We all know the feeling… you’re waiting for a flight and suddenly realise you’ve forgotten your water bottle. There’s no going back through security and you know you’ll want a drink soon. Plus you’re starting to get hungry too. So what do you do?

With even fewer options available during the COVID-19 pandemic, you look around… and a Livewell vending station catches your eye. Drinks, snacks, PPE – it’s got everything you need.

Which is why we’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport, where we’ve just installed three of our VendSafe stations to provide passengers with essential travel supplies.

Automated, hygienic and safe.

As lockdown eases and travel slowly resumes, passengers are starting to return to airports. But with new hygiene guidelines in place for air travel, things aren’t as straightforward as before. Many airlines have suspended the sale of food and drink on flights to reduce in-flight contact points – and not all catering options in terminals have returned.

Livewell’s VendSafe stations provide a quick and easy way for travellers to buy what they need before boarding. These self-serve stations are low touch, low contact and low stress…ideal for passengers. And there are added benefits too…

• Low contact stations with wipe-clean touch screens.
• Quick and easy automated product dispense.
• Hygienic, temperature-controlled product storage behind glass screens.
• Wide range of branded snack and drink choices along with PPE travel essentials.
• Contactless payment methods via credit/debit cards, ApplePay etc.
• COSSH approved antibacterial gel dispenser fixed to the front of stations.
• Floor signage to help aid social distancing.

We’ve installed three VendSafe stations in the Airport.

One landside, selling snacks, masks, face coverings and 100ml antibacterial spray. All items can be taken through security.

And two airside, located on the ground floor departure lounge, opposite gates 7 and 8. One station sells a full range of snacks, whilst the other has drink options in bottles and cans. You can take any of these items on your flight.

As a Leeds-based business, we’re especially delighted to be able to provide this service to passengers and staff at Leeds Bradford Airport. Offering a safe way to access the food, drink and PPE they need, we hope it will be a reassuring service to those travelling again.

VendSafe really is taking flight!

Learn more about VendSafe and about travelling to/from the Airport.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been helping schools in the region implement COVID-19 safety measures by providing a simple solution for safe on-site catering and refreshments. Our VendSafe stations, installed in multiple locations around a school campus, give pupils and staff, low-contact access to food and drink during the school day.

With staff needing to change arrangements, to adhere to the latest government guidance for the re-opening of schools, we’ve been working with them to make the safe provision of refreshments as easy as possible.

And catering is one of the biggest challenges. To limit transmission risks, schools now need to control the movement of pupils in separate ‘bubbles’, reduce lunch and break time congestion, and encourage students to stay on-site during school hours. And they’re finding that our automated vending stations can help with this.

With drinks and snacks stored in a temperature-controlled, hygienic unit behind a glass screen, the ‘self-serve’ process results in a low contact solution. Product selection is made via a wipe-clean touchscreen, which has an antimicrobial coating. Integration with the school’s cashless payment system removes the need to handle coins, and the quick dispensing mechanism results in a quick turnaround and fewer queues.

Furthermore, a hand sanitiser is attached to the front of each station, encouraging good hand hygiene. Our VendSafe stations need just a standard plug socket to operate, so can be located at numerous locations around the school site to allow access to different ‘bubbles’.

Aaron Prout, Director at Livewell Vending, says:

“Like many businesses impacted by COVID-19, Livewell has had to rethink many aspects of its operation. As a long-term supplier to many local schools, we have worked quickly to ensure that the VendSafe provision meets their current needs and helps to refresh their pupils and staff safely.”

Mark Newstead, Assistant Principal of Garforth Academy, says:

“Livewell are helping us meet the challenge of implementing COVID-19 safety measures. We want our staff and pupils to feel safe in school and, as a part of the catering service, Livewell’s vending stations provide a low-contact, self-serve solution to safely access refreshments.”

Get in touch to find out more about our safe catering solution for schools.