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An oyster farm in a French beach town now sells fresh oysters in a vending machine 24/7.
Tony Berthelot, an oyster farmer and vendor for 30 years, had the machine specially made. Patrons can view the oysters through glass panels and choose based on quantity, type, and size. Then, they can use a credit card to pay for the oysters and open the panels.
The vending machine is refrigerated to keep oysters fresh. The oysters are replaced daily and sold closed to make sure that they do not spoil easily. However, buyers from the vending machine are still expected to be cautious because live oysters may cause food poisoning if they are not kept in seawater.
The idea was conceived after patrons expressed their disappointment in the store’s restricted hours. Customers could not buy fresh oysters whenever they had cravings after hours.
Berthelot decided to follow the footsteps of other food purveyors and started using machines instead of manning his store for longer hours. He said that the method appeals to the younger generation, who are used to buying things online and are unperturbed if stores have no shopkeeper. Nonetheless, Berthelot sees using machines only as a way to gain additional income and not as an alternative to stores.
Meanwhile, in other countries, other food sellers have also tried selling fresh products in vending machines. In 2013, a seafood seller in China sold live crabs in a refrigerated dispenser for $3.27 each. Meanwhile, a 27-year-old business man in the United States set up a vending machine called Farmer’s Fridge, which sells fresh organic salads and fresh snacks.