Santa Clarita Concessions

What are the ingredients in your favorite vending machine snack or beverage? Do you know? If you do, you belong to a growing group of consumers who not only know which ingredients are in their food but also know the number of ingredients. According to Andrew Mandyz, Director of Strategic Insights at Nielsen, “There’s a shift in how people are thinking about ‘better for you.’ People are looking for back-to-basics, simpler ingredients.”

Ingredient Labels

Seeing the recipe for your snack or beverage would be the best way to learn about what is in it, and how much of each thing was used. But since that is rarely an option, there is another way for Santa Clarita consumers to learn about what is in their food and drink—by reading ingredient labels. Ingredients are listed in a very specific order. The largest ingredient is listed first, followed by each ingredient until the smallest ingredient. For example, a ready-to-drink cold tea that lists the ingredients tea (water, tea), sugar, and lemon is letting the consumer know that there is more tea than sugar, and more sugar than lemon in the beverage. Nielsen found that “about 61 percent [of consumers] said that the shorter the ingredients’ list, the healthier the product.”

Online Resources

In addition to reading ingredient labels, consumers are researching health information online. Mandzy found that the number of consumers who went online for information went from 48% in 2014 up to 68% in 2016, a 20% increase. With the large amount of health information available online, and more Santa Clarita consumers using the internet, it is important to know how to determine if a website contains reliable information. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center offers some tips:

• Don’t search the entire Internet. Start with the Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library [or other hospital website] or MedlinePlus.gov.
• Evaluate commercial (“dot com”) sites carefully for bias and conflict of interest.
• Check to see if the information is current (less than three years old).
• Look for the credentials of the author (i.e. doctor, nurse, psychologist) to make sure the information is written by a health professional.

Technology as a Tool

Using technology to track health-related activities and numbers are also on the rise. There are apps that are worn during activities such as running or walking, ones that track the number of hours slept and the quality of sleep, ones that track what an individual has eaten and count calories, and others that track heart health or healthy habits. With so many apps available, it can be challenging to find one that meets a Santa Clarita user’s needs. Harvard Health Publications recommends several things to consider when looking for the right app.

• Have realistic expectations of the technology and watch out for unrealistic claims.
• Read reviews. Try out a few different ones.
• Read the fine print.
• Ask for recommendations.
• Look for ones “sponsored or created by established health advocacy groups, medical organizations, or universities”

Reading ingredient labels, researching health information and monitoring one’s own health-related activities are just a few of the many ways that consumers can become more knowledgeable. Sharon Allison-Ottey, MD and health educator, recently expressed that “the overall trend of a more-educated consumer is excellent” especially when it comes to a person’s diet. Which snack and beverage ingredients do your consumers want to see in their Santa Clarita healthy vending machines?

Contact Santa Clarita Concessions at (661) 259-7310 to learn more about our vending options.

If your New Year’s resolution was to lose weight and/or eat healthier, keep your commitment to yourself and choose “bubbly” sparkling water instead of champagne or soda for your Valentine’s Day celebration.

Why make sparkling water your beverage of choice in 2017?

• It’s Healthier – Many leading brands, such as LaCroix, don’t have any calories, sweeteners, sodium or anything artificial.
• It’s Cheaper – With many cities and counties across the country imposing extra taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, it’s better for your budget to stay away from sodas.
• It’s Trending – According to the Wall Street Journal’s article LaCroix Bubbles Up in Water Brand Competition, sparkling water consumption grew 26% from 2015-2016. And according to an article from Huffington Post, Sparkling Water is the New Soda, between 2009 and 2014, the volume of carbonated bottled water sold in the U.S. increased by 56.4%.
• It’s Diverse – Sparkling water offers a large variety of flavors not commonly found in soda. Think black cherry dragon fruit, orange grapefruit, and kiwi watermelon.

This year as you work to improve your own drinking habits don’t forget to help your Santa Clarita employees do the same.

Whether you offer traditional vending, micro markets or free vend benefits to your employees, your local vendor can stock your healthy break room with sparkling water options.

Some of our favorites include:

ICE – Started in the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest, the ICE line now includes sparkling teas and lemonades in addition to their twelve succulent varieties of sparkling water.

