June/July 2023 - 6

EDITOR'S NOTE
A continued recovery
I HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING SOME BEAUTIFUL WEATHER
and the beginning of summer. It was great seeing some familiar faces at
the recent 2023 NAMA Show, and I know many of you came back from
the show with new ideas, solutions and connections - there was a clear
sense of optimism for the future of the convenience services industry.
In this issue of Automatic Merchandiser, we share some highlights
Molly Rogers
Managing Editor
mrogers@endeavorb2b.com
Follow us at
Facebook/VendingMarket
@VendingMagazine
linkedin.com/
company/2233840
from the event - from product unveils, to industry recognition, to the
latest technology on display. We begin on page 10 with a recap of two
NAMA educational sessions that discussed equipment and innovations
for office coffee service. First, in " Understanding the functionality and
purpose of future breakrooms, " panelists offered innovative thinking
in product development, with sustainability and customization top of
mind. Second, the " Innovation in single-serve coffee " session shared
insights on what consumers are demanding for coffee offerings in the
workplace - fresh, convenient and high quality - all in one package.
We've also featured some new technology in unattended retail that
was showcased at NAMA's Imagination Way. Read about equipment
and innovations that continue to push the industry forward on page 34.
And, in our annual report, the State of the Industry for Vending and
With the
COVID-19
pandemic in the
rear-view mirror,
operators have
found ways to
restructure their
operations to
adapt to everchanging
market
conditions and
workplace
environments.
Micro Market, we take a deep dive into the industry's overall growth in
revenue for 2022. The past year showed a steady pace of recovery,
representing almost 89% of 2019's benchmark revenue high of $22.2
billion, after falling 45% in 2020 when operators were faced with office
closures and took their biggest hit. Embracing new tools that help meet
customers' demands as well as streamlining operations have contributed
to the continued recovery for the vending and micro market industry.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear-view mirror, operators have
found ways to restructure their operations to adapt to ever-changing
market conditions and workplace environments.
A perfect example of rebuilding from the impact of the pandemic -
this issue's operation profile: C&S Vending. Located in Silicon Valley's
largest city, C&S Vending serves the tech industry with vending, micro
market, office coffee and pantry service, and like most operators, took
a big hit due to the office lockdowns in 2020. But, Andy Owen, general
manager, says, " We've been dealing with the hybrid work model for
almost three years at this point. We're completely accustomed to that.
Of course, it isn't ideal if people don't return to the office full-time, but
we're structured for it. " Read about how Andy and his team are using
technology for both employees and its customers to optimize the
operation, making it well-equipped for future growth.
Lastly, we are pleased to recognize the winners of Automatic
Merchandiser's Most Influential Women in Convenience Services
Awards starting on page 24. Please join me in celebrating them for their
achievements that are helping to shape the future of the industry, and
thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for a colleague
deserving of this award.
6 Automatic Merchandiser * June/July 2023
Editorial
Advisory
Board
Nick Montano
Contributor
Joe Hessling
365 Retail
Markets
Josh
Rosenberg
Automated Retail
Technologies
John Reilly
Avanti Markets
Anant Agrawal
Cantaloupe
Systems
USA Technologies
Elyssa Steiner
Cantaloupe
Systems
USA Technologies
Carl Moser
Canteen
Corporate
Ed Kozma
Crane Payment
Innovations (CPI)
Cory Hewett
Gimme
Michael Miller
Mondelēz
International
Paresh Patel
PayRange
Jeff Deitchler
Prairie Fire
Coffee
Jim Carbone
Tradecraft
(retired)
Sandy
Thornton
VendEdge
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June/July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June/July 2023
