Refreshment Solutions

This Summer’s Hottest Drinks

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Summer is here!

While the season may conjure up images of sunbathing on a beach or skipping out of the workplace early to cool down with an evening cocktail, you don’t have to wait until after hours to indulge in some of your favorite summer drinks.

A wide selection of cold, refreshing drinks full of tropical flavors will bring the island vibes right up to your desk. We’ve been keeping an eye on what drinks consumers are cracking open this season and which products you should have on hand in your breakrooms.

Well, Well, Wellness

Starting with the definition of what’s on trend, new-age drinks are taking our markets by storm. These drinks are healthier alternatives to the legacy beverages known to dominate the market.

With reduced sugar and added nutrients, these drinks are perfect for a health-conscious public looking for alternatives to high-sugar, carbonated beverages like sodas. Despite the name, new-age beverages aren’t new; they’ve been around for nearly a decade!

The desire for guilt-free indulgence allows these products to stay relevant throughout their tenure. Often made with electrolytes and other nutrients, these drinks are designed to refresh and hydrate without sacrificing delicious flavors.

So Juicy

You don’t have to be ashamed of sneaking a juice box for yourself. These childhood favorites are for adults too. With bold citrusy and fruity flavors, not to mention all the great-for-you vitamins and nutrients, fruit juice is a summer fan favorite.

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes are especially great sources of water and vitamin C in the summertime. According to several lifestyle news outlets, they help to reduce body temperature, and vitamin C is a great nutrient to prevent skin damage in hot weather.

A classic glass of OJ, a bottle of grape juice, or an apple juice box will help you stay cool and energized this summer. And you won’t be alone; juice rises in popularity as summer comes around. Stock up and enjoy!

A Bit of the Bubbly

It seems like everywhere you turn there’s a new brand entering the sparkling water or seltzer market. It comes as no surprise given how often people have plucked these fizzy favorites from store shelves.

The number of brands in the sparkling water space is increasing, and so are the innovative flavor combinations. Sparkling water distributors are pairing tropical tastes like pineapple and coconut with the citrus of lemon and lime. Fruit flavors from passionfruit to peach are capturing buyers’ attention.

Alternative sodas are also trending. Carbonated with ingredients like apple cider vinegar, these alternatives are a health-conscious replacement for a classic cola.

Go with Your Gut

Alternative sodas aren’t just a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Often paired with prebiotics and probiotics, they also support gut health!

Probiotics, the healthy bacteria in your gut that aid digestion, are essential to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Fermented tea drinks like kombucha are loaded with these, and their cult following is steadily growing. Kombucha might not be king for long, though. New brands are constantly popping up with probiotics in flavored sparkling and water varieties.

As the summer sun blazes on, everyone will be looking for cold, refreshing drinks. This summer, pack up your cooler and fill your workplace with summertime flavor and hydration-forward beverages. After hours, you can enjoy some happy hour fun, but you’ll have to keep the drinks zero-proof when at work. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Take 5 Vending keeps all of your team’s favorites in stock all summer long. Get started today to kick off the season in style.

Subsidized Vending Can Be A Great Cost-Effective Solution For Offices

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An Intro to Subsidized Vending

At Take 5 Vending, we provide healthy snack and beverage delivery to Boston-area companies. But while some of our clients are willing to foot the entire bill for the healthy products their employees consume, others are looking for a more cost-effective solution. And we have one: subsidized vending.

How Does Subsidized Vending Work?

Here’s how it works: we install a vending machine at your company (which can vend both snacks and drinks) and you decide how much of the product cost your company would like to pay. Maybe it’s 30% or 50% or $1.00 off everything in the machine.

Whatever you decide, employees will still be getting access to healthy, delicious products and they’ll be happy to be getting items at a discount.

At the end of each month, we send you an itemized bill with what employees consumed. We do find it’s better to start with a smaller subsidy and increase it later once you see what employee demand is like. That way, you’re not in the position of taking something away from your colleagues that they’ve gotten used to.