Dasani Sparkling – All 6 varieties of Dasani Sparkling water are unsweetened and have no artificial flavor. They also are juice free.

LaCroix – Originating in the 1980s LaCroix has made a serious comeback complete with a whole new look. Today they are easily the leading name in sparkling water.

For more sparkling water or juice options call Santa Clarita Concessions at (661) 259-7310 today. We’ll be happy to add some healthy carbonated beverages to your Santa Clarita vending machines or micro market with your next refill.

Have you seen the Capital One TV commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” It’s no longer just about what’s in the object that holds the cash and credit cards that you carry in your back pocket or handbag. It’s now about what type of wallet you use – a mobile wallet that holds a variety of credit card, bank account, and loyalty program information, or the one that holds actual cash and credit cards.

Historically, vending machines accepted only cash. As technology changed, so did the types of payments that vending machines allowed. Today, a new option is available that has the potential to increase sales at Santa Clarita’s healthy vending machines–the contactless transaction. This type of transaction is not only cashless but also credit cardless. The person purchasing a snack or beverage needs only to carry a smartphone that has a mobile payment app, and he or she can quickly buy that item. Many universities and colleges have already seen an increase in the use of mobile wallets by students. Some of the more well-known mobile payment systems are Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Android Pay, but banks and credit cards are also creating their own mobile payment apps.

Do you use a mobile wallet? If you do, you are part of a segment of the population that is moving toward a cashless society. A June 2016 Gallop Poll found that fewer Americans are using cash for purchases today than they did five years ago. In November 2016, Capital One surveyed 1,805 individuals and found that 24.4% of the participants use a mobile wallet for purchases, and 63.3% of those individuals adopted the technology during the past year. That leaves 76.7% of those who participated in the study who do not use a mobile wallet. Another way to look at it is that there are 1,364 potential new mobile wallet users in the Capital One survey. Or 1,364 potential vending machine users in Santa Clarita that could purchase a healthy snack using a mobile wallet.

Digital advertising for contactless transactions or mobile payments also impacts the volume of sales at vending machines. A recent study by USA Technologies, Inc. (USAT) examined the relationship between digital advertising and the use of mobile wallets, specifically Apple Pay, at 35 vending machines in New York and Louisiana. They found that there was a 36.5% increase in overall sales at the machines that promoted the availability of Apple Pay.  Maeve McKenna Duska, senior vice president of marketing and sales at USAT, stated, “Based on our study, we believe that when businesses and operators present consumers with the option to pay for items with Apple Pay, the number of mobile payments made and the amount spent increases.” Given the large volume of vending machines currently being used in Santa Clarita and the increasing number of individuals who are switching to mobile wallets, there is an opportunity for growth as sales typically increase when mobile payments are available.

If you are looking for mobile payment options for your healthy breakroom vending machine, contact Santa Clarita Concessions, at (661) 259-7310.

Have you ever had one of those days when you need an energy boost to make it through the day? If you have, you’re not alone. Even athletes such as elite marathoners sometimes need an energy boost while training and competing. Marathoners have traditionally used gels for an energy boost, but there is a new trend among athletes that could soon find its way into your healthy breakroom vending machine—caffeinated gum. Caffeine is known to increase one’s alertness and decrease fatigue. Recent research about caffeinated gum and its effects on athletes by New Zealand’s Eastern Institute of Technology’s Carl Paton confirmed that caffeinated gum behaves in the same way as gels by improving performance, focus and clarity. To combat your afternoon slump, try adding caffeinated gum to one of these healthy options.

Choose Healthy Snacks

What you eat matters. Eating healthy is important for all of us in Santa Clarita, not just athletes. Choosing healthy snacks whether it be cheese slices with whole wheat crackers or sliced apples with peanut butter plays an important role in combating the sluggishness and fatigue caused by poor nutrition. The saying that food is our body’s fuel is true as what we eat either positively or negatively impacts how we perform. Whether you keep healthy snacks in your desk or choose ones from a vending machine, make healthy selections to see the most benefit.

Drink Water

Our bodies are made of multiple systems that rely on water to be able to function correctly. Unfortunately, most of us don’t drink nearly enough to make up for the water that we lose every day, which can lead to dehydration. Side effects of dehydration include lack of energy and fatigue. To combat dehydration, the Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink about 13 cups or 3 liters of beverages per day, and women drink about 9 cups or 2.2 liters per day. Water and other non-sugary beverages can be found in your office vending machine or healthy breakroom.

