There is nothing quite like the taste of fresh seafood and this unique vending machine is helping people take advantage of China's prime season for hairy crabs. One vendor introduced these unusual vending machines along the streets of Hangzhou.
It is strange enough that this vending machine dispenses crabs, but they are also all live creatures. Since this vending machine can be operated at any time of day, this should be extremely convenient for seafood lovers, especially since they can purchase a fresh crab, which comes with "vinegar and two bags of ginger tea," for just a few dollars.
In addition to providing food that is fresh, this unique vending machine also promotes locally-sourced food, which is an extremely important issue in sustainability, so it might not be such an outrageous idea after all.
Crab-Dispensing Vending Machines
This Unique Vending Machine Sells Live Crabs in China
Trend Themes
1. Live Seafood Vending - The trend of live seafood being sold through vending machines offers convenience for customers and opens up new opportunities in the seafood industry.
2. 24/7 Food Vending - The trend of vending machines offering food at any time of day presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the vending industry, particularly in providing fresh and niche food options.
3. Promotion of Locally-sourced Food - The trend of promoting locally-sourced food through vending machines addresses the growing demand for sustainable and environmentally-friendly food options and creates opportunities for local food producers.
Industry Implications
1. Seafood Industry - The live seafood vending trend offers disruptive innovation opportunities in packaging, distribution, and quality control within the seafood industry.
2. Vending Machine Industry - The 24/7 food vending trend opens up opportunities for vending machine manufacturers to develop innovative machines that can dispense a wide range of fresh and specialty foods.
3. Food Production Industry - The promotion of locally-sourced food trend in vending machines creates opportunities for small-scale local food producers to reach a wider consumer base and tap into the growing demand for sustainable food options.