Clint Capps, who co-owns the North Austin-based company with his wife, Jennifer Capps, said the company began delivering due to ongoing closures related to the coronavirus. With facilities closed and residents staying at home, he said people have not been accessing vending machines.
"Our two main customer bases are Austin ISD schools and the YMCAs,” he said. “Early on, as this progressed, I wasn't counting on schools reopening, but I was hopeful for YMCAs, which hold us over through summer break. Everything has been closed since March.”
With an excess of snacks and drinks on hand, which had been purchased previously to stock vending machines over spring break, Capps said the company started a website to sell the products they had.
Marketed as “healthier snack options,” snack products include what students would expect in a school vending machine: Clif Bars, Kind Bars, Nature Valley Granola Bars, bags of baked chip products, popped chips, Wheat Thins, fruit snacks, beef jerky, bagged nuts and cookies. Drinks, such as fruit juices, sparkling waters, protein shakes and sports drinks, are also available. There is a $30 minimum on orders, but the company does not charge a delivery fee. Orders can be placed on the company's website, www.chvending.com.
"A lot of parents probably don't realize how familiar their kids are with our products during the school day,” Capps said.
He said that he and his one employee have been delivering orders as they come in each day while Jennifer prepares packages for delivery. They is wearing masks and gloves to prepare and deliver items, and they leave packages at the door to be as safe as possible.
"'Healthier convenience' is our motto with our machines, but the only convenience right now is to have something delivered,” Capps said. “We're trying to fill that space now.”
