not all that nutritious. Limit the calories that come from snacking, and offer snacks that are healthy, such as a sliced apple with peanut butter, or vegetables they can dip into hummus.
• 2. Eat more fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables offer a lot of vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants. In addition to including some in snacking, aim to make fruits and vegetables half of their plate at mealtime.
• 3. Watch the sugar. Added sugars fill kids up with empty calories or those that don’t offer any nutritive value. Pay attention to the amount of sugar that is in food and how much they are consuming. Ideally, children should not have more than 12 grams (3 teaspoons) of added sugar daily (added sugar being that which is not there naturally in such foods as fresh fruit). This goes for both food and beverages.
• 4. Avoid the clean plate club. Many parents try to get their children to clean their plate by eating all the food on it. Problem is, children are in tune with their body cues and tend to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. When parents make them eat everything on their plate, they teach them to ignore their hunger cues, which can potentially lead to obesity problems later on. Ideally, parents should start with small amounts of food on the plate, so it’s not so overwhelming.
• 5. Model healthy eating. One of the most important tools in getting kids to eat healthily is to model that behavior. Children who have parents who eat healthily tend to grow up eating in a more healthy way themselves.

“At first, it may be a challenge to get kids on board with healthy eating,” adds Backer. “However, once you have been doing it a while, they will grow accustomed to it and it will become second nature. Whether at home, school, or on the go, people no longer have to compromise when it comes to making healthy food choices.”

Fresh Healthy Vending has created a healthy vending machine revolution. Their machines are all stocked with healthy foods, including drinks, fresh fruits and vegetables, protein and granola bars, yogurt, and baked chips and crackers. Their machines are located in over 600 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, including hospitals, office buildings, military bases, and workout facilities. Each dual-climate-controlled machine offers only healthy food and beverage options. To learn more Fresh Healthy Vending machines, visit their site at www.freshvending.com.

Source: www.franchising.com

Fresh Health Vending has added an additional 116 new vending machine locations for their Franchisee network during the month of February. Fresh also added 10 additional Franchisees that purchased 96 Fresh Healthy Vending machines in February. Fresh Healthy Vending now has over 1300 vending machine locations around the country, with more being added each month.  “Our ability to secure prime locations for franchisees is astonishing and once again we have exceeded all company expectations. We look forward to what March will bring,” added Alex Kennedy, Vice President of Sales.

“This milestone is proof that Fresh Healthy Vending is the category leader as the company continues to expand it’s reach. We continue to position our franchisees machines in prime locations securing more and more schools, hospitals, office buildings, health clubs, YMCA’s and other locations throughout the U.S.”

New Franchisees have been appointed to states such as California, Michigan, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina and Missouri in the last month. Fresh is now operating in 44 states nationwide.

Fresh Healthy Vending has taken the concept of convenience and eating on the run and has given it a complete make-over. Along with a bright, eye-catching vending machine look and design, including dual temperature control, the machines offer a full array of healthy and nutritious food options. The machines are well stocked with a variety of healthy foods including yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, soymilk, natural cereal and granola bars, and more.

Fresh Healthy Vending offers franchise opportunities for those wishing to start their own small business. Along with the progressive machines, each franchisee receives all the support, training, and marketing that they need to succeed. Those interested in learning more about franchising opportunities can find additional information at www.freshvending.com.

Most vending machines are filled with sugar, salt, carbs and fat. Kristen Templeton does not approve.

She’s with Fresh Healthy Vending, the new craze from San Diego, CA. She’s challenging the traditional vending machines.

Source: www.fox2now.com

With heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol rising among kids, the machines—the brainchild of San Diego-based Fresh Healthy Vending—are a welcome step. At Las Vegas High School, the new snacks seem to be a hit. “The machine is restocked every week,” says Dan Triana, who manages the school’s vending machine program. “The prices are a bit higher, but the students really appreciate the healthier options.” The machines can also be found at Canyon Springs, Durango, Mojave and Sierra Vista high schools, the East and Northwest Career and Technical Academies, and Calvary Chapel Christian School. Rachel Savage, the company’s Las Vegas franchisee, hopes to add more sites.

“This project is still so new here,” she says. “We need to care more about what we’re giving our kids to eat.”

Source: www.weeklyseven.com

By RON NIXON
Published: February 20, 2012, The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The government’s attempt to reduce childhood obesity is moving from the school cafeteria to the vending machines.

The Obama administration is working on setting nutritional standards for foods that children can buy outside the cafeteria. With students eating 19 percent to 50 percent of their daily food at school, the administration says it wants to ensure that what they eat contributes to good health and smaller waistlines. The proposed rules are expected within the next few weeks. 

Efforts to restrict the food that schoolchildren eat outside the lunchroom have long been controversial.

Representatives of the food and beverage industries argue that many of their products contribute to good nutrition and should not be banned. Schools say that overly restrictive rules, which could include banning the candy sold for school fund-raisers, risk the loss of substantial revenue that helps pay for sports, music and arts programs. A study by the National Academy of Sciences estimates that about $2.3 billion worth of snack foods and beverages are sold annually in schools nationwide.

Nutritionists say that school vending machines stocked with potato chips, cookies and sugary soft drinks contribute to childhood obesity, which has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that about one in every five children are obese.

No details of the proposed guidelines have been released, but health advocates and snack food and soft drink industry representatives predict that the rules will be similar to those for the government’s school lunch program, which reduced amounts of sugar, salt and fat.

Those rules set off a fight between parents and health advocates on one side, who praised the standards, and the food industry, which argued that some of the proposals went too far. Members of Congress stepped in to block the administration from limiting the amount of potatoes children could be served and to allow schools to continue to count tomato paste on a pizza as a serving of vegetables.

