Benefits of a Micro-Market in Salt Lake City

Do you wish you could offer your employees something bigger than vending machines in the break room? A micro-market is the perfect solution. It offers a wider range of snacks, beverages, and fresh food in open-front coolers and on free-standing racks. Your break room will become a welcoming space for everyone. Here are three reasons why you should upgrade your break room with one of our micro-markets.

Each company’s break room needs are different from the time of day employees visit the break room to the room’s layout and physical location. To help meet your needs, we will customize a solution that fits your company.

For example, a neighboring business might be open during regular business hours. But your business might have a second or third shift. It doesn’t matter which shift your Salt Lake City employees work. A micro-market is open 24/7. It’s accessible to all employees, even those who work the second or third shifts.

Do you have a large break room that serves hundreds of employees? Maybe your company is smaller with limited space, or perhaps it’s somewhere in between. We can customize a plan that works for you. For instance, the layout of your open-concept market will be designed based on your physical space and number of employees. Is your company growing? No problem, your micro-market can grow with you.

In today’s changing work environment, technology must adapt to meet new demands. Likewise, technology in the break room must also adapt. Our micro-markets include state-of-the-art tools designed to create a seamless experience for your employees.

An important piece of technology is the self-checkout kiosk. Unlike a store, a micro-market doesn’t need a cashier. The kiosk also offers other features such as a touchless checkout process using mobile payment options. It can also share promotional and rewards programs with users.

Carefully placed security cameras help deter theft and keep an eye on the space. In addition, wireless technology helps us track inventory and equipment status. We use the real-time data to keep everyone’s favorite products in stock. The data also helps us figure out when it’s time to introduce new products.

The main purpose of a micro-market is to offer great-tasting snacks, beverages, and pre-packaged fresh food. Access to delicious on-site choices means your employees don’t have to go off-site for their lunch or coffee breaks. And, as a result, staying on-site creates many benefits, from unplanned team work to increased output.

Part of our job is to make sure your employees have the options they crave, whether it’s the latest energy drinks or specialty waters, the latest snack trends, or delicious fresh food. But don’t forget the coffee service. With most Salt Lake City adults drinking coffee every day, access to freshly brewed and flavorful coffee or tea is a benefit your employees will love.

For more information about our micro-markets, coffee service, and vending options, please contact Breakroom Choices at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239). We look forward to hearing from you.

Coffee Service and the Draper Micro-Market

Office coffee service (OCS) is often considered a separate service when it comes to the break room. But it doesn’t have to be. For a moment, ponder what it would be like to mesh coffee service with a micro-market. On their own, each offers distinct benefits. But when they are blended together in your Draper office break room, they create a unique employee perk.

Employees now have a relaxed on-site spot to grab a gourmet coffee and a snack or meal. This is now even more important. Research has also found the best time to enjoy a cup of coffee is mid-morning or early afternoon, not right after waking up.

To effectively blend coffee service and micro-markets, there are two things to consider. The first is the different aspects of coffee service. And the second is how each aspect helps integrate coffee with the micro-market.

Choose a brewer that makes gourmet beverages; bean-to-cup and single-cup brewers are the current favorites
With the concerns around COVID-19, consider a touchless brewer
Discover which brands are most sought after in your area—yes, brands matter even with brewers

Offer a range of local and national brands
Discover which coffee brands are well known and liked by your Draper employees
Make sure that the perception of the coffee brands matches the perception of the micro-market—both should be high-end

Place the coffee service near food and snacks that go well with coffee. Draper employees are more likely to purchase a breakfast item or an afternoon treat if it’s nearby.
Create a supply station with a variety of creamers, flavorings, and sweeteners.
employees are consumers. Brand recognition of brewers and coffee brands plays a role in purchase decisions.

To make the melding process easier, Breakroom Choices can help. We will guide you through the steps of integrating your OCS into an existing micro-market or adding both at the same time. For more information about micro-markets, coffee service, and other vending solutions, please contact us at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239).

Break Room Visits Help Salt Lake City Employees

Your Salt Lake City break room has potential. It doesn’t have to be a place that employees avoid or use sporadically. Instead, employees should be able to find a relaxing space with vending machines or a micro-market that offers delicious lunch options.

While breakfast is referred to as the most important meal of the day, lunch plays a crucial role in making the afternoon a success. Unfortunately, the lunch break is disappearing.

But isn’t this dedication to one’s career or job good for business? No. In fact, the opposite may be true. Rather than focusing on eating, many employees feel they need to do something more meaningful. They also feel guilty for not always being available.

Even employees who are working from home because of COVID-19 need a break too. Spending too much time at a desk without taking a break can decrease productivity and hurt the bottom line.

Everyone, including Salt Lake City employees, needs a change of scenery every now and then. Creative thinking and new ideas are more likely to occur after taking a break or moving to a new workspace. Going outside for a walk or sitting in the sun help solutions to form.

Studies also suggest that taking time off in the middle of the day, whether to eat, walk or take a coffee break with coworkers, creates a community culture within the workplace and happier, more productive employees.

Although a walk outside can be beneficial, too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing, especially when a short break becomes an extended time away from the office. To create a sense of community and a pleasant place to go when getting away from the office isn’t ideal, create a better break space.

Offer quality coffee service (a high-value benefit at a lower cost) and healthy snacks and beverages. For a bonus, consider offering micro-market or vending options for free or at a reduced cost.If possible, bring some of the outdoors inside with potted plants, oversized windows, or natural scenery wall murals.
Regardless of how you encourage your employees to get away from their desks, it’s essential that you do it. Whether it’s lunch out, a walk around the block, or a foosball tournament in your break room, your Salt Lake City employees will appreciate it.

To learn more about updating your break room or adding office coffee service, vending machines, or a micro-market, contact Breakroom Choices at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239). We look forward to hearing from you.

Technology and the Touchless Lehi Break Room

In the past, companies made changes to break room technology for one of two reasons. The first was to solve a problem. The second was to be known as a company at the front of innovation.

Today, things are different. Many Lehi companies have started adding various technologies that change how their businesses run. The goal is to help employees and customers stay safe. But, once things “return to normal,” the challenge will be to keep these advances.

One such upgrade is touchless technology. Whether connected to vending machines, micro-market equipment, or office coffee brewers, touchless is the new “it” word in Lehi break rooms.

COVID-19 has made touchless options critical for break rooms during the past year. Therefore, it is essential to examine why and how this technology will be valuable going forward.

Everyone knows the scenario of being in a public place and wondering what else has touched the surface you’re about to touch. Most of us didn’t think twice about it, but the new awareness around hygiene is here to stay.

In Lehi break rooms, vending machines and micro-markets have a lot of surfaces. But the areas that employees touch most often are those where payments occur. Whether it’s a micro-market self-checkout kiosk or a vending machine, the solution is touchless payments.

The break room provider may offer several options. Mobile apps such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, a mobile wallet, or an app from the vending provider are a few options. The results, especially in heavily trafficked areas, are fewer Lehi hands touching the equipment.

Another option is the MR1 mobile platform or app. Anyone with a smartphone can use this app. Employees can contact the vending provider directly and share information about a problem they may be having. In many cases, the problem can be solved by just using the app.

Office coffee service has also been changed by touchless technology. Many equipment manufacturers have modified coffee and cafe-style brewers so employees can buy beverages from their phones. All the employee must do is place the mug down, press a few buttons on their phone, and take the mug away.

How will your Lehi business adapt touchless technology in the break room? Breakroom Choices has various options that can help today and in the future. To learn more about our vending services, including micro-markets, vending machines, and office coffee service, please call us at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239).

Coffee Breaks in Logan Offer More

When is a coffee break more than just drinking a cup of coffee? The answer is when it happens during a work break. Even though many businesses are short-staffed or overwhelmed because of COVID-19, Logan employers realize that encouraging their employees to take breaks is necessary.

