A look back at 2021 for Coinadrink Limited, the vending machine company.
Just like that, another year in the history of Coinadrink Limited the vending machine company has whizzed by. As it has for all, the Coronavirus pandemic has unfortunately taken centre stage for the second year running and this has introduced new challenges in addition to those that spilled over from 2020.
Despite this, everyone associated with our company should be very proud of their hard work and commitment to navigate these past 12 months. It means we will head into the new year with lots of positivity as a trusted vending machine supplier. Without further ado, here is a recap of 2021 and everything that made it.
Featuring charity and community work, customer support and new machine arrivals.
January 2021 – Vending remains a safe entity for the provision of food and drink.
Picking up where 2020 left off, January reemphasised the importance of health and safety in the workplace and how Coinadrink could help with our vending machine services.
In addition to physical wellbeing, psychological safety was also of paramount importance. We continued to stress the superior hygiene benefits of vending in comparison to alternative solutions and pushed our contactless equipment for those businesses that wanted even more peace of mind.
As Covid looked set to shake our world for a second year running, we were tackling it head on. In doing so we solidified our reputation as an industry leading vending supplier who could provide services to suit all requirements.
January 2021 – The Zensia floorstanding hot drinks machine arrives.
Because we are not tied down to any vending machine supplier, we can cherry pick the very best equipment to add to our range. Equipment we know will benefit our customers. With that said, January saw us introduce the Zensia.
Zensia provided a premium alternative to the rest of our floorstanding lineup. Capable of delivering fresh bean coffee and fresh leaf tea at high capacity and with industry leading reliability, it had everything you need for a luxury hot drinks break at work.
Like most vending machines by now, Zensia was well prepared for the unprecedented world we were living one. It was equipped with Distance Selection contactless technology to take peace of mind to the next level.
January 2021 – Say hello to the Gaggia La Precisa commercial coffee machine.
We introduced commercial coffee machines, also known as industrial coffee machines or Barista coffee machines, in 2020 and broadened our range even further in doing so. The Gaggia La Precisa was then added in January 2021.
This kind of equipment is designed for coffee shops in particular, or for those businesses that really want to enhance their coffee delivery to staff. La Precisa featured everything that’s needed for the modern-day Barista or the Barista in you, including volumetric dose programming.
The past 12 months have seen demand slowly increase for commercial coffee machines and we are looking forward to what 2022 brings in this category.
Explore the Gaggia La Precisa commercial coffee machine.
January 2021 – App-driven coffee machines start to appear.
With the arrival of Coffee APPeal in January 2021, consumers were given yet another option for a contactless coffee experience. Up until now we had seen equipment controlled with foot pedals and motion sensing. Coffee APPeal utilises the convenience of your smartphone.
Given how much our smartphones are a key part of almost everybody’s day-to-day life, we were right to anticipate this being a big step forward. Enabled on Evoca equipment such as the Krea Touch and Kalea, the user can scan the QR code on the machine to download the app, before creating their desired beverage right there. Bluetooth technology ensures of reliable communication between the device and coffee machine, for a reliable contactless experience.
Find out more about the tech here.
January 2021 – Coinadrink supports ICU staff through Hampers for Heroes!
Coinadrink put its name to lots of charity and community work across 2020 and we were keen to carry on where we left off. January saw us support ICU staff across West Midlands hospitals through the Hampers for Heroes campaign.
Nobody needs us to tell them just how crucial our ICU staff have been throughout the pandemic, amongst other personnel. On this occasion of charitable giving, we teamed up with fellow Best of Walsall member Drain Doctor Plumbing to donate supplies worth a total of £300. From our side this was tea and coffee supplies.
We were only too happy to get involved with what is an excellent initiative. It was great to see so many other local businesses do so, too.
Learn more about our support here.
February 2021 – Our Micro Market continues to present itself as a worthy facility.
Ever since we were the first company to introduce the Micro Market to the UK in 2013, we have always been aware of its unique qualities for the workplace. Indeed, in the wake of Covid-19, businesses were continuing to wake up to its benefits.
The changes to the modern workplace very much positioned the Micro Market as a worthy facility for refreshments. With more staff hybrid working, the 24/7 flexibility was appealing, whilst the fact it’s self-service means staff don’t have to come into contact with anyone they’d rather not. Replenishment is handled only when it’s needed, and the Micro Market can be as big or as small as you need to take into account any changes to staff volume.