Nancy Huehnergarth, executive director of the New York State Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance in Millwood, N.Y., said she expected a similar fight over the vending machine rules.

“I think the food and beverage industry is going to fight tooth and nail over these rules,” Ms. Huehnergarth said.

But representatives of the food and beverage industry say they generally support selling healthier snacks and drinks in schools.

“But we are a little concerned that they might make the rules too stringent,” said James A. McCarthy, president of the Snack Food Association, a trade group in Washington.

Mr. McCarthy said the industry supported nutritional snacks and was working with the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, headed by the former president, in an initiative called the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to establish voluntary guidelines for healthier foods in schools.

The foods include baked rather than fried potato chips, dry-roasted nuts and low-sodium pretzels, Mr. McCarthy said.

Christopher Gindlesperger, director of communications for the American Beverage Association, whose members include Coca-Cola and Pepsi, said his industry had also worked with schools to reduce or eliminate sugary drinks and replace them with healthier alternatives.

“Our members have voluntarily reduced the calories in drinks shipped to schools by 88 percent and stopped offering full-calorie soft drinks in school vending machines,” Mr. Gindlesperger said.

But a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine released this month shows that despite industry efforts and those of others, snacking behavior among children remains largely unchanged. One reason is that healthier snacks were being offered alongside less nutritious offerings.

Between 2006 and 2010, the study found, about half of the schools had vending machines, stores and cafeterias that offered unhealthy foods.

The availability of high-fat foods in schools followed regional patterns. In the South, where rates of childhood obesity are the highest, less nutritious food was more prevalent. In the West, where childhood obesity rates are lower, high-fat food was not as common, the study found.

Health advocates say the study points to the need for national standards.

Jessica Donze Black, director of the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, gave the food industry credit for trying to reduce sugary drinks and fatty snacks, but said the voluntary guidelines did not go far enough.

“What we have is a fragmented system where some schools do a good job of limiting access to junk food and others don’t,” she said. “We need a national standard that ensures that all schools meet some minimum guidelines.”

Still, some school districts question whether students would buy healthy foods offered in vending machines and school stores. Frequently vending machines with healthy alternative snacks are ignored, and children bring snacks from home or buy them at local stores off-campus during lunch periods. Roger Kipp, food service director for the Norwood school district in Ohio, said children could be persuaded to eat healthy foods and schools could still make a profit.

Two years ago, Mr. Kipp eliminated vending machines and school stores in his district and replaced them with an area in the lunchroom where they could buy wraps, fruit or yogurt. Children ate better, and the schools made some money.

“It took a while, but it caught on,” Mr. Kipp said. “You have to give the kids time. You can’t replace 16 years of bad eating habits overnight.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Ready to participate in one of the largest consumer health movements in Franchising history?

Michelle Obama busted out a few new moves Thursday to mark the second anniversary of her “Let’s Move” campaign against childhood obesity with a few new friends, 14,000 or so, it turns out.

The first lady rocked out with thousands of sixth- to ninth-graders at a Des Moines arena on the first stop of a three-day trip to highlight her “Let’s Move” campaign. It was a giant pep rally for eating right and exercising, complete with confetti, balloons and a towering birthday cake made of fruit.

The first lady and crowd revved up by doing the Interlude, a dance that started in a dorm room at the University of Northern Iowa and went viral from there. Mrs. Obama chose Iowa for her first stop because the state is working to become the nation’s healthiest state by 2016, as measured by the Gallup organization. It ranked 19th in 2010, the most recent rankings.

She sold healthy eating to the kids as something fun, but also dangled the bait that it could help them “pass your tests and get good grades in school.” There were plenty of sports celebrities on hand to help pump up the crowd, including gymnast Shawn Johnson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, NASCAR champion Carl Edwards, Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and former WNBA star Tamika Catchings.

The first lady took on the issue of childhood obesity because almost a third of U.S. children are at least overweight, and about 17 percent are obese.

In the two years since Mrs. Obama launched her campaign, she has brought substantial new visibility to the childhood obesity issue and has prodded schools, families, restaurants, grocery stores, doctors, local communities and others to do more to tackle the problem and to eat healthier.

Robert Blendon, a Harvard professor who tracks public opinion on health care, said Mrs. Obama has helped bring about a shift in attitude, with childhood obesity increasingly being viewed as a societal problem rather than a personal matter.

She’s given schools tangible ideas on how to feed students better by adapting healthier options for the lunch programs and vending machines and more exercise rather than talking in broad concepts that don’t hit home with parents, he said.

The nation’s 175,000 schools and their vending/lunch programs have become fertile ground for companies such as franchisor Fresh Healthy Vending and Revolution Foods since Mrs. Obama started her campaign.

“It’s getting into people’s conversations in ways that it would not have been if someone had not taken it on,” Blendon said.

“YMCAs, Boys and Girl’s Clubs and virtually every other “after school” program have also gotten into the act as the parental pressure has been on them to adopt healthy snack and drink options” said Jolly Backer, CEO of Fresh Healthy Vending. “Also, the market for healthy vending is just not for kids as companies are adapting new health and wellness standards and we’ve been inundated with requests from offices for our Fresh Healthy Vending machines as adult obesity has also reached epidemic proportions in the U.S.” added Backer.

Beyond the policy and health implications, the effort has contributed to an engaging image of the first lady and, by association, has been an asset for the president’s re-election effort. Marion Nestle, a food and nutrition professor at New York University, gives the first lady high marks for going up against powerful forces in the food and beverage industry, and getting some push-back along the way.

“Let’s give her credit,” Nestle said. “She has no real power. She has no legal authority. She’s a wife, and yet she has managed to take this issue and bring it to national prominence.”

The Lets Move Campaign has made Americans aware that they must eat healthier and its not just a fad but a “wake up” call for Americans of all ages.