What are Micro Markets?
Micro markets are miniature food retail spaces with self-checkout technology, and they are a significant corporate trend. For the office, these facilities provide a simple, healthful, and straightforward recharging experience.
The Evolution of Micro Markets
Public areas were not viable possibilities for unattended retail operators when micro markets were introduced to the business.
Micro markets were originally designed for controlled areas, such as office break rooms, to provide employees with a greater variety of nutritious snack and meal options than a vending machine could provide.
Micro markets were suitable for medium to large office environments since they reduced the need for workers to leave the building for meals, blurring the borders between vending, foodservice, and convenience stores (c-stores).
Advances in technology have allowed operators to extend beyond their intended scope over time. Today, thanks to compact, economical point-of-sale systems and streamlined fixtures that can display a wide variety of products in short spaces, operators have discovered ways to make markets in smaller locations lucrative.
Convenience store competition is prompting some micro markets to transform the ambiance and décor of a break room or public access area into a more appealing and entertaining venue that promotes fresh foods and local specialty products.
The Benefits of Micro Markets
They are simple to use and are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. They can be built to fit almost any place, require no staffing, and employees like the ease of use. They’re designed to work with auto-payment software that allows for touchless transactions on mobile devices.
Micro markets, thanks to new technology, provide employees with a convenient method to purchase products such as snacks and beverages. Micro markets can even include organic or gluten-free food alternatives, resulting in greater corporate morale, increased productivity, and a healthy workforce.
Micro markets enable employees to make short purchases when they are needed in the workplace. When compared to going out for lunch or supper or waiting for delivery, this provides several quick and economical options.
The micro-market vending machines allow employees to purchase drinks, snacks, and other supplies, freeing up workplace space and reducing clutter by eliminating many supply boxes.
Micro markets can be customized to reflect a company’s brand and image, as well as offer dietary demands such as organic or gluten-free products. This can help to improve staff morale, productivity, and overall workforce wellness. The required micro market equipment includes several security mechanisms to deter theft and vandalism.
Any business can benefit from the micro market as a source of revenue. This is especially true in offices where they are strategically positioned.
Employees can also peruse coupons before purchasing at micro markets, allowing them to save money on commodities that are frequently expensive at vending machines due to strong demand.
There’s no need to wait in long vending machine lines or utilize multiple machines to find what you’re looking for with micro markets.
Employees can take things from the micro market with them during the day. This means that, regardless of where they work, people will eat healthier snacks because they are readily available. Micro marketplaces also reduce waste by ensuring that staff only buy what they require when they require it.
Furthermore, products purchased from the micro market do not need to be returned to the office. They can be taken home or utilized as a means to recognize and award personnel for noteworthy achievements.
Micro markets are a quick and easy way to conduct business, as well as a cost-effective solution that people will use. In the end, this benefits both the employees and the organization.
Other benefits include:
- Socializing with peers in a common area
- A never-ending product variety is available 24 hours a day, 7 days
- Employee productivity has increased.
- Ability to provide a range of products similar to a canteen without the canteen’s costs.
- Recruiting tool- By providing the most cutting-edge breakroom technology, you will set yourself apart from the competitors.
Why Micro Markets are Better Than Traditional Vending Machines
Micro markets, unlike traditional vending machines, offer open shelves and kiosks with ready-to-eat meals, fruit, drinks, yogurt, and beverages, as well as traditional vending options; and the market is open 24/7 for breakfast, lunch, and after-hours fuel breaks.
Employers or facilities can carry much healthier, fresh foods than a traditional vending machine, allowing your employees to choose gratifying and nutritious things instead of the standard candy bar or beverage supplied from a machine.
It also allows for a more customized menu and fare that appeals to a broader workforce—including sustainable products that environmentally conscious employees value.
It’s also a more hygienic experience. By minimizing reliance on shared surfaces and providing employees control over their new devices, the corporate culture is shifting toward a “touchless” workplace. These tendencies will considerably minimize disease spread.
Challenges Micro Markets Solve
Flexibility of Time
If your building or firm employs people at odd hours or works a variety of shifts, you’ll need a food and beverage strategy that is consistent across the board. A micro market allows you to provide the same healthy options to the first shift (and second, third, and so on) as everyone else.
Many individuals believe they don’t have enough time to eat while at work; however, micro markets provide a variety of snack, beverage, and fresh meal alternatives in the same handy grab-and-go approach that vending machines popularized, but micro markets make smart.
It is Healthy
The ever-elusive balance is a concept that nearly everyone confronts at some point in their lives. Given that people spend approximately nine hours a day working and just one-hour eating and drinking, health usually plays an important role in the pursuit of balance.
There has to be a way to combine the two to achieve balance and a healthy approach to the typical workplace without spending hours in the kitchen.
Micro markets are similar to a bistro-to-go, offering good, wholesome food alternatives while maintaining the same level of convenience as fast food restaurants.
“Food has a direct impact on our cognitive performance,” according to Harvard Business Review, and a lousy vending machine decision can disrupt a day’s worth of productivity.
Healthier choices, such as minimally processed, low-glycemic foods strong in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, provide long-lasting energy for peak performance throughout the day.
People-Centric
Because people spend nine hours a day at work, who they are surrounded by daily is quite important. Installing a micro market can help you achieve both goals if you’re seeking ways to bring your team closer together and give value to your employees’ days.
People will be confronted with choosing how to spend a typical 60-minute lunch break if they are given one. When it comes to determining how what, or where they will eat or when having a micro market on site helps alleviate a lot of those problems.
Giving your employees the option of fast, fresh, and reliable food right where they work is something you can do as a building manager or member of the leadership team.
Must-Haves Before Setting Up a Micro Market
Location
It is recommended that you set up your micro market in a location that is convenient for employees yet private from other visitors to your business. It makes sense to have a lot of traffic because it puts what people want where they want it. The place must be private. Consider your campus’s break rooms or internal access commons.
Electricity
It is critical to have access to electricity. Coolers, payment kiosks, and security systems, for example, will all require electricity at each micro market. With a micro market, you get the same electrical component as traditional vending, but a new consumer experience.
A common three-prong socket has sufficient power, and most machines run on 110 or 115 volts at 10-12 amps, which has already proven to function if you’ve previously housed traditional vending machines.
Internet
It is critical to have access to electricity. Electricity! We promise it’s that easy. Coolers, payment kiosks, and security systems, for example, will all require electricity at each micro market.
A common three-prong socket has sufficient power, and most machines run on 110 or 115 volts at 10-12 amps, which has already proven to function if you’ve previously housed traditional vending machines.
With a micro market, you get the same electrical component as traditional vending, but a new consumer experience.