Go for a Walk

Movement is a great way to increase energy levels and improve focus. It could be going for a walk in your Santa Clarita neighborhood or doing jumping jacks at your desk. As long as your blood flow increases and you breathe a bit faster, you should see benefits. Exercise is also great for stress relief. When we decrease our stress level, our mood often improves and we feel more motivated to accomplish our to-do lists. Whether you exercise with a friend or on your own, get moving.

Have Some Caffeine

Most often when we need a boost of energy, we gravitate toward coffee or other caffeinated beverages. There are times, however, when consuming caffeine in a beverage is not an option.  For example, you might not have a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage nearby or you may not enough time to drink an entire beverage. Caffeinated gum has an additional benefit that caffeinated beverages do not. The caffeine from caffeinated gum bypasses the digestive system and goes straight into your system, so you feel the effect of the caffeine faster.

Eating healthy snacks, drinking water and exercising all contribute to increased energy throughout the day at the office. Caffeinated gum offers the extra pick me up that we all sometimes need. Would your Santa Clarita consumers like to see caffeinated gum as a healthy snack in their vending machines or healthy break room? Contact Santa Clarita Concessions today at (661) 259-7310.

Are you a spicy food lover? If not, you might become one. According to Emily Liu, marketing director for Buck Wild, “Americans are snacking more than ever.” Furthermore, she said they are “demanding more complex, bold and spicy profiles.”

The growth of spicy food in Santa Clarita should not be surprising. Since the introduction of sriracha, food service has worked hard to spice menus up in new flavors. This shift in food service has led to a more broad, open, and evolving taste buds, according to Technomic’s “2015 Flavor Consumer Trend Report.” Consumers are searching for more complex combinations and more types of peppers. At least 78% of consumers desire moderately spicy foods, while 55% crave spicy food flavors.

Food companies have noted the larger consumer base for spicy food lovers. One of the hottest chili peppers in the world is the ghost pepper. Companies like Wendy and Sbarro have begun including ghost-pepper flavors into various items on their menu.

The increase in a desire for spicy foods may be due to a new generation: millennials. The report by Technomic indicates 45% of those between 18-34 years of age want more restaurants to offer foods with a combination of flavors.

McCormick & Company reveals an annual forecast of culinary trends in homes, restaurants, and retailers. The global team of chefs, food technologists, and flavor experts for 2016 listed several spicy food groups. For example, “Heat + Tang” was at the top of the list, which includes Peruvian chilies, lime, and sambal sauce (which is made with chilies). They also listed a “Tropical Asian” cuisine, which has peppers, chilies, and even a Malaysian spicy paste.

Spicy food doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. While many see the importance of spicy food, they do not see the
extent of its importance. For instance, Amy Smith, director of culinary innovation for Minneapolis-based Buffalo Wild Wings, said they “featured a ghost-pepper sauce” for a limited time. “We ordered six weeks worth from our supplier,” she said, “but ran out in a week.”

Their underrated success should make all food enthusiasts think twice. Data essential made a list of spices, sauces, and peppers picking up heat, including the ghost pepper, gochujang, togarashi, and shishito peppers.

Is spicy food a food fad or is it more? With increasing demand for spicy food and an upcoming generation (millennials) who love it, it seems it will only grow with time. What do you think?

Looking for a new customized break room food service at your Santa Clarita location? Call Santa Clarita Concessions today at (661) 259-7310.

As of September 22^nd, fall is officially here in Santa Clarita. The chill is setting in, decorations are in stores, and everything pumpkin has made its way into stores. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, and a slew of other pumpkin items are now available nearly everywhere.

While fall is associated with the beginnings of the crazy holiday seasons, it’s also known as a time of comfort. Orange leaves hang like ornaments, waiting to gently cover the streets. Overcast skies hover above, promising rain tomorrow. Department stores place the latest styles to bundle yourself in. Coffee shops place bright red and orange decorations out, signaling it’s that time of year again.