15 minutes of employee downtime to enjoy a hot cup of coffee or healthy snack from a vending machine or micro-market results in other benefits. As a result, many employers go out of their way to encourage employees to take a coffee break.

Coffee contains caffeine. The main reason most people drink coffee is the caffeine, but it can also improve one’s mood and cognitive performance. Moderate coffee intake is also shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, brain cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. A bonus when an energy boost is an employee’s primary goal.

A break room also encourages Logan employees to move around. Sitting for long periods can cause joint stiffness and fatigue. Eye strain and headaches can happen after staring at a computer screen for too long without a break. Therefore, everyone finds multiple benefits when employees take breaks.

Breaks help employees work better, and employers see an increase in morale and output.

According to Entrepreneur.com, stress levels are at an all-time high. Too much stress causes a loss of productivity and morale, and an increase in health costs, errors, and interpersonal conflicts. Today, almost everyone suffers from some degree of stress.

Encouraging coffee breaks is one way to help your Logan area employees combat stress. Just as stepping away from one’s desk for 15 minutes helps decrease stiffness and increases circulation, walking and taking a break helps the brain relax.

Another benefit of the coffee break is an increase in communication among employees. Breaks encourage everyone to share concerns, which helps reduce stress. The break room is also a great place to relax and engage in informative conversations. These gatherings often stimulate creative ideas, improve employee camaraderie, and build workplace morale.

Coffee isn’t the only beverage that offers benefits. Many employees do not like the taste of coffee or consume limited amounts of caffeine. If an employee falls into either category, there are many other delicious and healthy options. Hot or iced tea, bottled water, and energy drinks are just a few. The goal is to create a time and place for employees to recharge so they can go back to work more focused.

For more information about our hot and cold beverage menus or to add additional vending services, please contact Breakroom Choices at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239). We look forward to hearing from you.

Discover Ready-to-Drink Beverages in Park City

What are ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages? It’s any type of prepared beverage that is packaged and sold, usually in a single-use container. Bottled iced tea is a popular example. The tea has already been brewed, and sugar and other flavors have been added. Available for purchase in a bottle or can, the tea can be consumed by Park City employees immediately after opening.

RTD beverages are not new; they have been available for many years. But their popularity has recently skyrocketed in the U.S. and abroad, especially among mainstream consumers. A 2020 report from Fortune Business Insights estimated that the value of the global RTD market is likely to grow from $919.13 billion in 2019 to $1,257.77 billion by 2027. That’s an increase of $338.64 billion in just eight years.

For an RTD product to appeal to Park City employees it has to offer two things: convenience and options. The new RTD beverage market offers both.

RTD beverages are convenient. They come in both shelf-stable and perishable formats; are served in cans and bottles; include chilled and on-the-go options; and can be purchased in break room vending machines and micro-markets.
RTD beverages offer variety. Options can be any combination of flat or carbonated and clear or colorful. Ingredients can vary from traditional to functional or both (ex. caffeine = energy boost and antioxidants = health benefits).

Whether an individual is looking for a traditional beverage or a better-for-you option, there is an RTD option for everyone.

An excellent source of instant energy, ready-to-drink coffee is popular among individuals of all ages. Not only are coffee-related RTD beverages a safe on-the-go option, but consuming them provides many health benefits including a reduced risk of death, type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and different types of cancer as well as improved memory, a short-term mental boost, better group performance, and feeling happier. Coffee, in reasonable amounts, is beneficial for the body and the mind.

For those Park City employees looking for an alternative to traditional coffee, cold brew and nitro cold brew coffees are great options. Cold brew is less acidic than traditionally brewed coffee, but it still contains the caffeine everyone wants. Nitro cold brew combines traditional cold brew with nitrogen creating a beverage with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. New specialty RTD coffee trends offer more variety and include carbonated coffee, functional coffee, single-origin brews, coffee cola, and additives including coconut milk, MCT oil, and plant-based beverages (includes plant-based protein blends (ex. brown rice, pea and chickpea)).