2021 would go onto be a big year for our Micro Market and we are excited to continue with its journey in the new year.
Learn more about the qualities of the market in a post-Covid world.
February 2021 – Coinadrink turns 59 years old!
February 2021 saw us reach 59 years in business. Ever since we first opened our doors in 1962, Coinadrink has gone onto becoming one of the country’s leading vending machine operators.
We have seen incredible highs and tackled challenging periods. Back in February this year we explored some of the key milestones for the Coinadrink business, such as the launch of our fresh food service in 1978 and the introduction of our branch divisions over the years. It’s certainly been a hell of a ride and none of it could have been achieved without our hard working staff both past and present.
As we now enter 2022, Coinadrink will soon be turning 60…and we have a lot planned for our big birthday!
February 2021 – National Apprenticeship Week.
As a business we have always been proud to offer an approved apprenticeship programme, keen to invest in talent and develop people’s lives, experiences and careers. Apprenticeships aren’t just for those at the start of their working lives, however, as our content across National Apprenticeship Week proved.
Each day from February 8th, we shared an interview from our five apprentices, enrolled on courses ranging from sales to management. It was fascinating to learn how their apprenticeships were going and the new skills they were learning, with Coinadrink Limited supporting them all with their studies.
We would share future updates later in the year, but for now why not read more about our Customer and Business Development Administrator Julie Jones as she shared her first thoughts surrounding her sales apprenticeship?
February 2021 – Coinadrink’s fascinating 35-year relationship with a company in Hong Kong.
February 12th 2021 was the Chinese New Year and we felt this was a nice opportunity to share our fascinating, long-standing relationship with Jackel Porter, a coffee bar and now also water cooler company based in Hong Kong.
You can read in detail about the tale using the link below, but it was a 35 year partnership and lifelong friendship that stemmed from a simple advert our Managing Director Roger Williams shared oversees in 1974. Roger was looking for a coffee machine partner to help source certain products and supplies that were then hard to find here in the UK. Jackel Porter’s main partner Dickie Sik For Ho (S.P Ho) spotted the ad in their English newspaper and rest, shall we say, was history.
The two gentleman forged a relationship that was as much pleasure as it was business, and each would help the other out to help grow and develop the two firms. When you read the full story, it’s remarkable how a relationship so special was developed from such a simple advert…
February 2021 – Introducing the Royal Tabletop coffee machine.
Covid-19 unearthed a way of life that so forth introduced new trends for the vending and coffee industries. Being the advanced supplier that we are, a busy February 2021 also saw us introduce the Royal tabletop coffee machine. This was one of the first pieces of equipment that was ideal for the home market as well as the workplace.
Because the pandemic had restricted or stopped the ease in which coffee lovers can head out to the high street for a coffee, consumers were demanding better coffee from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The Royal coffee machine delivers premium coffee in an effortless manner, crafting delicious fresh bean coffee from a stylish and slender design. You could even add an optional fridge to enable fresh milk beverages.
We felt that the Royal showed real progression in how great coffee doesn’t need to be anything too complex. Learn more about it here.
March 2021 – Not losing sight of employee wellness.
As 2021 began to settle down, we shared a series of articles and lots of content surrounding employee wellness. This is as much to do with psychological wellness as it is physical wellness.
We have always stayed true to vending machines being a safe entity for the provision of food and drink, taken further with our contactless equipment. However our services offer more than what initially meets the eye. We place company culture and employee wellbeing at the heart of what we do. From simple coffee machines that represent cost-effective employee perks to dedicated breakout areas equipped with all the latest facilities, Coinadrink can help any company better their working environment.
As we continue to adapt to Covid-19, encouraging your team to take a break and promoting the value of engaging with colleagues is very important.
March 2021 – La Nera gets added to our commercial coffee machine range.
We knew there was lots of demand in the commercial coffee machine market and we were excited by the arrival of La Nera. What made La Nera so attractive was its ability to also use coffee capsules or pods.
This made La Nera ideal if space was at a premium, but real coffee lovers could still rejoice knowing this was a machine capable of delivering true espresso. What La Nera brought then, was a barista-style coffee machine that was totally flexible in the face of consumer demand. It can even be controlled remotely through the Smartia platform.