Want to Learn More About Vending in the Boston Area?

If you’d like to learn more about our subsidized vending program or about our healthy snack and beverage delivery to offices in the Greater Boston area, please contact us. Wondering why you should care about having vending in the workplace? Checkout this article on the top benefits of having vending machines at the workplace.

 

3 SUMMER BEVERAGE TRENDS TO TRY ON YOUR BOSTON COFFEE BREAK

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Employees love new summer beverage trends. It lets them embrace summer with every sip and discover new flavors. Plus, trendy drinks promote hydration. This helps your team feel their best and beat the heat. Here are three trendy drinks to offer in your Boston break room this summer.

1. ICED COFFEE AS GOOD AS DUNKIN

Hot days are no reason to kick your coffee habit. Iced coffee will keep you cool. It’s also delicious and energizing. Plus, there are tons of summer trends to try. For instance, add some lemon juice to your cold brew. You’ll love the sharp morning burst!

Iced coffee options are available with single-cup office coffee service. But you can also make your own! Simply brew strong coffee or espresso over ice. Then, add creamer, syrup, or sugar. You’re in for a real treat.

2. ICED TEA: A POPULAR SUMMER BEVERAGE

Iced tea and summertime go hand-in-hand. Enjoy this classic drink in the break room. Our Boston office coffee service makes this easy. Brew an iced tea coffee pod in your single-cup brewer over ice. Voila! You can now enjoy a fresh and delicious drink.

Iced tea can also be super healthy. For instance, it has antioxidants. These support brain health. Antioxidants also help your body fight diseases. Additionally, iced tea is good for your heart. It also prevents tooth loss. Just skip the sugar! Instead, try lemon crystals or honey. These make your drink extra special. Yum!

Want more healthy drink options? Call Take 5 Vending today. We have tons of better-for-you options. For example, we carry vitamin water and energy drinks that pack a nutritious punch. We’ll help you find the best products for your needs.

3. SMART SPARKLING WATER

Personalized water is extremely popular. As part of our Boston water filtration services, we offer smart water dispensers. These let you customize your drink. For instance, add a fruity flavor to your water, like blueberry or coconut. It’s perfect for summer! Or try enhancements, like vitamins to help you stay healthy. Don’t forget carbonation. Fizz is always fun!

Smart water supports workplace wellness. Employees will stay hydrated and have more energy. Drinking water also improves your mood and sleep quality. Therefore, employees will stay sharp. This can boost productivity.

CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH SUMMER BEVERAGE TRENDS

Transform your Boston break room into a beach! Your team will love these summer beverages. Iced coffee keeps ‘em energized. Personalized water is a real treat!

Take 5 Vending carries these trendy drinks and more. We also have seasonal creamers and syrups. We’ll help you find the perfect products for your office. Call us today at 508.697.0800 to learn more. Keep your team cool all summer long!

Coffee Vending Machines in the Breakroom

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Are you a Massachusetts or Rhode Island Based Business That Wants Coffee Vending in the Office?

7 out of every 10 Americans drink coffee. Most of those coffee drinkers are consuming 2+ cups of coffee a day. And 62% of coffee drinkers buy a to-go coffee at least 1x per week. Without a coffee supply in your workspace, this leaves workers no option but to leave the area to get their coffee, whether it be before or during work hours. By providing coffee vending options like traditional pot brewers, Keurig machines, or coffee vending machines, you’re not only making your workers live easier, but you’re also saving your business money by cutting costs of working time!

Coffee Service Options for Your Office

No matter what size your breakroom space is, there is a coffee vending service that is right for your business. At Take 5 Vending, we offer coffee pot service, full sized coffee vending machines, thermal pot service, BRIO machines, bean to cup units, Keurig machines, and more! While some of these solutions allow individual cups to be purchased, others permit the business owner to provide coffee to their workers free of charge. Unless you’re already familiar with coffee vending solutions, some of these terms might sound foreign to you. Contact us so we can lay out the options in more details and work together to find a solution that is right for your business’s needs.

