HealthyYOU Vending Machines Meet NAMA’s FitPick Standards
The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) has a long-standing commitment to equipping Americans with the nutritional guidance they need to make informed food and beverage choices. Established in 1936, NAMA represents the $25 billion vending and refreshment service industry and has more than 1,250 member companies, including HealthyYOU Vending with our healthy snack vending machines.
In 2005, FitPick® was introduced as NAMA’s signature initiative to help identify better-for-you food and beverage products available from vending and micro market channels. FitPick guidelines determine maximum values on calories, fat, sugar and sodium, making it easy to see whether a product qualifies. The goal of FitPick is to empower consumers to make informed healthier choices, and helps vending machine operators with our machines meet higher nutrition standards.
Currently, there are 665 delicious and healthier foods and beverages that meet FitPick and FitPick SELECT standards. As participating members of NAMA, HealthyYOU Vending machines offer many FitPick and FitPick SELECT options among their vending products.
FitPick standards are in high demand, especially in locations with stringent nutritional guidelines such as local and federal government agencies, military bases, and schools. HealthyYOU Vending is ahead of the game when it comes to meeting consumer demand for healthier vending products.
HealthyYOU Vending operators Hudson and Betsy Gray, owners of Snack Smart Healthy Vending, recently entered into an agreement with Fort Campbell army post to help implement FitPick standards and remove junk food from vending machines on post. Snack Smart Healthy Vending placed vending machines at the post hospital as part of a pilot program through the Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Now 13 of their 31 machines are placed at various locations around Fort Campbell, including five at the post hospital.
The Grays also have 11 machines in the Clarksville/Montgomery County School District for the 2015-16 school year as part of an initiative to remove junk food from school vending machines and encourage kids to make healthier snack, drink and meal choices. FitPick SELECT encourages children to make informed snack choices, and helps vending operators meet strict school nutrition guidelines that adhere to the USDA Smart Snacks In School standards.
For more information about HealthyYOU Vending and how you can bring healthy vending machines to your location, go to https://www.healthyyouvending.com/.