Jen Helt, a specialist in the emergency department at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, scopes out the selection of vegan products available for purchase. (Photo courtesy of CPNJ Vending)
Vending machines are more often than not disappointing lifesavers. They stave off hunger, but most offer products that are high in saturated fat, have poor nutritional value, or include ingredients that fail to cater to individuals with dietary restrictions, particularly those whose diets are vegan or vegetarian.
One family in Fort Wayne, Indiana, sought to address this shortcoming by creating CPNJ Vending, which offers “Vegan Refreshments.”
Founders Reesha and Ronald Howard launched CPNJ Vending after discovering that their infant son’s severe skin reactions to breastfeeding were linked to Reesha’s consumption of dairy products. Once Reesha abstained from dairy, their son’s skin cleared immediately. The family then adopted a vegan diet.
After this experience, they understood the importance of giving other children and families options to conveniently purchase vegan products in public spaces for health reasons. “Our goal is to create better convenient food options for those with dietary restrictions,” Reesha Howard says.
CPNJ Vending is currently determining exactly where and how many machines to place in hospitals and other public spaces, such as high school cafeterias, across the United States. Their first machine appeared at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne earlier in 2019. Since hospitals are intended as places of personal health restoration and recuperation, they are poised to promote a culture of health by offering healthier food selections in their vending machines.
Dupont Hospital’s CEO Lorenzo Suter explained that CPNJ Vending’s vegan business concept aligns with the hospital’s goal: “It is an honor to work with CPNJ Vending,” Suter says, “as our goal in a hospital setting is to reconnect preventative health care with food. Their mission to increase accessibility to healthy living is also our goal and we are proud that they have accomplished this in part for our guests.”
CPNJ Vending aims to improve the quality of life for Fort Wayne-area residents and visitors. “I appreciate the efforts of the Howards, as they are developing innovative solutions to help improve the quality of life in our community,” says Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. “Having access to healthy food choices and making a commitment to leading healthier lifestyles can help individuals and families.”
Heather Dahman, vegan lifestyle coach and founder of Fort Wayne Vegans & Vegetarians, explains that although an “increasing number of doctors are prescribing a plant-based/vegan diet to patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain cancers,” many of her clients struggle to eat healthfully. Making vegan options more accessible to the public is a win for the health and well-being of every individual.
CPNJ Vending is expanding to other local hospitals near Fort Wayne, with their second machine set to be placed in late 2019. While the company’s waiting list for machines grows, they are currently crafting a franchising model.
CPNJ Vending controls the supply chain, from food selections to distribution. Reesha Howard explains that while CPNJ Vending does not maintain strict selection standards, they do have a wide vegan variety with nutritional information for each product that is readily available and displayed on our vending machines’ screens.
Their machines offer a variety of vegan options, such as freeze-dried fruits and veggies, kombucha, alkaline water, organic teas, trail mixes, crunchy bean snacks, granola bites, organic chewing gum, and some gluten-free options. Each machine contains approximately 20 products and has a clear display and tablet that allows consumers to scroll through the nutritional information. This information helps consumers determine which snacks and beverages suit their dietary needs.
While some of CPNJ’s Vending’s vegan products do contain added sugar for flavoring (e.g., fig bars), the Howards are interested in working with behavioral economists to explore how strategic product placement in their machines might influence consumer decisions to purchase vegan products that are either low in sugar or have no added sugar.
CPNJ Vending’s products are not meant to replace actual produce. Rather, their goal is to provide alternative and more healthful vending machine options for those who want or need it. “I prefer veggie chips for my kids, rather than Goldfish crackers, because my kids can’t have dairy,” Reesha Howard observes. “But there will be some parents who stick to celery and carrot sticks—and that is okay.”
This article appeared in the Winter 2020 issue of the magazine with the headline: "Vegan Vending"
Read more stories by Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup.