The Cornell community will soon be enjoying a healthier variety of food choices in campus vending machines. In response to the campus community’s growing desire for more healthful nourishment, Cornell Procurement Services conducted a competitive bid for vending machines and awarded a contract to American Food and Vending Corporation (AF&V), which is located in Syracuse. The project team included campus purchasing managers, building coordinators, Real Estate representatives, and Student and Academic Services staff members.
AF&V’s Amerifit Healthy Choice Program includes nutritional labeling, a Nutrition Tracker smartphone app, bagged fruits and vegetables, healthier sandwich options, and ready-to-eat entrees and salads. Student and Academic Services will form a vending advisory board composed of staff members and students to discuss ideas for new and innovative products, sample items for potential placement on campus, and engage on issues about our snack product mix to ensure continued improvement of the program.
Over the summer, AF&V will replace all snack vending units on the Ithaca campus with new machines. Each of the 120 machines will be custom-wrapped to showcase Cornell-specific designs that highlight our rich history, landmarks, and athletic endeavors. These new machines offer touch-screen item selection, laser delivery confirmation, and enhanced payment options (e.g., student ID BRBs, credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Wallet). The new machines also feature LED lighting and ENERGY STAR® ratings, which will help reduce Cornell’s energy costs and carbon footprint.
