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The Vend Marketing Institute, LLC (VMI) was established in October 2003 by a group of regional vending companies. VMI was founded to create an organization that will benefit the affiliates, their customers and suppliers. Initially, through the development of joint marketing and purchasing programs the affiliates achieved benefits through the supply chain that led to cutting edge initiatives designed to benefit the clients of the affiliates.
VMI developed a branded products program under the name of Aroma Dolce that has grown to include coffee, creamer, sugar, pastry and breakfast sandwiches.
During 2007 VMI began the implementation of a major nutrition initiative. "The Right Choice... for a Healthier You!" program establishes nutrition guidelines for vending and foodservice products and clearly promotes those products in our retail venues so that our customers may make informed decisions regarding their snack, beverage and food choices. The program is administered by our Registered and Certified Dietitian and is in use at nearly 10,000 client locations.
In 2008 VMI introduced a corporate sustainability initiative "The Right Choice... for Earth." This is a comprehensive program based on the premise to reduce, reuse and recycle. Quarterly monitoring of energy usage and integration of the program into the business model of the affiliates should result in the targeted carbon footprint reduction of the group by 40% by 2015.
During 2009 the affiliates began a large scale roll-out of wireless technology with the intention of building a wireless network connecting vending machines nationwide. Today, the VMI affiliates operate the largest wireless network in the industry. The wireless network will serve as the backbone to support cashless vending and allow vending to become a true retail business model.
Beginning in 2009 the VMI affiliates sponsored the development of Sprout, an independent consumer marketing organization which will revolutionize the interaction between customers and unattended retail operators. Sprout is leading the transformation of vending into unattended retail.
July 1, 2011 the members of VMI joined Unified Strategies Group (USG), the largest group purchasing organization in the vending industry. USG will manage the trade supplier relationships for the members of VMI.
VMI is now focused on the "Right Choice" initiatives and the Aroma Dolce brands and continues to develop technology relationships as the members of VMI and USG move rapidly into the new era of connectivity.
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