Whether a beverage is caffeinated or not, employers should offer a wide selection of RTD beverages in their Park City break room, especially during the time of COVID-19. With fewer surfaces to touch when locating and picking up a beverage, employees can have a safer break room experience. Serving individually packaged snacks and fresh food in the break room also helps employees remain on-site during the workday, further lessening the chance of exposure.

For more information about how Breakroom Choices can help create a safer break room experience and about all our break room services, please contact us at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239).

Shifting Vending Machine Shopping Habits in Salt Lake City

What was the last pre-COVID item you purchased from a vending machine? Would your choice change if you were to purchase something today? If it would, you aren’t alone. A recent survey performed by Shorr Packaging revealed insights about how U.S. consumers’ purchasing behavior has shifted since the onset of the pandemic.

In addition to traditional food shopping locations, Salt Lake City employers should also be aware of these shifts as they can also impact how and what employees purchase from break rooms. Even though employers don’t have control over how companies package or label their products, they do have control over which products are offered in break room vending machines. Regularly analyzing purchasing patterns and comparing them to the current break room refreshment menu provides exact data that can be used to create an inviting and engaging break room and keep employees on-site when they need something to eat or drink.

Let’s look at two areas of the survey that are relevant to the break room — COVID related changes and food labels and packaging.

For good or for bad, the pandemic has changed the way Salt Lake City consumers shop. During the three months prior to the survey being completed, 61 percent of participants agreed that pandemic-related purchasing shifts will change how they shop in the future with 66 percent of those individuals saying they would pay more attention to product labels and packaging.

Survey participants aren’t only paying more attention to packaging and labels; they are changing the products that they buy. For example, over three quarters of those who purchased brands they were unfamiliar with said they would purchase that brand/item again.

So, what do consumers look for when choosing a product? Of the different parts on packaging, the ingredient list is considered the most trustworthy followed by the brand or logo, the price, and popular phrases such as fresh, no sugar added, all-natural, whole grain/multigrain, organic, and good source of fiber.

While almost two-thirds of participants were willing to pay more for a snack or beverage with popular labeling phrases, the remaining one-third consciously chose not to purchase items with the same phrases. The key takeaway is to make sure that any vending machine refreshment menu includes options that appeal to everyone.

Breakroom Choices offers Salt Lake City businesses the opportunity to do just that. We offer a variety of traditional and healthy snacks, cold beverages, and fresh food choices and can customize a vending refreshment menu to fit both your and your employees’ needs. For more information about all our break room services including office coffee service, please give us a call at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239).

Celebrate Coffee in Spanish Fork

For coffee drinkers in Spanish Fork and around the world, the end of September and the beginning of October is the perfect time to celebrate their favorite hot beverage as National and International Coffee Days happen within two days of one another. In celebration of this delicious holiday, let’s look several reasons why the beverage is so loved.

The exact origin of coffee is unknown, but one of the more well-known legends includes a goat herder, his goats, and an abbot from a local Ethiopian monastery. After seeing his goats experience a boost in energy after consuming the berries from a local plant, the herder told a local abbot, who made a beverage from the same berries. From there, the beverage we now know as coffee traveled to the Arabian Peninsula, Europe, and finally the Americas.

