Been thinking more about VEND’s future development plans and they are beginning to make a bit more sense to me. This is purely speculation on my part.
The ‘Small’ machine that was pictured appears to be a development by Stoelting (note their name on the machine) designed for manned locations just like the large machines (not the FroYo robots but normal machines for installation in a yogurt shop) they manufacture. But it is a slimmed down version with just two choices of yogurt and no toppings. It seems you need to obtain a cup from someone and then go slide open a door, insert the cup and then close the door again. Then you select what you want and pay for it and the machine dispenses it.
I expect that VEND’s intention is to upgrade it to a fully robotic version that might be installed in a location with less foot traffic than required by the current robots, say a 7-11 store or gasoline food service location where the operator isn’t qualified to maintain and clean/sanitize the Stoelting semi-automated machine. With the delay in manufacturing the current FroYo robots it makes sense that this wouldn’t be their focus until 2010.
On the other hand, the Print Mates may be a good option for them to concentrate on in the meantime. It appears they are already developed and ready for service, perhaps lacking a sales force that is capable of obtaining locations for the machines. Maybe VEND is supplying that expertise to Print Mate in return for a share of the revenue. And there could be a synergy with the FroYo robots. For instance, if a Print Mate were located near a FroYo at the Space Center where groups come to enjoy the Center, whether or not they buy a yogurt, they probably have taken pictures of their activities and could be enticed to print some of them out to share with others in the group. Or a game center. Same with a hospital where there is a new-born baby and someone wants to print pictures from their iPhone to share with the rest of the family. There are probably a number of locations that would be synergistic with FroYo and PrintMate which would supply an additional revenue stream for VEND.
Just my speculative ramblings but I’m beginning to warm up to the Product Development Road Map from the March 14 presentation.
