Vendex Midlands, held on March 20 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes surpassed all expectations this year with exhibitors reporting record orders.
Show director Phil Reynolds said exhibitors were more than happy with the day-long event feeding back that it was the ‘best ever Vendex’.
Phil said: “This was probably due to the advertising campaign booked on MKFM Radio for five weeks prior to the show. The ad was 30 seconds long and was aired nine times a day resulting in Vendex being promoted over three hundred times. This was reflected in swelling the numbers of visitors.
“We can quote from one exhibitor who took £300k worth of orders during the day. Truly a testament that Vendex ‘delivers’.”
The one-day vending event, known as the show ‘where the trade buys’ saw a host of new machines and products being launched.
Some of the exhibitors also reported a busier than ever show. Here’s what they had to say…
Rhea Vendors Group said there was great interest in its coffee machines proving that the company is meeting the needs of the evolving vending and Ho.Re.Ca sectors.
Steve Rossington, Rhea UK, said: “We offer our customers innovative machines that revolutionise the coffee break, thanks to a wide variety of traditional and international beverages. Made in Italy quality and design position us in the market as the ideal coffee machine to innovate and make the coffee corners of the Ho.Re.Ca, retail and hotellerie world more enjoyable. Our offering is supported by an extensive service network throughout the territory to ensure timely and reliable customer service.”
On stand, Rhea presented its latest Made in Italy solutions designated for hospitality. Highlights on stand included the rhTT1 table-top machine, the rhMM2 V+ milk machine.
Also featured at Rhea’s booth was the free standing rhFS, featuring modularity and flexibility with a 32-inch touch screen, which allows users to choose from a wide range of recipes. The rhFS2’s dispensing station is wider and positioned at an ideal height for the consumption of coffee and coffee drinks in large glasses, respecting the preferences of British consumers.
Laura Barwell, business development director at VMC commented: “We always enjoy attending Vendex and this show seemed busier than usual with a great buzz about the place. We received lots of positive feedback on our new kiosk which visitors were able to try out on the stand and we’re looking forward to sharing it again at the Leeds show in November.”
Chris Ives, business development manager at VMC commented: “Vendex has always been a firm fixture on our annual show calendar, and this one felt bigger and better than ever! It was also great to see many new start up vending operations too, which is a clear indicator of positive growth in the industry.”
SB Software said: “Vendex Midlands felt busier than previous shows. So we were pleased that we had increased our level of staffing to the highest ever, with seven of us on duty in total – because we all had plenty to do.
“It was especially useful that three of our crew were technical account managers because the enquiries were more insightful (and challenging) than at previous shows – key players are now embracing the commercial opportunities that data and technology can bring to our sector.
“Nearly all of those coming to see us had pre-planned specific questions or areas of interest and we enjoyed the challenge.
The most popular topics? – The latest release of Vendmanager (Version 24.1); Nova kiosk because micro markets are booming and the kiosk solution is proving its value in action, especially when fully integrated into Vendmanager; Fridge Lock because it gives a fairly standard fridge some of the key features of a smart fridge. There was also a BIG response to the BIG micro market kiosk reveal on the day.
“People could not plan to come and see that, because it was a surprise, but it generated a lot of interest. We’ll be back at Vendex – our stands are already booked for Leeds in November 2024, and Milton Keynes in March 2025.”