Whether it’s the caffeine or the antioxidants and other compounds in the beans, everyone’s favorite caffeinated beverage offers health benefits for Spanish Fork individuals including:

Reduced risk of death: Drinking one cup per day was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of death. Bump the numbers up to two to three cups per day, and those participants had a 19 percent lower chance of mortality.
Reduced risk for type-2 diabetes and heart disease: Four cups of coffee. According to researchers in Duesseldorf, Germany that’s all the caffeine it takes to trigger a protective effect in the human heart. The domino effect caused by caffeine consumption ends with the protection and repair of the heart muscle.
Reduced risk for different types of cancer: The International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that coffee can no longer be classified as a carcinogen. In fact, researchers determined that coffee intake was associated with a reduced risk of oral, pharynx, liver, colon, prostate, melanoma, and endometrial cancers. Woo-hoo!
Improved memory, a short-term mental boost and better group performance: Caffeine has been found to provide a mental boost for 45 minutes after consuming it and to improve memory over the next 24 hours. Research by the Graduate School of Management at UC, Davis also found that caffeine has a positive impact on a group’s performance.
Coffee, in its many forms, also makes everyone feel happier: A 2018 study found that 47 percent of survey participants said that consuming that morning cup of Joe played an integral part in having a good start to the day, 43 percent would choose an iced coffee for a “pick-me-up” during the day, and 38 percent of participants would be more willing to spend a day without their smartphone than not drink any form of coffee for 24 hours.

Coffee-cola beverages: mix coffee with cola
Nitro cold brew: cold brew infused with nitrogen
Coffee Spritzer: combine a splash of seltzer water with cold brew
Quality decaf: enjoy deliciously roasted beans without the caffeine
Snapchilled: brew your favorite beans using a traditional method and rapidly chill it to extract additional flavors

Help your Spanish Fork employees celebrate this delicious and caffeinated holiday by providing OCS in the break room. In additional to a variety of hot beverages including tea, make sure to include a selection of sweeteners and dairy and non-dairy creamers. For more information about OCS or any of our other break room services, please contact Breakroom Choices at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239).

Vending Machines in Salt Lake City Keep Adapting

2020 has brought about many unforeseen changes, especially in Salt Lake City break rooms. Whether a break room offered vending machines or a micro-market, refreshment providers have had to adapt. This isn’t, however, the first time that break room equipment has been modified to meet a new need. Since the very first vending machine was developed, individuals have continued to use them to solve a variety of different problems.

The concept of a vending machine has been around for a lot longer than most Salt Lake City residents realize. In fact, the first vending machine was said to have been written about by the mathematician Hero in 215 BC in Ancient Egypt. In this machine, the user placed a coin in the machine and received holy water; a job previously performed by an individual. Here are several important changes that have helped make the vending machine what it is today include:

1888: Tutti-Frutti gum vending machines were installed in a New York City subway station.
1946: The first coffee vending machine was invented.
1950: Refrigerated sandwich vending machines expanded the lunch menu.
1950s – 1970s: located in U.S. airports, vending machines sold life insurance policies covering death, should the buyer’s flight crash.
1961: Canned soft drink vending machines offered customers new beverage options.
1972: Glass-front snack machines were introduced.
1985: Credit/debit card payment devices were introduced.
1987: Frozen food vending machines were introduced.
1991: Flavored coffees, espresso, and cappuccino were introduced in coffee machines.

In the 150+ years since the first fully automatic vending machine was invented, a wide range of products, from practical to crazy, have been sold. In 2020, non-edible options including personal protection equipment (PPE) can be found. The following organizations highlight how vending machines can be converted to help combat the spread of COVID-19.

New Jersey Transit (NJT) has installed vending machines in handful of stations that sell PPE such as face masks, hand sanitizer, sanitized wipes, and disposable gloves to the public. Kevin Corbett, CEO & President of NJ Transit, explained, “We want our customers to trust that we have prepared the safest and cleanest transit system possible for their return and will continue to work hard every day to keep it that way.”

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has developed a similar program. Located throughout the campus, vending machines offer masks, hand sanitizer and other protective products at no cost to the students or university employees. The university tracks “purchases” via the school’s id card system, ensuring that everyone can only make one purchase per product per month.

As with the new machines at VCU and NJT, vending machines in Salt Lake City break rooms offer several benefits for employees. Employers can create a customized menu that includes the snacks, beverages, and fresh food their employees want. Not only are a variety of payment options available, including cash, credit/debit cards and mobile payment apps, but employers can also cover part or all the costs for their employees. In addition, break room vending machines can encourage employees to stay on-site when they need something to eat or drink, reducing person to person contact and the likelihood of coming into contact with COVID-19.