Lavazza Brand Coffee Vending Machine

Worried About Crappy Coffee?

Don’t be! At Take 5 Vending we offer some of America’s most loved coffee brands including (but not limited to) Lavazza, Baronet, New England Coffee, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks! If you are a big fan of a certain type of coffee, we will do our absolute best to work with you to ensure your coffee service is as enjoyable as possible.

Want Coffee Service ASAP?

Contact us! Whether you want to call us by phone at 508-697-0800, email us at tfivevending@gmail.com , message us on Facebook, or contact us through our website we will get back to you as soon as possible! Unlike other companies in the area, we are family owned and operated, and are proud of the services we provide and hope you will be too!

 

Healthy Snacks that Sell in Boston and Providence Schools and Colleges

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Healthy Snacks that Sell in Boston and Providence Schools and Colleges

Wondering what healthy snacks appeal to students? With today’s snack regulations, deciding which healthy snacks to stock your schools with is no easy feat. Despite these new regulations, students have shown they will in fact purchase healthy snacks in school. According to a study done by Y-Pulse that surveyed 1,314 consumers, including 177 full-time college students, college students snack more than all other demographics and are snacking at all times of the day. Whether after a long day of learning, before their after-school activities, or during a finals study break, healthy snacks are an important component to student’s everyday lives. 

College Student Snacking

Our goal at Take Five Vending is to ensure students have good quality, healthy snack options that they look forward to eating. Let’s take a look into what healthy snacks are being sold in Boston and Providence colleges and schools. 

Baked Chips – A Great Snack for Schools

Baked chips are a healthy alternative snack to the classic potato chip. Not only are they significantly lower in caloric value and fat content, but their taste doesn’t stray far from the original flavorful bite you’re expecting. Consuming baked chips as an alternative has the ability to leave students feeling less groggy in the classroom, allowing them to focus more on learning. Consider keeping a wide selection of baked snack options in your vending machines, because offering a variety of flavors like Baked Lays BBQ, Sour Cream, Original, and Onion encourages healthier snack consumption among students in schools and colleges. 

Granola & Protein Bars – To Keep the Students Going

One of the more obvious healthy snacks being sold in Boston and Providence schools and colleges are granola bars and protein bars. These healthy snacks are full of vitamins and fulfill student’s hunger with ingredients designed to keep them going throughout their day. There’s a type of snack bar for every different type of student. RX Bars are high in protein but made with as few ingredients as possible. Whereas Kind Bars make a wide selection of whole grain, whole nut, products with varying fruits. All of which are healthy snack options for students. 

RX Bars that are great for students

Beef Jerky – A Portable Treat for Students in College and High School

This simple snack has origins that date back to 1550, yet it remains popular today. Though there isn’t much to it, beef jerky is a healthy snack option that’s low in calories, high in protein, and a great source of vitamins and minerals. Jerky’s portable nature makes it accessible in almost every situation, perfect for a student on-the-go taking snacks with them to class. Most importantly, it’s a healthy option that leaves them feeling nourished and ready to be active.

Dehydrated Fruit Chips – A Healthy Option for Boston and Providence Schools

Getting students to eat fruit has never been easier with dehydrated fruit chips. What’s better than a refreshing piece of fruit? A fun way to eat it! Fruit chips allow students to indulge in the fun chip crunch while actually eating a healthy snack. Students might lean away from eating traditional fruit in school due to the messy nature of it. By supplying them with dehydrated fruit chips in the vending machines instead they have the option to make the healthy choice with no messy inconvenience. Offering items like plantain chips exposes students not only to healthy snacks, but to snacks they might not have been exposed to yet. 

Plantain Chips for Schools

Thinking about stocking your vending machines with healthier snacks? We’d be happy to go over options that work best for your school system whether it be a public school or private college. Contact us at (508) 697-0800 anytime 7am-3pm, Monday-Friday OR shoot us a message on our Facebook page Take Five Vending.

