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Vol. 49, No.11, November 2009
| 5¢ Bottled Water Deposit Takes Effect In NY; Uno As Solution
by Staff Reporter
A nickel deposit is now required on bottled water as part of New York state's expanded "Bigger Better Bottle Bill," which was signed into law in April. As of Nov. 8, the 5¢ refundable deposit is added to any glass, metal or plastic container holding less than one gallon of water, flavored water or nutritionally enhanced water that contains zero grams of sugar on its nutritional label....
| | Candy Registers Gain In Latest American Customer Satisfaction Index
by Staff Reporter
Candy is still dandy with consumers, according to the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index. While customer satisfaction with food companies overall remained largely unchanged, chocolate-makers saw substantial increases, the index found. Hershey jumped 2%, Mars gained 1% and both earned a rating of 87...
| | Coke Rolls Out Eco-Friendly PlantBottle
Emily Jed
Coca-Cola Co. is gearing up to release a soft drink and water bottle made up of 30% plant-based waste material, and plans to produce two billion of the eco-friendly bottles by the end of 2010. The new container, dubbed PlantBottle, is made out of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic package and is 100% recyclable...
| | Crane Co. Reports Margin Improvement, Flat Profit For Q3
BY Staff Reporter
Crane Co.'s third quarter witnessed an increase in operating margin and an improvement in the company's cash position, largely occasioned by cost reductions and enhanced efficiency. Crane's Merchandising Systems business unit reported a sales decrease of $17.7 million, or 19%, reflecting continued difficulty in the vending market...
| | EVA Issues Position Paper On Contactless Media For Vend Payments
Tim Sanford
The European Vending Association has published a position paper that sets forth the requirements for increased use of contactless payment systems in vending machines. The paper was drafted by EVA's Cashless Committee and is directed at credit card and banking institutions with an interest in vending...
| | House 'Healthcare Reform' Bill Requires Vender Nutrition Labeling
by Emily Jed and Tim Sanford
A nutritional-content labeling requirement for vending machines has made its way into the expanded healthcare reform bill, now being considered by the House of Representatives. The measure is the final version of the healthcare bill that was amended by three House committees over the summer. It is the same as the one included in a proposal to revise the federal law that governs packaged food labeling...
| | MooBella Appoints Pinnacle As New England Foodservice Broker
Tim Sanford
MooBella Inc. has named Pinnacle Food Sales & Marketing (Burlington, MA) the exclusive foodservice broker for its novel hard-scoop ice cream system in the New England region. Pinnacle serves all segments of the foodservice industry in New England...
| | NAMA Lauds ‘09 Certified Executive Program Graduates, Postgrads
by Staff Reporter
The National Automatic Merchandising Association has lauded 14 graduates of its NAMA Certified Executive program and 10 previous graduates who qualified for recertification this year. Of the 14 newly certified graduates, seven are Crane Merchandising Systems employees...
| | NCR Tests Digital Download Concept On Blockbuster Kiosks
by Staff Reporter
NCR Corp. is piloting a new model of its Blockbuster Express-branded movie-rental kiosks that allow patrons to download a movie to a secure digital (SD) memory card and play it on a suitably equipped home television...
| | Snyder's Of Hanover Announces Acquisition Of Utz Quality Foods
by Staff Reporter
Snyder's of Hanover plans to acquire Utz Quality Foods Inc., according to an announcement by Snyder's president and chief executive Carl E. Lee Jr. The principals are awaiting clearance from the FTC to consummate the transaction, and anticipate that this will be secured by year's end...
| | Study Finds Majority Of Parents Seek ‘Healthier’ Schools
by Staff Reporter
Survey results released by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation suggest that the vast majority of parents want schools to limit students' access to high-calorie chips, sodas and candy and to offer them opportunities for physical activity throughout the day...
| | UPDATED: Snyder's And Utz Discontinue Merger
by Staff Reporter
Snyder's of Hanover Inc.'s plan to acquire Utz Quality Foods has fallen through. Utz chief Michael W. Rice said that satisfying the FTC's request for additional information after two filings on the proposed merger failed to gain its approval would put a strain on the company...
| | AMI Publishes 2010 Software Upgrade For Ion Consoles On MegaNet
by Staff Reporter
AMI Entertainment Network reports that a complete 2010 software release is now available for download to MegaNet-connected Ion equipment. Operators must be running the 2009.5 software to take advantage of one of several options for loading the new software down to their Ion game consoles...
| | IALEI Dissolves On Oct. 30, IAAPA Becomes Industry's Main FEC Association
Marcus Webb
The International Association for the Leisure and Entertainment Industry officially dissolved on Friday, Oct. 30, pursuant to an agreement between the FEC association and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. As part of the merger agreement between the two groups, numerous IALEI programs and members will fold into IAAPA...
| | Illinois Operators Predict VLT Victory, Seek Expanded Market
Marcus Webb
Far from being discouraged over a growing number of "opt-out" jurisdictions and a stream of negative press, industry members in Illinois are confident that a regulated operator-run video lottery market will be realized next year, according to ICMOA president Tom Fiedler...
