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These are raging at companies like Amazon, Nestle, Unilever and DHL – and now the micro-market is moving into an office near you.
Cheaper than a cafeteria, healthier than a vending machine, a micro-market is essentially a miniature, automated convenience store in a workplace where employees can buy snacks, drinks, sandwiches and salads, sushi and Vietnamese rolls.
Morsl, original idea of Karla Borland, a former banker Credit Suisse, claims to be the first of its kind in Australia. After testing the technology during a "soft launch" in recent months within The Artarmon-based IT company The Missing Link, Morsl is now "open to business."
Ms Borland said that after 17 years of banking activity in Singapore, Australia and Switzerland, she was "frustrated by the lack of healthy food choices at the office in all these places".
"Personally, I wanted to eat healthier, so the growing frustration really brought up the idea of this business. I have done a lot of research to find a better solution for the vending machine, which has brought me to the concept of micro-market, "she said.
"It's definitely a new concept in Australia. It is a self-service, automated food and beverage market that fits seamlessly into a workplace. We have created a much healthier approach, promoting employee well-being and maximizing productivity. "
Micromarkets are the fastest growing segment of the US foodservice industry with 35,000 locations expected by 2022.
A large market can accommodate more than 500 employees, but Morsl also offers small and medium sizes suitable for companies with 200 to 300 people or 300 to 500 employees.
"The fact is we go to an employer, look at the space available and personalize," said Borland.
"We have real-time remote monitoring of all stock levels. The frequency with which a market manager visits the site depends on the volume. For a smaller market, you expect two to three times a week. "
The first two weeks are used to determine the volume of sales of fresh produce and then "essentially adapt the volume of this site to each market in order to minimize waste", with any surplus being returned to OzHarvest.
"For an employer, pricing is incredibly affordable compared to setting up complete equipment for the cafeteria (with badociated costs) and staffing," Ms. Borland said.
"If these markets work well, it does not cost the employer anything. For the staff, it's a small bonus compared to what you buy on the street but very affordable. Ready-to-go meals cost $ 9.95.
Morsl uses a number of "frictionless" payment technologies, including credit cards, Apple Pay and fingerprints.
"They go up, scan an article, press their fingerprint and then go," said Borland. "We have remote monitoring in real time, it can still work if the network goes down."
She added that the number of flights in micro-markets was "low", around 1.4% in Britain and 2.5% in the United States. In the retail sector, theft typically accounts for about 3% of the turnover.
"The reason it's so low is that these micro-markets are only placed in secure workplaces that serve a known group," said Borland.
"Second, we have surveillance cameras and perform regular inventory checks. In case of theft, we provide this video to employers. "
Mr Borland refused to share revenue or internal goals, but said Morsl was "in discussion with a number of national companies" and wanted to have at least 12 markets in operation by the end of the year. of 2019.
"We have a fairly aggressive growth strategy in terms of launching several markets next year: one market each month, then one market every week, "she said.
The company was self-financing for $ 100,000 and was speaking to "a few investors who approached us" because of the "synergy" with their company, she added.
Ms. Borland said the target market was "essentially any business with more than 200 employees".
"We had a lot of interest in human resources. The fact is that it fills a gap in many corporate wellness programs, "she said. "(There is nothing) that provides an integrated and sustainable way for employees to eat healthy in their workplace.
"We have vending machines, we know they are generally very unhealthy with chips and chocolate, you have cafeterias shutting down at 3 pm or businesses in outlying suburbs where restaurant options are limited."
While reducing costs for employers and health-conscious HR departments may seem beneficial, some staff may not like this idea.
Earlier this year, cardboard packaging giant Visy faced internal revolt following the decision to close its subsidized canteens and replace them with vending machines at its Broadmeadows site.
Ms. Borland emphasized that Morsl would be "put at the service of employees".
"We are conducting a survey of employees to understand their work habits, eating habits, demographics, food preferences, and adapting this market," she said.
"So, there are many people arriving at 7 am, we make sure there is an abundance of breakfast options."
Morsl's suppliers currently include Thinkfood, Fine Fettle, The Bar Counter and Griffin Jerky products for nuts, dried vegetable snacks and protein, Jiva kombucha and Kreol, sparkling prebiotic beverages, and ready meals from Fare & Frolic and Sumo salad.
"We're dealing with a number of vendors, I think that's where we'll be a little different," Borland said.
"There has been strong growth in Australian suppliers focusing on pure, all-natural ingredients. We focus on these great snack options for office workers. They see us as a distribution platform directly for office workers. "
Missing Link General Manager Alex Gambotto said his company was struggling to find something "practical and effective" to improve the health of its employees.
"Morsl helps improve the well-being of our employees by providing better food choices and maximizing productivity through on-site convenience," he said.
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