Tri-R Coffee Blog

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 San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego healthy vending machines?

Contact Tri-R Coffee & Vending at (760) 753-1112 to learn more about our vending options.

How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Were you able to reflect on the past, create new goals, and make a few positive changes since January 1?

According to activepause.com:

• 40-45% of American adults make resolutions each year.
• the top 3 resolutions are eating better, losing weight and quitting smoking.
• only 46% of all the resolutions made will be kept after 6 months.

Health.us.news.com also states that 80% of New Year’s resolutions will fail.

The bottom line—change is hard. If it weren’t so difficult, more people would keep their resolutions, and maybe more businesses would still be, well…in business. Take Blockbuster for example.

Blockbuster was created in 1985, and for a while, it had a monopoly on the video renting business. In 2000, Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, flew to Blockbuster headquarters to meet with Blockbuster CEO John Antioco to propose a partnership with the multi-million-dollar company. Hastings wanted Netflix to run Blockbuster’s brand online and in exchange, wanted Netflix to be advertised in Blockbuster’s brick-and-mortar stores.

Antioco and his team turned down the deal. After all, they were the leaders of their industry.

In 2004, Antioco realized his mistake. Seeing Netflix as a competitor, he tried to compete with them. Antioco removed late fees and invested heavily in Blockbuster’s online platform. But in 2005, he was fired. His replacement, only seeing the $200 million dollars the company lost when Antioco banished them, reinstated the late fees.

In 2010, Blockbuster went bankrupt. As of February 2017, Netflix was worth over $61 billion.

A few lessons we could learn from Blockbuster are:

1. Be open to new ideas
2. Invest time, money, etc. in exploring those new ideas
3. Maintain a healthy online presence

Tri-R Coffee & Vending isn’t afraid to change with the needs of our San Diego customers. We offer multiple ways to purchase items including credit/debit cards and mobile payment options; a wide variety of services including micro markets and office coffee service; and a large selection of products including healthy snacks and beverages.

Want to supply free snacks and beverages to your employees—just like Netflix? We can help with that too. Contact Tri-R Coffee & Vending at (760) 753-1112 to learn more about the options available.

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 break room 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 San Diego, 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 break room.

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 San Diego 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 San Diego consumers like to see caffeinated gum as a healthy snack in their vending machines or healthy break room? Call Tri-R Coffee & Vending today at (760) 753-1112.

Snacks are being redefined for many consumers. The “war on sugar” has made decent progress, as consumers become more aware of the content in their food. In fact, Euromonitor International, a global market research company, presented new research at a London press briefing, which was called, “No Sugar Please: How Snacks are Being Redefined.”

John George, an ingredients analyst at Euromonitor, said that the “demonization of sugar inevitably created a change in the type of ingredients used in snacks.” In a recent survey by Eoromonitor, 47% of global respondents actively search for food with limited or no added sugar. The presentation in London showed a 5% increase in “conventional” snacks, but 7% increase in healthy snacks in 2015-2015. Healthy snack growth can be attributed to “Western Europe and North America,” Jack Skelly, a food analyst at Euromonitor International noted. The “emerging trend” for healthier food has “increased by $10.8 billion from 2011 to 2016,” he said. In fact, Shelly said, it “could transform the food industry.”

The upcoming trend for healthy food has also led to new packaging sizes. Consumers are more aware of ingredients in food production, which also makes them more cautious in their choices. “We’ve seen an increasing polarization of pack sizes in conventional snacks, as larger formats are marketed for shared consumption,” said Karine Dussimon, senior packaging analyst at Euromonitor. “The aim of these new formats are to convey greater portion control and lower the guilt of buying a treat while still boosting impulse purchase,” she added.

People are also more aware of what’s considered a healthy weight. Healthy weight, Ewa Hudson, head of health and wellness research at Euromonitor said, is correlated with the “prevention of diabetes and other diseases, so minimizing sugar and calorie intake is high on consumers’ agenda.”

In other words, more information to the public has led to a bigger shift in food consumption. In particular, consumers have been making healthy choices. Euromonitor predicts an increase in new products within the snacking market. The demand for healthier food has grown, so products that will meet that demand will certainly excel.

Euromonitor’s presentation is only a small peek into the future. Consumers want healthier foods because they’ve become more knowledgeable. This knowledge, thanks to Western Europe and North America, has led to a larger demand for healthy food options. The transformation of snack sizes and types comes as no surprise, then, especially as the trend continues to grow.

If you are looking for healthy options for your break room, call Tri-R Coffee & Vending at  (760) 753-1112 for a free, no obligation consultation.

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 should not be surprising. Since the introduction of sriracha, foodservice has worked hard to spice menus up in new flavors. This shift in foodservice 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. Dataessential 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?

If you are looking for healthy options for your break room, call Tri-R Coffee & Vending at  (760) 753-1112 for a free, no obligation consultation.