Learn more about La Nera on our website.
March 2021 – Capsule coffee gets serious with the Flavia Creation 600!
Our customers have really enjoyed the convenience of the Flavia capsule coffee machine range for years now. And with the new Creation 600, drinks quality had never been higher.
The previous Creation 500 made consumers realise you shouldn’t have to sacrifice an enticing drinks menu just because you were using capsules. The Creation 600 took that benefit and delivered a genuine coffee shop quality with fresh milk beverages and even more luxurious fresh packs.
This was even a machine for the modern world with smartphone control and “Tap “N” Brew” technology.
Click here to explore everything that made this coffee machine the “single biggest step forward change” the brand had ever accomplished.
April 2021 – Getting a better idea about the new, modern workplace.
Covid-19 was and still is a changing situation. This meant businesses had to predict how it would continue to evolve as they looked to safeguard employees.
We found out that with 90,000 hours spent at work over an average lifetime, this environment was crucial for employee wellness. A businesses response to the pandemic would make or break health, happiness, and productivity. We shared a variety of informative articles surrounding the benefits of breakout areas, the issues relating to employee stress, and what staff are truly looking for from their companies.
If this is something you’re looking to get to grips with as we approach 2022, it’s well worth heading through our blog for some ideas.
April 2021 – The Vitro X1 MIA is the latest arrival.
The demand for higher quality coffee at work meant new equipment was regularly making its way onto the market. The Vitro X1 MIA arrived with an ace up its sleeve: Micro Injected Air technology.
This could take fresh milk beverages into new territory. You can find at all the intriguing and exciting details on our dedicated blog post, but the machine injects high-pressure air into the milk to create a velvet-type texture. It could also be tailored by temperature and volume, for a unique beverage every time.
By this point in the year, it was becoming apparent just how strong workplace coffee culture was becoming. Why head to the coffee shop?
April 2021 – Our Cafe Casa photoshoot.
Those who keep up to date with our blog and social media will know that Café Casa is our own label coffee brand that began a rebrand back in late 2020.
From a huge variety of products to new industries we were hoping to break into, we were very excited by the brands potential. Back in April, equipped with everything from our coffee beans to our own label pods and capsules, we visited one of our suppliers for a morning photoshoot. Here we captured the luxurious nature of the brand that would be displayed on our website.
Make sure you head to our Facebook or LinkedIn page to see some of the shots! The rebrand would continue into 2021, with the soon to be launch of the website.
April 2021 – The return to work for lots of businesses.
2021 was heavily consumed by Covid-19 and the impact that the virus was having on our personal and professional lives. We simply had to explore trending topics and debates that added possible value to consumers.
The first major “return to work” in May 2021 was a big moment. Until now, most employees around the country had been working from home under government guidelines, so heading back to their natural working environment was never going to be a simple task.
Coinadrink helped our customers approach this period. We shared helpful guides surrounding their vending equipment and informed them of how they could manage any fears or concerns their teams had.
May 2021 – Our lateral flow testing programme for staff and their families.
As a follow up to the return to work, we wanted to ease our own staff’s concerns and do our bit to keeping everyone well protected. So forth, we were an early adopter of the lateral flow testing programme for UK businesses.
We provided our team with free lateral flow tests that we asked them to carry out a few times a week before coming into the office. We were able to keep on top of any positive cases, plan ahead, and generally provide peace of mind around the building.
As you will by now know, this is something the whole country quickly got on board with to restrict the spread of the virus. Learn more here.
May 2021 – Our new Cafe Casa website launches.
As hinted at earlier in this story, the exciting rebrand of our Café Casa coffee label was rapidly taking shape. It concluded with the launch of the new website in May, though we still have big future plans.
The new website marks the start of the consumers coffee experience. Everything from our coffee beans and bags to coffee machines and equipment is on there. We believe the website really captures the possibilities with Café Casa, whether you just want a jar of coffee for your reception desk or home or crave the full experience for your hospitality guests.
We are excited to refine the Café Casa brand further in 2022, so keep an eye out. For now, why not check out the website for yourself?
June 2021 – Coinadrink is the proud sponsor of Ian’s Walk!