All the donuts, all the creamers, all the syrups tempt you in the grocery aisles. Your friend sends you her “world famous pumpkin fritters.” Every party includes too many irresistible treats. It’s no wonder New Year’s resolutions are made after the holidays.

Fall is a time of fun; it’s where coffee and tea join with flavors you only get once a year. When you offer coffee services to employees, you’re saying, “I care.” Instead of making people drudge through the cold weather, you’re giving them an opportunity to waltz over to the office coffee, grab a drink, and feel the warmth without ever having to step outside or throw on a jacket.

Holidays can also be stressful, not just at work, but in general. Why not give them the benefits? A quick “thank you” every morning or afternoon when they need some caffeine? You can’t beat the benefits of in-house coffee. The convenience during long, holiday lines at coffee shops and bitter weather can be huge in boosting office morale.

While offering coffee in the office may not seem like a big deal, it is. For employees who want to stay out of the cool weather as much as possible, having coffee at the office is something to look forward to every single day. This is a fantastic employee benefit with minimal costs involved. There’s no reason to keep coffee from your Santa Claritaemployees. For them, it will mean the world.

Whether you get a thank you or not, actions speak louder than words. Your employees may not voice it, but they are glad to have office perks like coffee. Instead of forcing them out of the office, you invite them to stay, focus on work, while also giving them a quick boost.

Fall is about new flavors, new weather, and new beginnings. The familiar sense of fall is a time of promise, hope, and the whispers of holidays to come. Start the season off right this year.

For more information about how to set up a coffee and tea service in your Santa Clarita breakroom call  Santa Clarita Concessions today at (661) 259-7310

Years ago, the common business office was a simpler place. This was certainly evident with office coffee. If it was available at all, there were two choices of flavors: regular black and decaf black. It was brewed in an old percolator, probably a can of freeze-dried crystals strained through a paper filter. Perhaps there was some creamer for those looking to nuance the taste a bit. It was usually right beside the pot, visibly stained and crusted over from the thousands of batches made over the years. Hmmm…maybe the good old days weren’t always that good?

Today, Santa Clarita employees expect a lot more from coffee. That’s why they’re willing to shell out five dollars for a cup at the local coffee shop. It’s not only the expense that shows their commitment, but the hassle they’re willing to endure. Before coming into the office, they’re battling lines at the local coffee counters or drive-thrus, many times at the expense of being late to work.

In response, many offices have turned to offering great coffee right in the office. They’ve engaged office coffee services that provide a wide range of coffee brands and flavors, brewed in the latest in coffee brewing technology, from single-cup options to machines that start with beans and turn them into a fresh-ground cup of coffee in moments.

Is it worth the effort? Well, according to recent polling, companies going the extra mile when it comes to coffee are seeing positive results. There’s a reason office coffee services is close to a $5 billion dollar industry. That mainly has to do with employees appreciating the fringe benefit and rewarding their employers with greater productivity and extended loyalty.

Are employees staying with companies just because of the coffee? Though the variety and quality offered through office coffee services is quite good, no one is likely willing to go as far to say it’s a primary benefit. But it’s certainly one of those things that helps tip the scales in a positive way, adding to the enjoyment one has in an office environment. When it’s difficult for companies to give employees raises across the board, one thing they can do is enhance the office environment. Adding a high caliber office coffee service is a relatively inexpensive way to show employees you’re going to bat for them.

Certainly, just for the employee morale boost, adding an office coffee service makes sense. But from a productivity standpoint, it might be an even bigger selling point for progressive businesses. Think about the amount of time lost from employees showing up late, delayed by a busy local coffee shop. Also, there’s those employees who leave a couple times during the day for a refill. Those productivity drains can basically be negated by giving employees what they want right from the office.

Can office coffee services really replace the demand for the local coffee shop? Perhaps there are some who still will insist on visiting the big name retailers, but today’s office coffee services offered by premiere vending companies can basically recreate the coffee house experience with gourmet brands, multiple flavors, specialty drinks and true bean-to-cup brewing technologies. On top of that, today’s leading vending companies will provide more, giving companies what they need to keep their break rooms fully stocked and operational.

So is an office coffee service right for your Santa Clarita operation? Well, according to recent surveys, not only do employees appreciate good coffee in the office, they’re beginning to expect it. With all the advantages of offering coffee in-house, and the growing attitude toward this being a fixture at any progressive business, if your company can afford to add such a service, then it should.

