Virtual Entrepreneur

Leesburg today:
As Congress reviews legislation aimed at improving the nutritional quality of snack foods and drinks in school vending machines, a Sterling company is hoping to replace the standard fare of chips and sodas with Clif Bars and organic chocolate milk in the region’s coin-operated devices.

Smart Snacks grew out of Stephanie McMahan’s search for a business opportunity that would provide extra income and a flexible schedule so that she could still care for her 10-month-old son.

McMahan, who feeds her son only organic baby food, saw the answer in a California franchise, YoNaturals, that offers vending machines selling healthy foods and drinks.

‘I thought, this is great, this is just what Loudoun needs, it’s one of the fastest growing counties and there are new schools going up all the time,’ said McMahan.

She and her husband financed the company and established the business in April. She successfully cold-called her first client in Herndon, Grandmaster H.K. Lee Tae Kwon Do, and installed her first YoNaturals vending machine there in late April. 2 more followed at the Fort Belvoir hospital and Manassas Park High School.

At the Herndon location, ‘parents would say, Can’t you get something healthier‘ than the traditional snacks and sodas offered in the other 2 vending machines, said Gail Lee, co-owner and director of the after-school martial arts program. As part of the program, the studio picks up dozens of kids from schools throughout the area.

‘Even though I get commission from the other machines, I’d rather have kids eating the healthier snacks,’ Lee said, adding that if the YoNaturals machine does well enough, she’ll remove the other 2 machines.

‘It’s a gradual transition for some parents because [the healthy snacks] are a little more expensive,’ Lee said. She also prefers the new machines because they don’t allow purchases from any of the empty trays-’that way, the kids can’t buy something that’s not there,’ Lee said.

The machines have other ’smart’ features, including remote diagnostics to let McMahan know it’s not functioning properly, as well as tracking to let her know when the trays are empty.

Full story.

No related posts.