A look back on 2022 for Coinadrink Limited, the vending machine operator.

It has been another busy year for Coinadrink Limited, the West Midlands vending machine operator. This was our 60^th year trading, a milestone that was sadly overshadowed by the death of our founder and Managing Director Roger Williams in March.

His son Tom Williams has since stepped into very big shoes and has led the business to a very successful year serving employees in the West Midlands and immediate surrounding areas with high quality vending and refreshment solutions.

Here is a look back on the past 12 months for our business.

Embracing Veganuary. – January 2022

Coinadrink is a modern vending operator that caters to all the latest trends. With veganism growing in popularity in recent times, we are happy to offer a variety of vegan-friendly products in both our vending machines and Micro Markets.

In “Veganuary” 2022, we increased awareness of veganism and outlined how we can help provide a vegan-friendly vending service to your business.

Introducing the Borg T2 water tap! – January 2022

January saw us introduce our first new equipment of the year, in the shape of the stylish Borg T2 water tap system. Water taps are innovative refreshment solutions that can provide cold, and even sparkling water from the one smart and slender facility.

We were proud to offer an alternative to our usual water coolers and dispensers, and the T2 would pave the way for additional tap systems introduced.

How vending is well suited for a post-Covid world. – January 2022

It seems such a long time ago now, but the ramifications of Covid-19 were still being felt at the beginning of 2022. January was when the UK Government introduced “Plan B”, meaning staff could start heading back to their natural workplace.

The beauty of vending is providing 24/7 access to quality refreshments, likewise with the Micro Market facility. This means it can work as the world moves on, regardless of whether teams are office, home or hybrid working.

Starting the year with a stylish new Micro Market facility! – January 2022

The year had barely begun when our Micro Market division Express Refreshments completed a stunning new project for a local customer, in collaboration with our premium shop fitters Nebrak Ltd. To this day we are still so proud of this installation, which houses a stunning breakout thoughtfully crafted around our Micro Market facility with fresh food, hot drinks, snacks and more.

It really set the scene not only for the rest of the year, but for the future, too. Modern workplaces are now prioritising employee wellness through bespoke design and facilities.

Coinadrink turns 60! – February 2022

February 2022 was a proud milestone for everyone connected with the Coinadrink business, as we celebrated our 60^th birthday! 1962 was when we first opened our doors and we marked the occasion with a staff party and lots of promotional material online, where we looked back through the years.

The occasion would go onto be dampened in March following the death of founder Roger, but the achievement remains just reward for our long-standing commitment to provide a quality vending and refreshment service to businesses across the region for 60 years.

Embracing fresh changes in workplace design – February 2022

The start of the year brought some interesting trends within our target market. Perhaps driven by the Covid pandemic was a huge rise in office transformations, as business leaders tried to tempt their employees back to the natural workplace.

Coinadrink’s vending and refreshment services have always represented meaningful employee perks. As the world moved on at the start of 2022, it was clear that these facilities could be central to complete workplace overhauls to improve staff wellbeing, boost company culture, and drive staff retention.

Healthier vending machine options. – March 2022

As vending machines become a lot more innovative and intuitive, product selection follows suit as so to cater to demand. March 2022 is the annual National Nutrition Month, highlighting the importance of healthier eating especially in the workplace.

Coinadrink’s vending and Micro Market services encourage your staff to take care of themselves through nutritional choices. Healthier food, snacks and drinks are readily available and can be continuously replenished.

Our first exhibition of the year! – March 2022

We love exhibitions. They’re a great way to meet new people, make new connections, and promote the benefits of our innovative refreshment solutions for the workplace. March 2022 saw us attend the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Spring Expo at Villa Park, Birmingham.

Our first exhibition of the year was everything we expected it to be. There was a great turnout for what was really the first proper event of its kind since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reemphasising the importance of workplace culture. – March 2022

March 2022 was when news broke of problems with staff retention, across a variety of industries. This was in the wake of employees having more requirements of their workplace in a candidate driven market. Following the pandemic, wellbeing on site mattered more than ever.

