A micro market is a food service that functions as a miniature food and grocery retailer that is available to business office employees 24/7. Micro Markets are an environment offering retail services such as food, snacks, and other convenience products.
Easy food hospitality for businesses is achieved with easy access to food products and snacks placed on open shelves, reach-in coolers, and freezers, making them easy to access. Food service in the hospitality industry has delivered an advanced version of a vending machine that offers a wide variety of food and snack options suitable in business areas for their unattended payment services.
Due to the covid-19 outbreak, there has been an increased use of micro markets within the hospitality industry replacing traditional cafeterias. Micro markets are offering food retailers the ability to deliver great food and drink services to their users, ensuring they access all the convenience of fast access to products. It’s a great setup that comes with several advantages, including:
1. Access to Fresh Foods
Micro markets ensure they observe what staff in an organization prefers and their culture as well. They provide a great service with freshly packed food vending, which is replenished regularly to ensure customer satisfaction. The food is professionally packaged to guarantee contactless purchase and food hygiene.
2. Contactless Experience
Micro markets are concerned about the condition of the products they sell; hence there are several options to ensure maximum food hygiene, which include;
- Grab and go convenience: the open shelves are packed with sealed food products, ensuring the customers pick what they want without physically touching other products. Snacks from typical vending options are typically high in sugar or fat while micro markets allow for healthier snacking options.
- Use of technology: several micro-markets have employed technology to order and pay for their meals from applications on their phones. This ensures clients get what they want without physically going to the vending stations, which may be annoying to others or leave the shelves in a mess. Payment options can be as simple as personal credit cards or complex as paying with credits given from an employer.
3. Offer Variety
Previously convenience stores focused on a few products, which included dry snacks and beverages. However, micro markets have stocked various products to choose from, and they offer fresh meals alongside other convenience products and snacks.
4. Access at Any Time
Micro markets are open 24-hours a day; hence, customers can access convenience products at any given time. Micro markets are located in safe areas such as large organizations and malls where they can’t be vandalized or looted. Their services are accessed without any problem or fear of security.
5. Securely Monitored
They have cameras installed to help the owner monitor activities taking place. This reduces the need for human resources labor, and the funds can be used to improve services. Additionally, the cameras help them identify the right time to replenish their supplies if they reduce on the shelves. They can monitor customers’ behavior and identify their preferred products.
6. Enhance Employees’ Productivity
Micro markets are a sure way for employees to stay on-site, which saves time. Since they can preorder meals, they don’t have to sit around waiting; thus, they are notified once their order is ready. They spent a better part of their time working, which increases productivity.
7. A Great Business Venture
Aside from its clients’ quality service, micro-markets make huge returns compared to vending machines. As a result, many companies have resulted in installing them and earning good money from them.
What Makes Micro Markets Suitable for a Company?
Several reasons make a company opt for micro-markets, especially if they have many employees. Mostly they are customized to fit the culture and specific needs.
- Ideal food service and product solution.
- On-site meal preparation specially customized to employees’ preferences.
- They offer a high product variety.
- Contactless solutions ensure consumer wellbeing, thus improving their dining.
- Catering ensures safe food options for consumers.
Services Offered by Micro-Markets
Micro markets don’t have similar operations since they are customized to suit different organizations with different needs. Some of the services include :
- Self-checks out: since they are unattended, customers pick what they want and leave after swiping their card or using any other payment form.
- Preorder and prepay: customers can use an application to order what they would take earlier if it’s not on the shelves or is busy and pay for it before delivery.
- On-site catering: this service supports staff meal needs throughout the day meetings and other special events. It ensures individually packaged foods and snacks packed in tamper-evident boxes.
- Take-home meals: some micro-markets catering services go the extra mile to offer their clients a package to take home. Working leaves one extremely tired in need of quality time to relax; hence, this service ensures clients enjoy packaging a meal plan to take home with them.