 

    

 

Vending Service Options for Providence, Warwick, and Fall River Break Rooms

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Vending Service Options for Providence, Warwick, and Fall River Break Rooms

Wondering about bringing in a snack service for your business, but aren’t sure what your options are? Our job is to lay out all the vending service options for your Providence, Warwick, and Fall River break rooms. We would love to help guide you to a snacking solution that works best for all employees in the office or warehouse.

Vending Machines

Sometimes the most classic, well-known option is the one to go for: vending machines. With the ability to fill them with the snacks and beverages of your choice, vending machines provide a great option for offices that want to make on-premises snacks available to employees.  Choose from Coke, Pepsi, or other healthy beverages to make everyone in the office happy.  Don’t have cash? No problem. Our vending machines are fitted with credit card readers and are able to take Apple Pay and other EPay options. Our machines use the latest technology like infrared sensors and wireless monitoring to ensure your snack makes it in your hands every time.  Vending machines are a great vending service option for your Providence, Warwick, or Fall River warehouse to keep workers satisfied and smiling.

Micro-Markets

A micro-market is like having a mini store in your breakroom with a self-checkout. Micro-markets break out of the refreshment box with coolers and accessible shelves full of products available to the office 24/7. Each micro-market has a custom layout.  So, they can be installed into different rooms and spaces making them a flexible breakroom snacking option. Micro-markets use self-checkout kiosks that allow employees to pay for their snacks through a simple, streamlined process. Whether you want to let your employees pay for their own snacks in cash or provide an allowance to each employee through individual employee access codes, micro-markets allow you the option to do either. Interested in learning more about micro-markets? Reach out to us at 508-697-0800 or Contact | Take 5 Vending today.

Pantry Service

A lot of businesses want to provide snacks to employees as a way of showing appreciation and keeping a high retention rate. A pantry service is the perfect way to do so. With a pantry service we stock your breakroom, kitchen, or cafeteria with the snacks and/or drinks of your choice so your employees can access them as they please. We can work with you to create a delivery schedule, so your shelves never go empty. If you’d like to provide your workers with a breakroom snack service that’s paid for by the business, a pantry service might be a great option for you.

Coffee Service

From gourmet coffee to high quality teas, we have the office coffee service options to impress and inspire staff. We provide a huge variety so you can choose from national brand coffee in different roasts to teas crafted from high quality leaves and herbs.

The benefits of our office coffee service go far beyond a free cup of coffee or bag of tea. It inspires and energizes employees, cultivating creative solutions and inspiring collaborative environments. It eliminates the need for employees to leave the office for the hot drinks they desire, saving time and energy. There are dozens of choices from traditional pot brewers that serve a high volume of coffee drinks to single cup systems that office superior variety. Thinking about bringing a coffee service for the warehouse or office? We’d love to go over options that would work well for your business. Just contact us at 508-697-0800 anytime 7am-3pm, Monday – Friday OR shoot us a message on our Facebook page Take Five Vending | Facebook.

4 Healthy Beverages for Schools in Boston and Providence

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It’s the time of year that kids are returning to school. Some are heading off to college in the Boston area and while others are starting their first day of elementary school in Pawtucket. No matter what the age, set students up for success with healthy eating habits. This includes what they eat AND what they drink. Students who are properly hydrated feel and perform better at all levels.

Want to promote wellness in the classroom? Here are four healthy beverages for Boston, Providence and Brockton schools.

1. Water

Providing access to drinking water gives students a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages. It helps to increase students’ overall water consumption, maintain hydration, and reduce energy intake if substituted for sugar-sweetened beverages.

There’s no such thing as drinking too much water. There’s also no such thing as offering water in too many ways. Consider keeping water in vending machines along with installing a water filtration service to allow students to access water in more ways than one.

