CAVC And Los Angeles County Collaborate On Micromarket Guidelines

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles County has issued a set of guidelines for the approval of micromarket plans and the health and safety requirements for micromarket operation. The document is the result of a collaborative effort by the Environmental Health division of Los Angeles County's Public Health Department and the vending industry, represented by National Automatic Merchandising Association senior director and counsel Sandra T. Larson and the California Automatic Vending Council.

NAMA reports that CAVC and L.A. County health officials have been working together on industry issues since 2011, initially on vending permits and more recently on the micromarket guidelines.

"With the micromarket concept rapidly expanding, CAVC members welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with county officials in establishing food safety standards that protect consumers and allow operators to grow their businesses," Larson explained. "A positive working relationship was forged from information-sharing, operator site visits and several meetings, resulting in a set of guidelines that both our members and the department are pleased with. We are thankful for the opportunity to work together on this."

CAVC board member Rawn Wanamaker, Canteen Vending (Garden Grove), lauded the working relationship established with the county's health department as "a wonderful example of proactive grassroots advocacy."

Wanamaker, who is vice-president of Canteen Corp.'s California region, reported that CAVC worked to educate the county about what a micromarket is and how it operates, and the officials listened and learned. "We hope this experience will foster similar advocacy results across the country," he emphasized.

"We value our relationship with NAMA and its membership," said Angelo Bellomo, director of environmental health, L.A. County Department of Public Health. "As new trends and proposed changes in the food system emerge, this relationship has proved vital to support innovation while maintaining basic food safety protections. We appreciate NAMA's knowledge of the industry and its commitment to ensuring food safety is at the center of proposed reforms they bring to the department for review."

The guidelines are explained in an illustrated eight-page PDF document, available for download through a link on NAMA's Government Affairs Web page at namavoice.org/state-issues/micro-markets or the Los Angeles County Public Health Department's Environmental Health site.

COMMON GOAL:Celebrating Los Angeles County's publication of guidelines for micromarket operations, from left, are Chip English, Continental Vending (Anaheim); Freddie Agyin, L.A. County Environmental Health Services manager; Terrie Williams, assistant director of environmental health; Angelo J. Bellomo, director of environmental health; Brenda Lopez, bureau director of specialized surveillance and enforcement; Paul Tullio, Gourmet Coffee Service (Van Nuys); and NAMA senior director and counsel Sandy Larson (Pasadena, CA). CAVC provided detailed information on micromarkets to the county's public health authorities to assist in codifying the requirements.