| | Industry Monitors Growing Battle Over Illinois VLTs
Marcus Webb
Industry insiders are quietly saying that getting the Video Gaming Act passed by Illinois General Assembly, and signed by Gov. Pat Quinn in July, may have been the easy part. Plans for an operator-run VLT market are under fire on many fronts, and crime is among the chief concerns. Industry members across the U.S. are watching the situation closely...
| | New York Buys Prime Coney Island Real Estate From Controversial Developer
by Staff Reporter
New York City has reached a deal to buy nearly seven acres of prime Coney Island real estate from the developer that owns the property. According to initial reports, Thor Equities will receive $95.6 million for the 6.9 acres situated in the heart of the fabled amusement district...
| | QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: AMOA's Gary Brewer Discusses America's Combined Spring Coin-Op Show
Marcus Webb
Gary Brewer of Brewer Amusement Co. (McMinnville, TN) assumed the leadership of the Amusement and Music Operators Association on Sept. 26. As is traditional, his term as president began at the close of the AMOA International Expo. It turned out to be a historic moment: Two days before, association leaders had announced that this year’s show would be the final AMOA Expo. Beginning next year, AMOA said it will work with the AAMA to support a single combined show. VT's music and games editor Marcus Webb caught up with Brewer this week for a discussion about plans for the new show. Also covered in the interview were AMOA finances, the health of the industry overall in 2009 and prospects for operator-run video lottery in Illinois...
| | Sega Debuts Sonic All-Stars Sports Game Line
by Staff Reporter
Sega is set to unveil the initial models in its brand-new Sonic All-Stars games line at the upcoming International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions show in Las Vegas this month. The line leaders, an air hockey table and a basketball game, will premiere in Sega's exhibit...
| | Trade Associations Urge Senate To Hold Hearings On CPSIA
Nick Montano
The National Bulk Vendors Association, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and Handmade Toy Alliance, along with 37 other trade groups, are calling on Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas to hold an open hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee on the unintended consequences of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act...
| | VSi Ed Hardy Tattoos Break New Ground In Flat Vending
Hank Schlesinger
High fashion and bulk vending would seem to have little in common, except that one of today's best-selling temporary tattoo lines is based on the edgy designs of Ed Hardy. Vending Supply inc., which acquired the license four years ago, has seen the popularity of the license build inside and outside bulk vending...
| |  | Fighting Back: Affordable Health Care for America Act And Vending
Tim Sanford
Over the past several years, we have pointed out that the modern vending industry, which took shape in the waning years of the postwar economic boom, had to organize swiftly and effectively in order to avoid being strangled at birth. Vending machines as novelty gimmicks attracted little notice, but once they began to appear in large numbers, they immediately attracted the attention of people who had no idea who owned and operated them, but who observed that they had money inside, and wanted it. Some of those people were thieves; others were politicians. The latter were more dangerous... by Tim Sanford
| | | Big Lessons From Small ‘Apps’
Marcus Webb
The amusements industry has survived the "Great Recession." The shrinking of the Gross Domestic Product is over, according to an Oct. 29 announcement from the U.S. Commerce Department. The economy actually grew 3.5% during the third quarter of 2009. However, unemployment will probably top 10% by mid-2010, economists admitted. So, for the next year at least, location traffic will probably remain light and the national cashbox will probably remain "less than overflowing." But the coin-op trade is populated by tough... by Marcus Webb
| | | Efficiently Managing Change Is An Essential Business Strategy
Hank Schlesinger
If we believe the conventional wisdom surrounding bulk vending, then we’re apt to accept that not much changes in the industry. Gumball and capsule machines are simply a sleepy little hamlet of nickel-and-dime commerce. Of course, nothing could be more inaccurate. The past decade has seen unprecedented changes in the industry. Machines may still look more or less the same, but... by Hank Schlesinger
| | Pierre Minis Address Demand For Lighter Grab-And-Go Fare
Tim Sanford
Pierre Foods is rolling out a line of bite-size twin-pack Mini convenience hot sandwiches in five lunch and two breakfast varieties. They're designed to enable operators to meet the desire of contemporary patrons for lighter, value-priced "mini" food options...
| | | Be The Leaders, Not The Victims
Alicia Lavay
I was in my local health food market last week, and had the chance to chat with the owner while he was ringing up my groceries. I was telling him how much I enjoy the fresh packaged sandwiches and salads his store provides, because I can take them with me to work for lunch during the week. "Not only are these items better for me," I said, "but they save me money, too." I went on to tell him that I had since been delighted to find the same "Healthy Korner" offerings available at the new Jet Blue terminal at Kennedy Airport, and I wondered why the company doesn't supply them for vending machines... Alicia Lavay-Kertes
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Mars Drinks North America is introducing a number of enhancements to its Flavia workplace single-cup, hot beverage system. These include the Creation 200, a brewer for midsize offices, and five more hot beverage selections that feature the Rainforest Certified Alliance seal... 