2. Milk

Milk has 9 essential nutrients, including protein that kids need. It contains calcium and phosphorus, which are both important in building strong bones. If students aren’t a fan of white milk, flavored milk such as strawberry, chocolate, or Rhode Island’s classic coffee milk are all great alternative options. Don’t worry about getting a warm milk from a vending machine- all of our machines are climate controlled, so drinks are served at the temperature they’re meant to be enjoyed at.

Most importantly, milk is a tasty lunchtime drink that goes great with cookies!

3. Tea

Years ago, you might not try to pitch tea to a group of 5th graders. With the advent of healthy iced tea options reaching the market, the taste of tea has totally transformed and with it the demographic of its drinkers. Offering tea from brands like Lipton and Pure Leaf in vending machines to students is a great way to encourage healthy beverage consumption. Numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas may boost your immune system, fight off inflammation, and even ward off cancer and heart disease.

Wondering if hot tea is an option for the teacher’s room? Absolutely! We set up tea and coffee stations in many schools’ breakrooms to create a space that helps teachers and staff relax.

4. Juice

Last on our list is juice. This cold beverage is perfect for any cafeteria. Keep juices in your Boston, Providence, or Brockton vending machines. Whether you enjoy orange, apple, or tomato you’re sure to gain the health benefits. Juice can help your immune system and give you certain vitamins and minerals for a healthy body. It can also lower certain cancer risks.

Healthy Beverages for Your School

Want to hydrate students and teachers? Make healthier choices by offering these beverages in your Providence, Boston, and Brockton schools!

Contact Take 5 Vending at (508) 697-080 or tfivevending@gmail.com for information about our office coffee, vending, micro-market, or office pantry.

Healthy Beverage Options for Boston Breakrooms

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Not sure what kinds of drinks to supply in your Boston office break room? The best place to start is with healthy and nutritious beverage options. Employees need certain nutrients and energy to keep them productive throughout the workday. Stock your break rooms with items like tea, flavored water, and other sugar-free refreshment options.

Our goal at Take 5 Vending is to keep every employee satisfied through quality break room solutions. So, keep reading below for three healthy drink options to have available in your Boston break room services.

Hot and Cold Tea Options

Tea is an awesome alternative to traditional soda. It appeals to a wide range of people and is a great beverage to sip on anytime throughout the day. In addition, it has a slew of added health benefits. Drinking tea daily can protect heart health, aid in weight loss, regulate blood sugar, help with digestion, and even support overall mental health. These health benefits are a result of the many nutrients, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties found in different kinds of teas. We offer tea service in conjunction with coffee service (in the form of tea bags), and also can provide bottled tea options from brands like Pure Leaf and Lipton in both decaf and regular varieties.

 

Flavored Water and Sugar Free Beverages

Flavored water has become a growing craze over the past decade and for good reason. It offers the same delicious taste, and sometimes carbonation, as soda but with more health benefits. Stocking your Boston vending machine or micro-market with flavored water will also help keep workers hydrated throughout the day. Hydration is a key factor in staying awake and focused during long workdays. If possible, opt for a selection of different water flavors to provide a variety that your employees will love. With brands like Vitamin Water, Polar Seltzer, and more there’s no lack of options!

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been consumed for thousands of years. It has gained recent popularity for its proposed health benefits. Not only does it have many of the same health benefits of tea (black and/or green tea being one of its main ingredients), but it’s also rich in beneficial probiotics. Advocates say it helps your digestion, rids your body of toxins, and boosts your energy. Many of the popular brands like Health-Ade and GT’s traditionally come in glass bottles, making them a perfect option for your micro-market.

If you’re looking for the best healthy beverage solutions for your office in or around Boston, make sure to contact us at 508-697-0800 or visit us at our website Take5vend.com

Coke vs Pepsi – Which to Put in the Office Vending Machine?

