Stay-In Coffee Boost

Credit squeezed staff are staying in for coffee as premium drinks vending sales rise. Just one of many vending success stories in the recession.

LTT Vending, said to be the UK's premier independently owned vending company, has reported a massive 55% increase in vending sales of premium drinks such as quality coffees and teas.

This sudden increase in quality drinks vending shows that office staff, college students, call centre workers, health and leisure facility customers, and many more are choosing to stay in for their drink at break-time, rather than going round the corner to a local café.

This statistic from LTT is corroborated by a downturn among some iconic high street coffee chains.

The swing towards in-house premium drinks consumption, no doubt fuelled by people's recession-inspired thrift, is only possible because of the recent improvements in vending equipment technology, and attention to quality ingredients.

These advances are essential when producing a cup of coffee or tea to rival high street coffee chains.

Today's equipment now offers coffee beans ground to order, leaf teas, fresh milk – indeed, everything the café provides, except the costly staff. Moreover, integrated leasing arrangements mean that companies wanting to install quality vending do not have to commit scarce capital.

LTT Vending national sales director, Robin Turver, said: "We manage over 40 million vending transactions across 3,500 locations every year in this country, so our data is a really accurate barometer of the habits of people when it comes to consumption.

"It is evident to us that the availability of quality vended drinks, along with economic pressure both on work rates and on the individual's pocket, have combined to drive up quality drinks consumption on the premises.

"In many cases, workforces have been reduced, meaning that pressure on people's time has increased. Some of our customers have even remarked that the whole atmosphere of pulling together and camaraderie in difficult times, has increased as people socialise more together in the building."

An LTT customer adds: "It's great to have high street quality cappuccino, espresso, latte and teas all available on site. We have all been educated into quality coffee in the last 15 years, and will accept nothing less from an in-house facility.

"Staff really appreciate quality refreshments, and it helps to create a relaxing and enjoyable social atmosphere all within the building. People want to take a break sitting down with their drink, and not wasting time getting from A to B.

"This is a great way of helping our people save money too – a small, but useful, extra perk. And thanks to the financing arrangements that are offered by vending suppliers, the company does not have to take a major capital spending hit in these tight times."