Our facilities are adopted by companies as a way to improve business culture, whether that’s a small office coffee machine or fully managed vending services made central to a tailored breakout area.

The Borg T1 tap system arrives. – April 2022

Whilst perhaps a little confusing with the naming strategy, the Borg T1 water tap system arrived hot on the heels of the Borg T2 in April 2022. The T1 builds on the latter by offering higher performance better suited to larger workplaces.

With the Pro-Core undercounter unit again at the heart of this stylish yet minimalistic water tap system, the T1 is capable of providing an all-in-refreshment solution ideal for any modern workplace.

A vending operator with a sustainable heart… – April 2022

As a trusted West Midlands vending machine operator, we believe it is our duty to embed sustainable practices into our day-to-day operations. Our pro-active CSR strategy remains flexible as so to adhere to the latest trends and legislation.

April 2022 saw us promote our relationships with DS Smith and First Mile, to aid coffee cup and used coffee grounds recycling for our customer base. You can find out more here.

The Midlands Business Network Expo. – May 2022

The first Midlands Business Network Expo of the year came on May 12^th, at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull. We had plenty of intrigued visitors on our stand 62, interested in how our vending and refreshment services could benefit their businesses.

The fresh bean coffee from our Vitro S1 office coffee machine on the stand also went down a treat!

A revolutionary boxed water cooler is here! – May 2022

Thanks to the benefit of not being tied down to any vending or refreshment supplier, Coinadrink has always been able to offer a diverse range of equipment to cater to the demands of our customers. May 2022 marked a big occasion, as we began offering the first boxed water cooler to complement our existing bottled and plumbed-in options.

A boxed water cooler dispenses lots of benefits, from its sustainable background to the hygienic aspect of naturally boxed water. It was a big milestone, one that should continue to drive workplace hydration moving forward.

Promoting our commitment to Team Coinadrink! – June 2022

From the very first day in 1962, we have been under no illusions that the most important part of our business, and indeed any business, are the staff. We have always been committed to making sure we are a great place to work. Moulding this type of “family” culture has undoubtedly helped us become one of the leading UK vending operators that we are today.

Coinadrink has long had an apprenticeship programme in place for staff of all ages and backgrounds to reach their potential and further their careers. June and July 2022 saw us share a series of articles, where we got to speak to those enrolled on programmes and find out their thoughts.

The most advanced water cooler in the world arrives! – July 2022

As the nation continued to bask in soaring summer temperatures, the most advanced water dispenser in the world was unveiled right on cue. The Borg B6 presented a futuristic hydration solution perfect for keeping workforces hydrated, healthy and productive.

Borg and Overstrom are one of the leaders in smart hydration facilities and Coinadrink is delighted to offer much of their equipment. The B6 offered exclusive features, making it the pinnacle of hygiene, efficiency, and quality.

Attending the British Manufacturing Showcase. – July 2022

Coinadrink Limited prides itself on catering to all kinds of businesses in all manner of industries, but we consistently find that we are particularly popular with manufacturing. Perhaps this is because of the traditional convenience of a vending machine, with rapid dispense times of coffee-shop quality hot drinks and more in less than 30 seconds.

The British Manufacturing Showcase at Crowe UK in Oldbury was a great opportunity for us then. We were on our stand with a couple of suppliers too, promoting the benefits of both on-site hot drinks and water solutions.

How vending maximises employee wellbeing – August 2022

In August we produced a series of articles of articles emphasising how the traditional convenience of vending, backed up by Coinadrink own quality vending machine service, delivered the kind of perk that so many employees crave. From being able to get away from your desk for 5 minutes to taking a longer break time with colleagues, vending and refreshments can be at the heart of improved wellbeing.

The Borg T3 further drives all-in-one refreshment solutions. – September 2022

Water tap systems were becoming exactly what the modern workplace required. They were smart and capable of elevating the image of the business, whilst practical enough to provide beautifully filtered water on demand. The Borg T3 was only a matter of time after the T1 and T2, and in September we were thrilled to add it to our range.

The key difference with the T3 was adding a hot water function, making water tap systems even more enticing.