For more information about how to set up a coffee and tea service in your Santa Clarita breakroom call  Santa Clarita Concessions today at (661) 259-7310

Everyone knows that drinking more water in Santa Clarita and less soda or sugar-sweetened beverages is a good idea for supporting a healthy lifestyle, but now a recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Nutrients, tells us just how beneficial this swap may be when trying to improve your health.

Partially funded by the Drinking Water Research Foundation and authored by researchers from both the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech, this is the first study to use national nutrition surveillance data to report adult beverage intake patterns and predict calorie savings, weight loss benefits and other potential health advantages associated with drinking water instead of sweetened beverages. The study utilized dietary and health data from more than 19,000 adults from National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys conducted between 2008 and 2012.

From this data, researchers were able to determine beverage intake patterns, compare beverage choices to current public health recommendations and identify positive results from drinking more water and less sweetened beverages. The following are some high points from the study:

• 18 percent of adult calories come from beverages. Current public health recommendations suggest this be less than 15 percent.
• More than 40 percent of adults reported drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day. This exceeds public health nutrition guidelines for those trying to improve weight management and reduce the risk for chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• Reducing calorie intake to the recommended 15 percent maximum would cut 3.9 billion calories per day from adults’ diets in the U.S. The predicted weight loss from such a move could mean 1.6 million fewer adults classified as “overweight.”
• Though Americans are drinking less soda, data still shows that calories from beverages is still exceeding public health recommendations.

From these findings, recommendations were made regarding limiting added sugars to less than 10 percent of total calories. Also, it is advised that the more one can replace added sugar beverages with one with no sugar added, like water, the better for overall wellness. Though these conclusions aren’t surprising, the results of compliance are powerful.

“Swapping water for eight ounces of sweetened beverages every day could save people roughly 100 calories,” said Kiyah Duffey, PhD, Virgina Tech and co-author of the study. “If those calories are not replaced by other foods or beverages, that is a meaningful reduction in daily energy intake.”

Looking for healthy break room service at your Santa Clarita office? Call Santa Clarita Concessions today at (661) 259-7310

For years vending machines have been loved by break rooms everywhere. They offer convenience, provide delicious, healthy snacks and allow a snack/meal break when restaurants and stores may be closed or too far away to access during an allotted break time. However, in these same years, vending machines have been loved to be hated. Products get stuck, change doesn’t dispense, dollar bills (no matter how many times you flatten them) won’t read and in some scenarios products (when they do vend) come through the hatch expired.

In short vending machines are just that: machines. And machines are not perfect. But what if there was a system that was closer to perfect? One that prohibited lost money and stuck product?  One that offered even fresher food and guaranteed that customers never had to purchase an outdated product again?

Micro Markets are that system.

A Micro Market operates as a mini convenience store in break rooms in place of typical vending machines. With open shelving for shelf stable products, reach in coolers and freezers and a self-checkout kiosk, customers (your employees) can hold their product before they ever purchase it. Which means in addition to being guaranteed they will receive what they purchased they can also:

• Check expiration dates
• Examine nutritional information (allowing the opportunity to make an informed purchasing decision for their taste buds and their health)

What about money?

Micro Markets use stored value cards, credit cards and finger print recognition to make payment as convenient as possible for your employees. With their stored value cards, employees can upload cash or credit (at the kiosk or online) to make a purchase. The card stores the balance, which means no change is given back (eliminating the coin mechanism which is responsible for roughly 90% of all vending related service calls).

And for freshness?

Those reach in coolers, in addition to beverages; hold FRESH food (not frozen to defrosted, but fresh). Delicious sandwiches, salads, burritos, yogurts, parfaits, wraps, fruit, etc. are now readily accessible to your employees without ever having to leave the office.

So what does all of this mean for your Santa Clarita business?

• Happier/healthier employees
• Reduction of extended off site employee breaks
• Improvement of employee efficiency

Which in turn increases your company’s bottom line as happy employees will produce better results.

Want to revolutionize your company’s break room with a micro market of your own? Call Santa Clarita Concessions today at (661) 259-7310 and ask what requirements need to be met to qualify for a micro market at your place of business.