Is your Salt Lake City break room ready to safely offer sought-after refreshment options? We are here to help you create an inviting and welcoming space that also safely delivers everyone’s favorite snacks, cold beverages, fresh food, and coffee. For more information, please call Breakroom Choices at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239).

Snacks and 3 Important Characteristics in Tremonton

Snacks have many different purposes. For some Tremonton individuals, they are a meal replacement while for other individuals they are a treat or a reason to gather with colleagues or friends. Just as there are different characteristics that make people unique, there are many reasons why individuals choose to snack.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic triggered drastic changes in how Tremonton employees live and work, snacks have become even more essential for many individuals. According to a recent U.S. Snack Index survey “85% of respondents said eating their favorite snack makes them feel normal.” Some of those favorites are potato chips, popcorn, and corn chips. In this time of great change, small things that create a sense of normalcy are important since they can positively impact mental health.

But snacking on one’s favorites isn’t the only thing survey participants want. They still prefer easily accessible snacks over ones that are harder to acquire, and they want variety or the option to try new products. In fact, 86 percent of survey participants said that the most important factor in deciding about what to snack on is convenience while 83 percent said sticking with a favorite ranks at the top.

Many Tremonton employers have been presented with a new opportunity to make sure their snack and beverage menus offer what their employees want. It’s worthwhile to take the time to ask employees about their preferences. Considering your employees’ opinions sends them a message that says, “We value you.”

With only 47 percent of survey participants saying they could locate all the snacks they wanted while shopping, employers have been presented with a new opportunity to increase convenience and customize their break room benefits. Offering on-site refreshments not only ups the convenience factor but they also encourage employees to stay on-site during breaks and meals.

Less time spent off-site increases employee productivity and hopefully decreases the risk of infection. Gathering on-site in small groups during breaks also creates essential moments that can be used to rebuild morale and the office community that has been missing with fewer employees in the office.

Even though survey participants placed a heavy focus on snacking on their favorites, they are still interested in trying new snacks. In the survey, Millennials and Gen Z represented the largest and most adventurous demographic. A few things to consider, in addition to convenience, when thinking about what Millennials and Gen Z are looking for with new choices are healthy options, high-protein, low calorie snacks, options with a low environmental footprint, and trustworthy brands.

How successfully does your Tremonton break room menu meet your employees’ refreshment needs? Whether you need to make a complete overhaul or just a few changes, Breakroom Choices is available to help. We offer a wide variety of traditional and healthy snacks and beverages as well as contactless payment options to help keep everyone safe. For more information, please call us at 866-Choice9 (866-246-4239). We look forward to hearing from you.

Benefits of a Micro-Market in Salt Lake City

Flexible Plan of Attack

Micro-Market Technology

Snacks and Drinks

Coffee Service and the Draper Micro-Market

Coffee Brewers

Coffee Beans

Other Coffee Service Factors

Break Room Visits Help Salt Lake City Employees

Creativity and Community

Rejuvenate your Break Room

Technology and the Touchless Lehi Break Room

Break Room Solutions

Office Coffee and Technology

Coffee Breaks in Logan Offer More

Health Benefits

Coffee Gets Everyone Talking

The Drink Menu

Discover Ready-to-Drink Beverages in Park City

Growing Demand

A Popular Segment: Coffee-Related RTD Beverages

Shifting Vending Machine Shopping Habits in Salt Lake City

COVID-19 Related Changes

Food Labels and Packaging

Celebrate Coffee in Spanish Fork

A Short History

Health Benefits

2020 Trends to Explore

Vending Machines in Salt Lake City Keep Adapting

Vending Machine History

Today

Snacks and 3 Important Characteristics in Tremonton

Convenience

Something New