Another Micro Market is completed! – September 2022

As the weather started to cool in line with the autumnal season, Express Refreshments cut the ribbon of another fabulous Micro Market facility for a West Midlands customer committed to putting the wellbeing of their staff first. This particular market was one like no other, which only emphasises how the facility can be totally bespoke to your requirements.

A retro colour scheme rounded off a remarkable environment, where staff are able to wind down with gaming stations, pool tables, dart boards and more!

Fresh milk beverages become more accessible… – October 2022

Modern coffee culture is all about making luxury coffee more accessible than ever before. It has encouraged the taste and experience of the traditional coffee shop to spill over into other environments for a long time now. Coinadrink ourselves offers a variety of fresh bean and fresh milk coffee and vending machines that are perfectly positioned for the workplace.

With the exciting arrival of the Saeco Magic coffee machine in October, more workplaces and even homes can now enjoy velvety fresh milk beverages at a scarcely believable price point.

Coinadrink donates to the Sponsored Breaks organisation – October 2022

Anyone who follows us on social media will know that charity work is a key aspect of our CSR strategy. As a trusted West Midlands vending machine operator, we believe we have a duty to support the local communities that we have been serving for over 60 years. In October we found a way to assist the Sponsored Breaks initiative, who provide free UK breaks away in a bespoke campervan awarded to those who deserve them the most.

Via our recently established Hotel Trays division, Coinadrink donated a premium hotel tray equipped with a pod coffee machine and refreshment supplies, just to make trips away even more memorable.

Completing a hattrick of Micro Market installations for the year! – October 2022

Mid October saw us fulfil another Micro Market dream, at a large site in the local area. This market was a lot more compact than previous projects, but no less eye-catching. Debunking the myth that the Micro Market has to be a grand facility with lots of shelving and fridges, this solution made the most of corner space to provide just what was needed.

With tailored breakout areas becoming a key part of the modern workplace, this customer gave their team a stunning open environment to relax.

Bringing attention back to hot drinks vending – October 2022

Hot drinks are synonymous with the workplace come rain or shine, but as we creeped towards November and the weather started to really turn, we used the opportunity to detail how hot drinks vending is a great employee perk that can spark happiness, motivation, and productivity on site.

If you want to upgrade your hot drinks solution for 2023, explore our range of freestanding vending machines and slender tabletop coffee machines.

A busy year of recruitment for Coinadrink! – November 2022

In November 2022 we published details of just how many new staff we had recruited across the year. Whilst grateful for steady growth in unprecedented times, we couldn’t help being mightily proud of the fact that our long-standing customer-focussed values had seen us pull through another challenging period and come out stronger on the other side.

November wasn’t the end of the recruitment, but our article detailed exactly which departments had seen new faces since the turn of the year.

Our Micro Market is a TFM Award finalist! – November 2022

Express Refreshments/Coinadrink was the first company to introduce the Micro Market to the UK in 2013. Since then, more and more people have opened their eyes to what is an innovative refreshment solution for the workplace. As we continued to overhaul workplaces with this 24/7 facility, the TFM (Tomorrow’s FM) Awards picked up on our success and nominated our Micro Market as a finalist for their 2023 awards.

Our most successful Black Friday ever, all for some great causes! – November 2022

Via our Micro Market, we have been putting a charitable spin on the Black Friday phenomenon for a number of years now. Instead of offering the usual discounts and promotions, we work with our Micro Market customers to make a difference to their own chosen charities. Across a two-week period towards the end of November, we promise to donate 10p from each item sold.

This year was our biggest yet! Between all of our Micro Market sites, together we donated a whopping £1,061.30 for a range of organisations including Children in Need, Burton HOPE and the Teddy Rose Foundation.

Lots of festive, charitable, fun… – December 2022

As the company raced ahead with high demand for our services prior to the year end, we didn’t want to forget the fun festive season. Away from our Christmas Jumper Day, which raised £40 for Save the Children UK, our team celebrated the season in typical Coinadrink style.

We made donations to the Bloxwich Blakenall Food Bank, assisted Molly Olly’s Blossom Ball, and supported St Giles Hospice.