Article
Kiosks turn down the heat with frozen yogurt
With summer heat on the rise, people begin flocking to frozen treats for relief. One company is offering a kiosk solution that vends frozen yogurt with several flavors and toppings.
June 29, 2016 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator
Summer is finally here and, depending on your location, you might be experiencing a wave of intense heat. While hot days are nice at the pool or park, you'll probably want to chill out with some kind of cold treat. One company is helping turn down the heat with frozen yogurt kiosks.
Fresh Healthy Vending International Inc. has teamed up with Reis & Irvy's to develop the kiosk. It essentially acts as a robot that serves nine flavors of yogurt with 13 different toppings: almonds; chocolate sprinkles; Fruity Pebbles; granola; M&M's; mixed nuts; peanuts; rainbow sprinkles; red-hots; Reese's Pieces; shredded coconut; Skittles; and walnuts.
The kiosk is designed to occupy a small footprint and be simple to use. Customers can watch as a robotic arm inside the kiosk picks up a cup and creates the customer's customized frozen yogurt treat within 60 seconds (see video below).
"The Reis & Irvy's FroYo kiosk is a trailblazer in the frozen yogurt space, offering a unique, exclusive proposition for franchisees as the first to market with this innovative concept," said Nick Yates, chairman of Fresh Healthy Vending. "It's a low-cost, low floor-space, high profit-margin opportunity, and its interactive, robotic design really draws a crowd wherever it's placed. We'll use the relationships and experience we've built over the last five years with FHV to launch what we believe is the future of frozen yogurt."
The kiosk accepts payment via credit or debit card, Apple Pay and Google Wallet. Fresh Healthy Vending is deploying the kiosks in schools, universities, hospitals, military bases, libraries, airports and other locations. Operators can purchase four FroYo kiosks for $140,000 or eight kiosks for $280,000.
"Our support and resources are available to all our future operators well beyond their initial investment and include a number of key initiatives" said T.J. Rogers, director of franchising for Fresh Healthy Vending and Reis and Irvy's. "We take the time to procure premiere locations in which these kiosks will thrive and generate an unmatched consumer experience. For example, malls, quick serve restaurants, hospitals, theme parks, movie theaters, supermarkets — practically anywhere there are captive consumers. We then continue to support that experience and our franchisee with both national and local marketing efforts, thereby helping the success of our operators as well as the success of our brand."
Watch the kiosk in action below.
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