Many coffee connoisseurs are very specific about how they like their coffee. Some can only enjoy a cup if it was roasted locally in the last ten days. If you aren’t such a coffee snob, you may be open to experimenting with the many coffee options that capitalism has blessed us with, such as coffee pods or capsules. Coffee pods can be dispensed to the general public or employees in an office environment using coffee pod vending machines.
What Are Coffee Pod Vending Machines?
Coffee pod vending machines dispense coffee pods for use in single-serve coffee-making machines. Coffee pods are preground coffee packaged in thumb-sized sealed cases. One pod usually carries 5 to 7 grams of ground coffee.
A coffee pod vending machine sells these pods to consumers just as snack vending machines sell snacks. A coffee pod vending machine can be a great addition to an office environment where employees want the convenience of single brews and a greater selection of coffee brands to meet their varying tastes.
How Are Coffee Pod Vending Machines Different from Standard Coffee Machines?
Coffee pod vending machines vend solid coffee, which you have to put in a coffee-making machine to brew. The main difference between the coffee pods and the roasts your barista uses is the brew's freshness and strength. If you were chasing perfection, you’d use about twice as much water (in grams) as the coffee. Therefore, a 36-gram double espresso will demand 18 grams of freshly roasted coffee. In contrast, one coffee pod only has 5 to 7 grams of coffee.
The case of coffee pods is the convenience and ease they provide. If you need a stronger shot, consider using more than one pod for every brew.
Coffee machines for coffee pods and capsules are simple and mostly affordable. You can find decent single-serve brewers for $50 or less.
Now, if you have a traditional French press and you still want to use coffee pods, you can do so but you need to account for the size of the machine and empty as many pods as you need to match the amount of water in the machine. This will depend on your tastes and how strong you want your coffee to be.
Can I Dispense K Cups From A Vending Machine?
Yes you can! A common solution to coffee vending is to stock a K cup vending machine in pair with a standard Keurig coffee machine. Before implementing this at a location, there are a few pieces of information regarding dispensing K cups you should know.
K cups (or Keurig cups) are all dispensed in a uniform shape that make them a bit difficult to stock within a standard spiral vending machine. For this reason, vendors will typically choose to either go with a vending machine specifically designed for dispensing K cups for coffee vending, or adjust the spirals of a standard snack machine to more easily accommodate the shape of a k cup.
As well, not all K cups are compatible with all Keurig devices, so it is important to ensure the serial number of your K cup matches that of your vending machine. Certain table top U turn vending machines can also be easily adjusted to be a k cup vending machine, making them more compact for office locations.
Benefits of Coffee Pod Vending Machines
Installing a coffee pod vending machine confers several benefits to you and your employees or customers. These vending machines do more than just dispense coffee. Below are the benefits of coffee pod vending machines.
Convenience
Coffee pod vending machines provide an effective way to dispense coffee pods to customers and employees. Since the machine is automated and requires limited human supervision, people can use it whenever they want without having to wait for an attendant to get served.
Variety
A coffee pod vending machine can carry several brands of coffee on each counter. As most of the vending machines have a glass front display, the user can see the brands available in the vending machine. This allows customers to choose what they like and gives them an opportunity to experiment with various coffee pod brands.
Easily Restockable
Coffee pod vending machines tend to be smaller than standard vending machines you see selling snacks and drinks. A typical coffee pod vending machine is small enough to sit on a kitchen counter. Further, the coffee pods are also small, about the size of a thumb. You can easily stock and restore a coffee pod vending machine and keep the associated logistical costs pretty low.
Employees Stay in the Office
If you install a coffee pod vending machine in an office and provide a coffee-making machine, the setup will eliminate the need for employees to step out of the office to grab a coffee. Coffee is a great productivity booster, and it can help your employees focus on their work longer. More time spent at the office can translate to higher output.
Customizable Coffee Selection
Like any vending machine business, the vendor has the freedom to change the inventory to suit the customers’ needs. The vendor can stock more of the most popular coffee brands and introduce new brands for experimentation purposes. In an office environment, employees can always recommend their favorite coffee pod brands.
