Automatic Merchandiser serves the business management, marketing, technology and product information needs of its readers including vending operators, coffee service operators, product brokers, and product and equipment distributors in print.
Issue link: http://automaticmerchandiser.epubxp.com/i/571501
VendingMarketWatch Top News Stories ive Star Food Ser- vice announced it has completed full or partial acquisition of three vending and offce coffee service companies in Georgia and Tennessee in less than three months. In June, Five Star acquired a portion of Hiram, GA-based Elite Vending Co. which included the majority of the business managed inside of a four-county overlap of Five Star's Canteen Vending fran- chise territory. Elite will continue to operate and serve its metro-Atlanta custom- ers in Fulton, Cobb, Douglas and Clayton counties, where Five Star does not currently operate. In July, the acquisition of Rome, GA-based Complete Vending included its entire fve-route vending and offce coffee service operation covering a seven county area. In August, the fnal and largest of the three acquisitions involved Murfreesboro, TN-based Webb's Refreshments, which sold its complete eight-route vending and micro market business to Five Star. Webb's retained and will continue to operate its offce coffee and water service divisions. This series of acquisitions allows Five Star to consolidate the competitive land- scape within its current operating footprint and continue its pace of growth, the company said in a statement. F Five Star Food Service Announces Three Acquisitions Cott Announces The Closing Of Acquisition Of Offce Water Delivery Company ▶ Cott Corporation announced that its DS Services Business Unit has closed on its acquisition of Sweet Arrow Springs in central Pennsylvania. Sweet Arrow Springs generated over $2 million in annual rev- enues and its customers are now receiving their regular bottled water, offce coffee and fltration service directly from a DS Services Route Sales Representative. This acquisition is one of the two asset purchase agreements announced during the second quarter 2015 earnings call. N&W; Global Vending To Introduce 5,000 Smart Vending Machines In The U.S. Next Year ▶ N&W; Global Vending will introduce 5,000 smart vending machines across the U.S. in 2016, powered by Intel technology, SlashGear reports. Intel demonstrated the smart vending machines at the 2015 Intel Developer Forum that took place in San Francisco, CA. Internal cameras in the vending machine can detect demographic details about the machine's user such as gender and age, which is then distributed to the vend- ing machine's operator to let them know who is visiting their machine and what they are buying. Last May N&W; Global Vending was at the Intel booth at the VendItalia Inter- national Vending Exhibition in Milan with a preview of the frst prototype of a vend- ing machine based on the latest Intel technologies. Tennessee-based Five Star Food Service made three acquisitions in less than three months. Farmer Bros. Breaks Ground On New Headquarters In Texas ▶ Farmer Bros. Co. broke ground in Northlake, TX, on what will become its new headquarters, state-of-the-art roasting facility, distribu- tion center and coffee lab. The company's move from Torrance, CA, is expected to bring more than 300 jobs to the Northlake region. NAMA Releases 2015 Annual Operating Ratio Report ▶ NAMA announced that its 2015 Operating Ratio Report, Key Indicators for Success, is now available for purchase on www.vending.org. Analyzing data gathered from participating NAMA member companies, the study provides key insights into exactly how high-proft frms generate better proft numbers. It focuses intently on three proft drivers— growth, gross margin and expenses. The report shares clear evidence as to how small differences in those few areas translate directly into higher levels of proftability. To purchase a digital copy of the Operating Ratio Report, please visit www. vending.org/ORR. The cost is $225 for members and $395 for non-members. l i d t h 8 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com September 2015