Vending machines for poultry products in Latin America?

For some reason, vending machines in countries like Mexico are used mostly for snacks and soft drinks. I have the image that what you find there is mostly products with a very low nutritional value.

However, it came to my attention that Carnes ViBa, a Mexican beef company, will be installing the first vending machines dispensing beef cuts in Monterrey and then will expand to other cities like Guadalajara and Mexico City. According to company executives, the idea is to improve the consumer experience without standing in line in supermarkets or butcher shops and also has 24-hour availability while still improving food safety and quality. Machines can be remotely monitored for temperature and stock. Interestingly, 70% of sales are carried out after 10 pm!

On the other hand, in the last few months a new concept of frozen animal protein has sprung up in Mexico City. A company called MeatMe has opened several stores offering more than 400 products − including poultry − both frozen uncooked and further processed products. It has wide-open, well illuminated, clean, bright stores – a very different concept to the traditional butcher shop or chicken outlet, or even to the supermarket’s meat section.

These new ideas give me the impression that the image of animal protein marketing might be changing to a more modern aspect, with the advantage of improving food safety with the cold chain. This might initially only work in large urban areas, but maybe it will be expanded to other areas with a smaller population.

I admit that I enjoy going to the butcher shop for the chit-chat with the butcher, the fact that they know you and know exactly what you want because you are from the neighborhood. But I also admit that many times I have my doubts about safety and hygiene.

Could the poultry industry implement these new things or something that attracts attention?

Let’s see how these new ways evolve. I just hope that once we pay in the vending machine that the beefsteak won’t get stuck and we need to jog the machine up and down, like with candy bars.

What do you think?