Charity and community work took centre stage once again in June as Coinadrink proudly sponsored “Ian’s Walk” in support of our local Walsall Manor Hospital.
Ian Hawkins is a Covid survivor after going through a dreadful battle with the virus during 2020. He would go on to spend over 2 months in hospital after being placed on full ventilation within 24 hours of being admitted. It was a worrying period, and his loved ones were told to prepare for the worst. But thanks to the skill and hard work of the NHS staff, he is here to tell the tale today.
Read more about how Coinadrink sponsored a 26-mile hike that went on to raise £8,500 for the Critical Care Rehabilitation team at the hospital.
June 2021 – We retained our Investors in People Gold status!
In what was made even more special due to the challenges of the previous 12 or so months, we were delighted to hear that we had retained our Investors in People Gold status back in June.
Investors in People is a widely approved accreditation that drives the movement of better workplaces for the benefit of its employees. The Gold standard shows how a company goes over and above to put their team first, but only 17% of people with the original accreditation go onto achieving Gold.
After an audit earlier in the year, we were thrilled to hear the good news. It just goes to show how we don’t lose sight of our values in tough times.
July 2021 – Coinadrink takes part in the NHS Big Tea event.
From the MacMillan coffee morning to our staff Christmas Jumper Day, we often take part in annual fundraising events. The NHS Big Tea event in July was the latest we put our name to, raising money for the NHS on their birthday.
We know how much the NHS do for us, but we have never been prouder of them during the Covid-19 pandemic. They have gone over and above for us all during this challenging time and are always on hand to inform us, support us, care for us, celebrate with us and, at times, sadly, console us.
On the 5th July Team Coinadrink got together to bake and buy a selection of cakes to raise as much money as we could.
Learn more here.
July 2021 – Conforming to lifestyle and dietary choices.
The world is always changing, and we will always change with it where we need to. On this occasion, we’re referring to lifestyle and dietary choices. More specifically, the vegan lifestyle.
It is certainly a growing trend and something that will continue to grow. There are at least 600,000 people in the UK that adopt and embrace veganism, whether that be due to the health benefits or ethical purposes. In July 2021 we added premium Love Raw vegan chocolate to our machines and Micro Markets, showing that a change in stance can be enticing.
Learn more about this new product on the blog post.
July 2021 – Sticking to our service values.
Around July, we discovered that lots of businesses were starting to suffer from their vending supplier’s poor service. In the challenges of Covid-19, some suppliers were surrendering to the chaos and neglecting their customers.
We were different. In something we shouted about during 2020 and something we are proud to keep shouting about, Coinadrink didn’t furlough any of our service or operations staff during the pandemic. We have stayed true to our values as a trusted vending supplier and have always been there for our customers with our pro-active customer care department and industry leading service response time.
Indeed, many businesses recognised our efforts, and we are delighted to have welcomed lots of new customers throughout the year. If you want to learn more about our service promises, head to the July period of our blog where we detailed them at length.
August 2021 – Water Quality Month.
Water Quality Month is every August. The general mission is to provide clean drinking water for all with slow but steady success: since 1990 over 2.6 billion people have gained access to improved water sources.
We used this month to share important information about the initiative and how we all have a part to play. We also emphasised the importance of water in your tea and coffee, and how our water filters fitted to our equipment make sure any “nasties” are eliminated. This is just one way how we guarantee a high-quality hot drinks experience for our customers.
Learn more about our water filters here.
August 2021 – Hosting the BSO breakfast meetings.
August 11th saw Coinadrink hosted a BSO breakfast meeting, and we did the same later in the year. Coinadrink has been members of the Business Support Organisation (BSO) since July 2018 and offers support to a wide range of smaller businesses.
The breakfast meeting welcomed members both physically and virtually to our showroom and was a nice opportunity to catch up and offer support for the ongoing challenges, including Covid-19 of course. Our blog post detailed more about the BSO and what our membership means to us.
August 2021 – Return to the office speeds up.
Towards the end of August was when we started noticing the return to the office or workplace speed up. Until now hybrid working was still very much apparent, possibly because businesses wanted time to adapt their environment.
Again, just like earlier in the year, we shared a lot of information surrounding aspects such as workplace design and how to improve productivity. One of the more interesting articles was based on the type of things millennials are looking for from the workplace, in line with employee safety and employee wellness. This was a trending topic online for some time.
