Swiss firm Selecta works on next generation confectionery vending with Mars Wrigley

Swiss-based food solutions group Selecta has linked-up with Mars Wrigley to unveil next generation intelligent vending machines with user-friendly touch screens and smart payment systems, writes Neill Barston.

As the company explained to Confectionery Production, the machines also provide detailed product information in response to ever-more savvy consumers eager for precise information on product ranges – enabling personalised item s

The partnership combines Selecta’s experience in self-service coffee and convenience food solutions in the workspace and public spaces, with Mars Wrigley’s expertise in chocolate and snacks ranges including its M&M’s, Snickers, Twix and Mars bars confectionery series.

“We are looking for partnerships to win with winners, and we see Mars Wrigley as a strong partner based on their strong brands and values”, says Jens van Beusekom, Group CPO Selecta. “We know how to operate and how to approach the market. Mars Wrigley knows how to manage brands and snacks, and together we can win retail markets.”

The new vending machines, that will be introduced feature 48-inch touchscreens to display products dynamically and interactively with consumers. Consumers can access detailed product and nutritional information on-screen, purchase multiple products in a single transaction and receive personalised product suggestions. The vending machines also offer video advertising, remote planogram updates and eye-catching product features such as image animations.

As the company confirmed, the digital vending solution is suitable everywhere – workplaces, airports, railway stations, universities, and hospitals. Selecta Group plans to install 500 to 1000 vending machines in the UK and expand the solution to other markets in continental Europe including Germany, Italy, Austria, France, and the Netherlands.