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It’s one of the oldest debates in soft drink history around – the cola wars. The cola wars refer to the long-time rivalry between soft drink producers, The Coca Cola Company and PepsiCo. Whether you’re a casual sipper or a soda fiend, chances are you have a strong opinion when it comes to the Coke and Pepsi battle. The good news is whether you’re a Coke or Pepsi fan, we carry both in our vending machines so there’s no need to fret. What really separates Coke from Pepsi? And when did the so-called Cola Wars start? Read on below to find out.

Flavor

If you ask most soda drinkers the biggest difference between Coke and Pepsi, nine times out of ten the answer will be that Pepsi is sweeter. It’s not surprising Pepsi is sweeter considering it has 2 more grams of sugar per can than coke. While many people describe coke as having a vanilla flavor, Pepsi has more of a citrus tanginess to it. This citrus taste results from citric acid being one of its ingredients. 

The Start of the Coke vs Pepsi Debate

In the early 1980s, the “Pepsi Challenge” emerged as a marketing promotion from PepsiCo. The challenge originally took form in a single blind taste-test.  At malls, grocery stores, and other public locations, a Pepsi representative would set up a table with two unlabeled white cups: one containing Pepsi and one with Coca-Cola. People were encouraged to taste both colas, and then select which drink they prefer. More times than not, people were choosing Pepsi over Coke which Pepsi went on to happily feature in much of their advertising. 

“New Coke”

In response to this, the Coca Cola Company launched “New Coke’ ‘in 1985, a drink with a sweeter taste designed to mimic Pepsi’s success in the blind taste tests. Complaints started filing into the Coca Cola company almost immediately, leading to the phase out of “New Coke” in just a few months after its release. 

In Malcolm Gladwell’s 2005 book Blink, he broke down the difference in taste and how it plays with people’s taste preferences. In his research, Gladwell found that people tended to prefer Pepsi in a single sip test because naturally people are drawn to sweeter sips. That same preference to sweetness doesn’t hold up when someone drinks a whole bottle or can. This is why many users prefer the smooth taste of Coke when drinking larger quantities. Pepsi, in short, is a drink built to shine in a sip test. 

Pepsi and Coke Vending

Can’t decide between Pepsi and Coke? Wondering what bringing in Pepsi or Coke for the office would look like? We’re here to help. With Coke and Pepsi vending machines, drink coolers, and micro-markets the options are endless! Contact us today to get started on setting up your ideal breakroom space. 

Water Service for Boston, Brockton, and New Bedford Offices

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Water Services for Boston, Brockton, and New Bedford Offices

Staying hydrated is key to staying happy during these long, hot summer days. Clean water is the most important beverage you can offer in your Boston, Brockton, and New Bedford break room. Although Massachusetts has some of the highest quality drinking water in the country, many people feel more comfortable drinking filtered water. How can you ensure clean water for employees? You can bring one of our many water service options into the office for everyone!

The Importance of Drinking More Water

When we’re at work, we’re there to do the obvious- work. So why not make sure your employees are on the top of the game when they’re in the office! 

Drinking water regularly during your workday ensures that you feel fresh and energized for improved productivity. Drinking water also helps Improve brain function. The human brain is about 75% water which means that dehydration has a direct effect on its functionality. Effects of dehydration on your brain include decreased alertness, slower reaction times, and reduced attention spans. Keeping hydrated ensures that your brain is firing on all cylinders for maximum effectiveness.

Wondering What a Water Service in Your Business Would Look Like?

When it comes to bringing in water for the whole office, there’s many options. Depending on what your space, size of workforce and budget are, every office might find a different solution that works best for them! Here’s a list of some of the office water services we offer.

-Bottled Water, which can be displayed in a vending machine, micro-market cooler, or pantry-service style.

-Cooler Service, which requires a source of water to plug into in order to filter water to be dispensed. Most commonly, this is the cheapest option. 

-Water Cooler, which we provide 5-gallon jugs of your favorite brands of water including Crystal Rock, Polar, and Poland Springs. This option is great for businesses that don’t have a water line available in their break room space, but still want filtered water.

Interested in bringing in water service for your office? Give us a call at 508-697-0800 or visit our website to leave a message today!