Creating a strong workplace culture is not fixed. It is something that can be refined all the time. If you’re looking to start 2022 in the best way possible, then some of the content is worth reading.
September 2021 – International Charity Day highlights our support for Just Small Change.
September 2021 was when we received an update from our close friends at Just Small Change, a charity working oversees that we have supported for a while now.
The contact came around the same time as International Charity Day and highlighted the effect of Covid-19 in some of the poorest parts of the world including Kenya and Mali. It was difficult to hear about the consequences of the virus, but heart-warming to see the continued efforts of Just Small Change to plough through tough times and continue to show support.
Read more about the update, as well as future plans for the charity.
September 2021 – Our MacMillan Coffee Morning.
Every September is the annual coffee morning in support of MacMillan Cancer Support and as a team we always get on board with the fundraising.
This year was no different. Our coffee morning took place across the 23rd and 24thSeptember and our staff put on a great spread in support of a wonderful charity.
We managed to raise £55!
November 2021 – The launch of Tchau, our healthy snacking subscription service.
For quite some time our team had been working on our own snacking subscription service that would offer healthier choices that included vegan options. November so forth saw the launch of Tchau!
We are very excited with this latest milestone in the Coinadrink history. Tchau makes healthier eating fun and personal. We see ourselves as a great way to indulge in tasty treats that are both healthy and conform to all the latest trends. Tchau recaptures the magic that made subscription services enticing in the first place, but with zero commitment to regular orders.
There is a Tchau for everyone and all our boxes are personally prepared by our team. Enjoy for yourself or gift to a loved one. Read more about our latest division here.
November 2021 – Coinadrink is nominated for two Black Country Chamber awards!
The annual Black Country Chamber of Commerce awards were back and 2021 was again about emphasising how Black Country businesses had overcome the challenges presented by Covid-19.
Continuing a trend that had been created over recent years, Coinadrink was again nominated as finalists, this time in the customer service and community categories. The former highlighted how we stayed true to our customer service values despite the pandemic. The latter emphasised how we had supported our community throughout during tough times.
Whilst we didn’t win our categories in the face of tough but admiring competition, we were very happy with our nominations.
Read our blog post here.
November 2021 – Our Express Refreshments charitable Black Friday promotion.
As you will know by now, charity work is a key part of the Coinadrink DNA. In November we continued with our annual Black Friday promotion through our Express Refreshments Micro Market division, but it wasn’t as you might imagine.
Opting to do things a little differently to all the discounts and offers that grace the high street and online during this time, we instead choose to work with our customers to fundraise for their chosen charities. Across a 2-week period towards the end of November, we donated 10p from every item sold, to raise a total of £369.30!
Not only is this another charitable initiative, but we’re working with our customers at the same time, so it’s made even better.
Learn more about our collective team efforts.
December 2021 – Christmas Jumper Day and festive fun.
December is of course about getting into the Christmas spirit with lots of festive fun. In typical Coinadrink fashion, however, we combined this with lots of fundraising. It started with our Christmas Jumper Day on the 10th December.
Even though many of our team were by this point adopting home and hybrid working again, those who were office based didn’t disappoint and managed to raise £25 for the Save the Children charity. An excellent achievement! In addition to this, we also donated to St Giles Hospice through our mini-Christmas tree that graces our reception desk every year. Staff are invited to attach festive messages to colleagues in return for a donation to a great cause.
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Thank you for your support throughout 2021…
And with that comes the end of another year. There have been quite a few tough challenges of course, but none of which will dominate the positives.
From the launch of our new divisions and equipment to customer and charity support, we are very proud of the way we have navigated 2021 by staying true to our values as a trusted vending machine supplier. Through the madness we have been able to grow as a company through both custom and personal experiences. None of this would have been possible without our loyal customers and hardworking staff, of which we appreciate every single one of you.
So, that’s it from us. As shared on our social media channels, we will today close for the festive period for a well-deserved break! Our offices will reopen on Tuesday 4th January, though our service and operations departments will be available for those that need us throughout. We will enter 2022 with lots of positivity for our 60th year trading, and we can’t wait to see what the year has in store!
From everyone at Coinadrink Limited and our branch divisions, have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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