VIDEO: Kelowna company puts healthy meals in vending machines

| February 27, 2023 in Kelowna

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How about an apple walnut salad, butter chicken or a sushi bowl?

It's a long way from the junk food that has always dominated the vending machines we've seen in the past.

But a Kelowna couple is betting that people here are ready for an upgrade.

Brady Kosior said he and his life partner Katie Murray saw people embracing this model in other parts of the world, and decided to go into business together.

"Let's put fresh, healthy food into the most technologically advanced vending machine money could buy," he said, describing what has become their mission statement.

Founded in 2020, Cruze Co has two of their machines at the Kelowna Airport, one on each side of security, and business is taking off.

"We want to give everyone their time back," said Kosior, "while providing the healthiest options known to man."

There is almost no waste because the technology of the machine means Cruze Co can detect every time something sells.

"Everything comes right back to our phones here and it comes back to our computers at the head office," he explained.

"So we see everything that sells here on the fly."

Purchases are made by tapping your card and then just grabbing the item you want.

The machine senses what you've removed and charges you accordingly.

What started as a one-couple business, is now starting to grow.

"I have personally made about 16,000 sandwiches for this company so far," said Kosior.

They now have two employees with the two Kelowna airport machines and one at Natural Factors in Lake Country.

"I see a vision of at least a hundred of these in Kelowna," he said.

And from there, who knows?

"When the time is right and we feel we're at a place for expansion then we're just going to see what that entails."

Cruze Co is negotiating a few possible locations in Downtown and Central Kelowna.

If you have a location that you think would work, the company would love to hear from you.

You'll find them at Cruzeo.com.

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