Too Much Coffee

I would be greatfull of any comments from equipment engineers, end users and equipment operators (anyone with an opinion at all really!)
i am involved in the development of a Coffee vending machine and would like top hear from the market on inovations which would be popular......
many thanks, PTF

The vending industry is having a difficult time, and it is not down to inovations. For about the last 10 years they have had the same problem, convincing people to part with more that 20p for a drink. The quality of the drinks can be quite good, but the perception is low. The vending industry needs to look at companies like "Coffee Nation", and work from there.

Fresh fresh fresh as a start?

it is already decided the machine will be Bean to cup, but i would like to try and offer drinks made with fresh milk(rather than the powder used in vending machiens at present)
The coffee nation machine dotted around are very good but there is to much equipment to condense this into a vending machine. however i do like to idea of involving to customer in the process i.e. picking cup placing it under the group head.

Costa currently have a machine that they sell to corporate businesses. You get your own cup, put it under a group head, press what you want, and it dispenses. Honestly, it's not any worse than coffee you get from a normal costa - and at least it's consistent. It also uses fresh milk.

Condensing the equipment into a vending machine box is the whole problem, and the reason why vending machine manufacturers are moving away from these machines. The large companies with millions of pounds to spend on research and development, still can't get people to pay £1 for a drink made from a vending machine, it isn't the design, it is the perception of the quality.