Vending machines for factories and manufacturing sites
Smart Market installs free, fully managed smart fridges at Melbourne factories and manufacturing sites, stocked with meals, drinks and snacks. Built for fixed short breaks where leaving site is not an option.
The problem on a factory floor
Breaks are fixed and short. Fifteen minutes does not cover leaving the site, and a rostered lunch break is often only thirty. If there is no canteen, and many manufacturing sites no longer have one, people are choosing between what they brought and what is in the machine.
That machine is usually a coil unit selling chocolate and soft drink, which is why it is not solving the problem, and it comes with the usual frustrations: jams on a fifteen minute break, coins that do not come back, and downtime that nobody notices until three people have complained.
A note on speed
On a short break, the queue is the enemy. Tap-and-go entry with automatic checkout means no codes, no exact change and no waiting behind someone deciding. Most people are in and out in under thirty seconds.
What works in this setting
- Ready meals and noodle meals that heat in a few minutes.
- Coffee, iced coffee and energy drinks around shift change.
- Water, particularly on hot lines.
- Filling savoury snacks rather than only sweets.
- Yoghurt and protein for the crew who want it.
Where to put it
Cafeteria or break room exits, the route to and from the floor, and shift-change points. Placement is agreed with your WHS lead and will not obstruct a safety route, an exit or an emergency access path.
Is your site a fit? Around 70 or more people on site on a typical day, whether that's staff, members or visitors, and nothing convenient to eat or drink close by. Machines come in a range of sizes and formats, so get in touch and we'll work out the right one for your space.
Frequently asked questions
Is a vending machine practical on a fifteen minute break?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons a smart fridge suits manufacturing. Tap, open, take, close. Most transactions take under thirty seconds, with no codes, no coins and no queue at a keypad.
Can it go on the factory floor?
It can go anywhere with power, signal and clearance, as long as it does not obstruct a safety route or exit. Placement is agreed with your WHS lead on the site visit.
What if we run multiple shifts?
The machine runs 24 hours and is restocked on a schedule set around your shift pattern.
Do you replace a canteen?
No. A smart fridge suits sites that no longer have a canteen, or where the canteen is closed on afternoon and night shift.
What happens when it breaks down?
Rarely, because there is very little to go wrong compared with a coil machine. Machine health is monitored remotely, so we usually know before you do, and repairs are on us.