Depending on vending Maas International

DEPENDING ON VENDING

As the world’s largest vending machine operator, Maas International/IVA is committed to staying at the top of its game. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to the global business director / CEO Martijn van den Hazenkamp to learn more about the new products and eco-initiatives that are being introduced.

Initially established in the Netherlands in 1890 as a cigar producer, Maas International has grown consistently to become the world’s leading vending machine operator, as the founder and leading force behind the IVA (international vending alliance) with more than 640,000 machines in operation worldwide. With its global headquarters in Eindhoven in the Netherlands and a particularly strong hold over the European market, Maas has continued to enjoy positive results during the economic downturn, thanks to its excellent understanding of the markets in which it operates and its commitment to introducing new, customer-focused products and services.

Director Martijn van den Hazenkamp told Industry Europe why he believes the company has continued to flourish during difficult financial conditions. He said, “Since we last spoke to Industry Europe in 2010 we have continued to see very strong results across our active markets worldwide. As a group we are always moving forward and we are growing in multiple areas. Our ambitious growth strategy is a key part of our dominant role in the market, alongside our reliable, high-quality products, our investment in innovation and our ability to offer and deliver sustainable new products.”

Eco concepts

The sustainability issue has certainly seen a big boost in the past 12 months, with Maas introducing a whole raft of eco-responsible products to its primarily municipal and commercial customer base. Many of the company’s 640,000 machines can be found in petrol

stations, universities, hospitals, multinational headquarters, public buildings and airports, and so its ecological initiatives have widereaching consequences. Mr van den Hazenkamp explained, “Our focus on sustainability is a very important theme as we appreciate that it’s integral to our future success. Customers are increasingly demanding more environmentally friendly solutions, of course, but we also feel that we can make a positive influence by acting in an ecologically responsible manner before we have to. That’s why we have introduced a number of concepts across our product range and we fully intend to increase this over the coming months and years.”

The ecologically responsible concepts introduced by Maas are evident in both its products and the infrastructure which brings the products to market, with the ingredients and equipment used both recently given an eco-makeover. The Maas vending machines still retain their distinctive black-and-silver sleek design, but the developments have allowed the newest machines to consume far less power, making them a more sustainable and affordable solution for customers.

In terms of ingredients, the finished products from the Maas vending machines have also undergone something of a transformation. Mr van den Hazenkamp said, “We make sure that our ingredients are organic and sustainable wherever possible, with the quality of each and every beverage at the top of the agenda. Customers want to be able to rely on their drinks, with a continuous quality, so even though the vending machine beverages cost far less than a high street coffee shop, the quality is certainly comparable. We’ve gained an organic certificate which allows us to source and buy products direct from the producers, and we can create complete traceability from country of origin to our machines. This is a strong driving force in our market at the moment as it adds value to the customer, and to the farmers as we can really monitor a fair purchase price.”

A better cup

The ecological focus extends to the cups too, with Maas taking out all the aluminium from its packaging. Now the whole concept is CO2 neutral across as much of the purchase cycle as possible, with any areas where this is not possible neutralised by buying CO2 certificates. With the company moving away from plastic cups across all of its territories, paper cups are now joined by ‘bio cups’, which Mr van den Hazenkamp explained takes this sustainability focus to a new level. The corn-based totally biodegradable cups are more expensive than plastic or paper cups, but they offer a considerable ecological benefit to customers that are prepared to take a future-focused journey with Maas.

New production facilities also contribute to Maas’s positive achievements, with its recent upgrade of its German factory and investment in a new site in China. The Guangzhou factory is now just a small step from matching the production facilities available to the European and American markets, with plans to continue the state-of-theart site’s development in the coming year.

Maas is currently working on a number of ways to introduce new products and segments to its portfolio, with ‘leisure on the go’ and ‘semi-public environments’ both important. Its proven one-stop-shop concept for various hot beverage solutions is growing increasingly popular in the hotel sector too, where it can offer hot drinks, vending machines for snacks, and minibars for customers who can use their room key to pay.

Mr van den Hazenkamp added, “We are seeing a rapid increase in our food and snacks product range, with our sophisti-

cated vending machines able to offer ready meals, bakery products, dairy and fruit – a complete product range. This makes them a great choice for companies who no longer wish to invest in canteens, for example, or for workplaces such as hospitals where people are working various shifts.”

Maas plans to continue its upward trajectory in the coming years by supporting its new products, services and facilities with continued investment, alongside potential strategic acquisitions and utilising new geographical opportunities in both Europe and Asia. n