YoNaturals Applauds the Initiative of Local New Haven Businesses Who Have Joined the Fight Against Junk Food in Vending Machines

21/08/07 Daily trips to the vending machine may not add up to much in dollars, but it sure does add a lot to your waistline. This may no longer be the case thanks to the YoNaturals Inc. healthy vending program. YoNaturals offers a healthier alternative to the junk food vending machines with the introduction of its "YoZone", a hi-tech vending machine that is dedicated to vending only natural and organic snacks and beverages. YoNaturals has teamed up with local distributor, MCM Vending, to spread the word that healthy vending machines would benefit all schools, colleges, hospital and corporate business.

"I love the YoNaturals's concept of having healthy products readily available everywhere, whether it's at their work, school or at the local shopping mall," says Mari Mariano of MCM Vending. "People are constantly busy and need energy to get them through their day. The YoNaturals products will give people the proper energy because these snacks are actually healthy and nutritious as well as being tasty."

In a market previously dominated by "junk food," YoNaturals offers a healthier vending alternative for schools, corporate offices, shopping centers, fitness centers and much more. Each machine is filled with items such as Vitamin Water, Clif Bars, Function Drinks, Fiji Water, Hansens Natural, Kashi Granola Bars, Guru sugarless, caffeine free energy drinks, Pirates Booty, Stacys Pita Chips, Tazo Iced Tea and more. In fact, YoNaturals offers over 150 healthy products. Each YoZone machine displays customized graphics to match various location types, giving them a colorful and fresh feeling, much different from the dark and bleak look of traditional vending machines.

"With our success in other markets across the country, the timing couldn't be better for New Haven," says Mark Trotter, CEO of YoNaturals. "We salute the few brave and forward-thinking companies that have taken steps to introduce healthy eating to people through our healthy vending initiative."

Local manufacturing company, The Kerite Company, recently installed two YoZone vending machines because it simply wanted to create a healthier environment for its employees. "We're leaning towards a healthy workforce and we thought these machines would be beneficial. A lot of organizations today are focusing on wellness just as we are, and we are doing everything possible to help our employees be healthy," says Kerite Human Resources Director, Alicia Gisell. "I think having healthy vending machines is a good reminder to our employees to make healthy choices. Ultimately, this program contributes to increased productivity and most importantly less absenteeism overall saving out company money in the long term.

YoNaturals high-tech and innovative machines have made vending your favorite healthy snack a breeze with its unique credit and debit card payment option. State-of-the-art remote monitoring technology (wireless) ensures that YoZone machines are always stocked with an array of tasty and nutritious items. YoNaturals operators can oversee machine activity through a 24/7 on-line reporting system that notifies if a YoZone needs to be refilled or requires maintenance.

"A lot of people in our gym want to be healthy and wanted healthy snacks made available, then here came along YoNaturals and I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread," says Tony Salamanca, General Manager of Ultimate Fitness of New Haven. "Usually, when you think of vending machines, you think of unhealthy high in sugar products. YoNaturals changes that notion and I hope that as long as people have options, they will make the healthy choice. In today's world, it's very easy to get unhealthy products from conveniently placed junk food vending machines and a lot of people suffer the consequences in making such unhealthy decisions."

According to a 2006 report by the Trust for America's Health advocacy group, Connecticut has adult obesity rates of almost 20% and it was also one of the 31 states where obesity rates rose from the previous year in 2005. YoNaturals believes the vending machine industry, which is not regulated by the USDA, is partially to blame for the rising obesity rates and they are taking it upon themselves to make a change. The need for healthier snacks and beverages in vending machines is evident and YoNaturals wants other to join them on their crusade to be at the forefront of the health revolution.

"There is no cost for a location to have a healthy vending machine installed. All one has to do to sign up to receive a machine is to visit http://www.yonaturals.com, fill out our 'Become a Location' form, and they will be contacted immediately by YoNaturals," says Trotter.

YoNaturals adds a healthy element to the popularity and convenience of vending machines with its nutritious snacks and beverages. The arrival of the YoZone vending machines promotes the message that healthy lifestyles are more achievable than ever. YoNaturals is convinced that finally vending machines can be associated with a leading movement in consumer health and wellness.