Vending

Outdoor meat vending machine proves big hit for Iowa meat shop

Image courtesy of iStock.

March 10, 2021

A meat vending machine deployed by S & S Meats and Spirits in Osage, Iowa, installed last fall to make food available during the pandemic has proven a big hit, according to a Mitchell County Press-News report.

The company closed its retail store last March in response to COVID-19.

One of the biggest benefits from the vending machine was 24/7 availability, said co-owner Nathan Owen.

Within two days of posting the machine on Facebook, there were around 65,000 hits, Owen said.

Owen and co-owner Tom Smith said they got the idea from a meat processor in Rochester, New York.

The machine was developed for outdoor use in collaboration with Vending.com in Clive, Iowa.

For an update on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting convenience services, click here.