SunDun Vending Blog

What Will Washington D.C. Consumers Ask for in 2017?

February 4, 2019February 27, 2017 by Katie Waxman

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:

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

SunDun Office Refreshments isn’t afraid to change with the needs of our Washington D.C. customers. We offer multiple ways to purchase items including credit/debit cards and mobile payment options; a variety of services including office coffee service; and a large selection of products including healthy snacks and beverages.

Contact SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731 to learn more about the options available.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Washington D.C. with some Bubbly!

February 4, 2019February 11, 2017 by Katie Waxman

If your New Year’s resolution was to lose weight and/or eat healthier, keep your commitment to yourself and choose “bubbly” sparkling bottled 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 Washington D.C. employees do the same.

Whether you offer traditional vending or healthy vending 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 options call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731 today. We’ll be happy to add some healthy carbonated beverages to your Washington D.C. energy star rated vending machines with your next refill.

Vending Machines and the Mobile Wallet in Washington D.C.

February 4, 2019January 30, 2017 by Katie Waxman

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 Washington D.C.’s healthy vending machines–the contactless transaction. This type of transaction is not only cashless but also credit cardless. The person purchasing a healthy 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 Washington D.C. that could purchase a beverage 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 Washington D.C. 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 break room vending machine, contact SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.

A Drink So Popular in Washington D.C., It Has Its Own Month

February 4, 2019January 15, 2017 by Katie Waxman

January, a time of new beginnings, health awareness, and goal setting, is also National Hot Tea Month. According to the Tea Association of the U.S.A., drinking hot tea can increase blood flow for improved cardiovascular health, provide antioxidants for cancer risk reduction, and boost energy expenditure which may help combat obesity. It appears that in a month when the world focuses healthier choices, drinking more tea may be a small change that can make a big health difference.

In addition to its health benefits, tea also has a rich history, diverse flavors, and soothing qualities. It should be no surprise that in America, the third largest tea importer in the world and the only western nation with increasing consumption, approximately four out of five consumers drink tea.

Here are a few more interesting numbers and facts from vendingmarketwatch.com:

Millennials are making more than coffee “hipster” cool. Their love of tea has triggered an overall increase in Additionally, while older consumers think of tea drinkers as older, female, and soft-spoken, Millennials associate tea drinkers with younger, predominately male, and loud individuals.
The most popular additions to tea are sugar (46%), honey (40%), and milk (26%).
In the same way that coffee drinkers identify with their hot beverage, it appears that tea drinkers do as well. Green tea drinkers are likely to describe themselves as creative, adventurous, spontaneous, and bold, whereas black tea drinkers are more likely to describe themselves as creative, confident, peaceful, and intellectual.

What does this mean for your Washington D.C. office beverage service? Consider the following options:

To create a full menu, we highly suggest offering a variety of quality teas. Historically, coffee has been the star of the office, but as trends change, your break room menu should too. Consider offering at least one green, one black, and two to three herbal teas to meet the tastes of everyone in the office.
If you are a heavy coffee drinker, consider starting each day with a cup of green tea before your first cup of coffee. It can be a gentler way to start your day, and you will reap some extra health benefits.
For your office break room menu, think about adding honey packets or bears and organic milk to sweeten your tea program.

As drinking hot tea grows in popularity, it is important to modify your Washington D.C. break room options to meet the demand. Not only will your employees enjoy the benefits of drinking their favorite hot beverage, but they will also be more likely to turn to their healthy break room for snacks and beverages. For more information on improving your office coffee and tea service call SunDun Office Refreshments today at 800.466.2731.