Cantaloupe Systems Introduces Seed Markets For Micromarkets

PRESS RELEASE

With Seed Markets, operators can manage micromarkets using the same easy-to-use cloud and mobile tools that are already available for vending and OCS.

"We built Seed Markets because our customers wanted the same profit-boosting tools they have on their vending businesses with Seed Proâ„¢ and their OCS businesses with Seed Deliveryâ„¢," noted Anant Agrawal, president and cofounder of Cantaloupe Systems. "Many of our customers want to dramatically expand their markets businesses, but have put their plans on hold till they can get their operational costs in check. With Seed Markets, our customers are telling us that they feel comfortable growing their markets business without breaking the bank for drivers, warehouse, and the back-office labor."

Seed Markets implements the NAMA VDI VMS/MMS Integration standard for data exchange between Seed and the micromarket supplier. By implementing this industry standard, Seed Markets will integrate with any VDI-compliant micromarket supplier.

"Cantaloupe's adoption of the new micromarkets VDI standard is a good sign that suppliers are taking operators' interoperability concerns seriously," said Chris Lilly, chairman of NAMA's VDI Standards Committee. "It's good for the industry when suppliers work together to improve things for operators."

One Standard Set of Tools

Seed Markets lets operators simplify micromarket operations by standardizing a single set of mobile and Web-based tools for markets, vending and OCS.

Drivers can now use the same Seed Mobileâ„¢ driver handheld app to service markets, as well as vending machines and OCS stops. This minimizes time spent on training and eliminates the need to switch applications or devices.

Seed Mobile also features market-specific enhancements such as laser barcode scanner support that make inventorying much faster.

Simplified Route Management

With Seed Markets, route schedules for vending, markets, and OCS can all be managed in the same Web-based interface.

Schedules can be market-only or mixed with vending and/or OCS. Markets can even be split across routes, where a market's snack and drink racks can be serviced by a regular vending driver, while a market's food coolers can be serviced on a food route.

Cantaloupe Systems' patented Dynamic Scheduling is also supported, to avoid wasting valuable route labor on markets or sections of markets that don't need service.

Efficient Warehouse Pre-Picking

Seed Markets simplifies an operator's warehouse, as well. Operators no longer need to train warehouse employees on multiple systems, because the same Seed Officeâ„¢ web and mobile apps now handle inventory management and accountability for micromarkets, vending and OCS.

For operators who want to pre-pick market orders with vending orders on the same route, Seed Markets supports a "one pass" pre-pick operation that allows markets and vending machine pre-picks to be selected at the same time, increasing picker efficiency.

Single Reporting Interface

Finally, Seed Markets simplifies back-office by providing a single reporting interface for markets, vending, and OCS business.

Financial reporting can be run across all three lines of business in a single report, making a rolled-up customer P&L or category P&L easy to generate without having to manage data from multiple systems.

Operational reporting is also consolidated, allowing driver and route performance metrics across vending, markets and OCS.

Stay Tuned

Seed Markets is currently in limited test deployments. Cantaloupe Systems will demo Seed Markets next month at the 2016 NAMA OneShow in Chicago at McCormick Place (booth No. 803).

An early version of Seed Markets is in use at All-Star Services, a vending, OCS and micromarkets operator in Michigan. According to All-Star COO Duncan Smith: "We're seeing big efficiency gains by using Seed Markets instead of the software that came bundled with our micromarket. Drivers take inventory in one-sixth of the time it took before. Pre-kitting is twice as fast. We can now measure sales and cost of goods in one report across markets, vending, and OCS! Rolling out Seed Markets across our entire operation will let us continue to expand the number of markets we service while keeping labor costs flat and giving us better insights about our combined business."

Wider availability will follow later in 2016. Contact sales@cantaloupesys.com to learn more about Seed Markets and to get on the waiting list.

ABOUT: Cantaloupe Systems is the refreshment industry's premier provider of cloud-based, mobile solutions for vending, OCS and micromarkets. The Seed Cloud platform is an end-to-end solution for cashless and mobile payments, dynamic route scheduling, automated pre-kitting and merchandising and inventory management -- all accessible by any mobile device. Visit cantaloupesys.com.