Students flocked toward the back corner of the Internet Cafe during fourth period on Thursday, Feb. 13, to be the first to look at the new, but empty, Farmer’s Fridge vending machine. SSC brought in the machine, which will offer fresh salads, wraps and snacks, as part of an effort to provide healthier food options on campus.
The installation, handled by GDS maintenance staff and outside contractors, marked the final step in bringing the machine to campus after delays and unresponsiveness from Farmer’s Fridge.
“It definitely took a lot longer than we had hoped,” SSC Vice President Grace Khuzami said. “We thought it would be here before second semester started.”
According to its website, Farmer’s Fridge aims to make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible by offering refrigerated vending machines stocked with meals made from scratch. The company sources whole ingredients, prepares them in a central kitchen and delivers them to its fridges, which are temperature-controlled to ensure food safety. Each meal contains a full serving of fruits and vegetables, and the machines are designed to prevent the sale of expired produce.
SSC has discussed a new vending machine at their weekly meetings throughout this school year. “Natalia [Freedman] and Quinn [Killy] explored different options and they came across Farmer’s Fridge,” Khuzami said. “SSC looked through the menu and decided it would be a good investment to make.”
SSC selected Farmer’s Fridge over another potential vendor, Wellfound Foods, after reviewing both companies’ menus. However, the new machine won’t be ready to sell food immediately. “It takes about a week until it can actually sell because we need to monitor the temperature before food can be put in it,” Khuzami said.
The school did not pay for the vending machine, according to Assistant Principal for School Life Quinn Killy. Farmer’s Fridge sends the machine free of charge and earns 100 percent of profits until a sales quota is reached. For purchases after that quota, GDS earns a small percentage in cash back.
Students will be able to pre-order food through an app before school hours, ensuring they do not violate the phone policy during the day. Neither Freedman nor Khuzami knew what the exact pricing for the vending machine would be. They told the Bit that prices are set by Farmer’s Fridge.
The Bit spoke to seven students about the new vending machine and all of them said they were excited about having healthier food options on campus.
“I’m excited because there’s gonna be healthier options,” sophomore Ahren Sidhu said. “Now I don’t have to eat Famous Amos cookies or Pop-Tarts when I’m hungry.”
“Adding healthy food is a good thing, and if you forget your lunch hopefully it will be less expensive than DoorDash or going out,” senior Sam Pastreich said.
Not all students believe the machine will see heavy use. “I don’t think it’s gonna get used a lot because I don’t think high school kids’ first idea is eating healthy food in the middle of a school day,” junior Julian Lucas said.