OPPORTUNITY
There is an
opportunity for individuals everyone to have healthy snack options. Everyone
who has to be at one location for a long period of time such as a hospital,
work, or school are potential customers. The nature of this need is the lack of
healthy options when stuck in one location. The main change in the environment
that would cause this type of need is the excessive number of those who are
obese. Unhealthy options are cheap quick and easy so more and more people are
buying things that are not good for them. These junk food types items may be
convenient but they are harmful to their health. The market for this
opportunity is vast. Although I do believe this opportunity could be worldwide,
I feel that the United States has the greatest need. Demographically, I believe
that schools should really be focused on for this opportunity. If healthy
options were provided or at least made available in school as early as
elementary then maybe children would lead a little bit more of healthy
lifestyles. Other than schools, I believe that workplaces should have healthier
snack options. Currently it seems that this need is not being properly met.
Children at school, employees at work, or even those sitting in hospitals are
only satisfying their hunger with junk food. So really they are not satisfying
their need. This is a big very important opportunity. Too many people are
unhealthy and obese for this not be a big opportunity. I feel that this
opportunity is something that should be addressed now. It will be an opportunity
until there are healthy options available in all schools, workplaces, and
hospitals everywhere.
INNOVATION
My innovation for this
opportunity is a healthy options vending machine. I call it the Better Options
vending machine. This product will everything someone would need to get them
through their day. Whether they forgot their lunch or they just need a snack to
boost their energy, this vending machine will have it all. The Better Options
vending machine will offer things such as protein shake and bars, granola bars
and nuts, Gatorade and Vitamin water, carrots with ranch and celery with peanut
butter. This vending machine would replace the current vending that are located
almost everywhere and offer such healthy items. The profit would come from
selling the machine itself along with the list of items available to be in the
machine. The items in the machine would remain at an affordable price. For
instance, a granola bar would be .75 cents or a Gatorade would run at $1.25. By
buying these items in bulk I’d be saving money. Then I’d turn around and sell
the items at a higher price so that there would be a profit. I want to keep the
items affordable so that the customers are more likely to buy. I don’t want my
customers to feel as though they are being ripped off.
VENTURE CONCEPT
This innovation will
solve individuals need by being healthy, affordable, and convenient. This is a
great product to be in schools, workplaces, hospitals, rest stops, really just
everywhere. I think that a lot of people want to be healthy but there’s nothing
currently out there that offers nutritional options that’s also cheap and
convenient. I think that customers would switch to my product because they want
to eat healthier. I don’t think it would be hard at all to get people to switch
to this product. So many people out there already wish that healthy options
were as cheap and convenient as junk food. The competitors that I would have to
worry about are those who currently provide vending machines. Although they do
not offer what I offer in the sense of food and snack options, they do already
know the business and have connections. They could decide to make the
transition to the healthier side. The currently vending machines are vulnerable
to the fact that they are known for selling junk food. If they started selling
health snacks, customers would be somewhat skeptical. I think that the biggest
defining factor of my concept would be customer support. If the customer is not
happy then the product will not be successful. The organization of this product
would be a big project in itself. I would like this product to be available
everywhere. For starters I would need the machines produced. The machines would
require individuals to stock and refill them. I would need employees for
maintenance, accounting, a call center, and delivery men. I would need to
develop connections to get the items for the machines at a good price. This
would be a big, very involved business.
3 MINOR ELEMENTS
The most important
resource of this venture would be my determination to get healthier foods more
accessible. So many people, including children, are extremely unhealthy because
junk is always within arm’s length. If nutritional items were as available as
junk food is I think that this would see a lot less obesity. To expand it even
further, I would like my next venture to be similar to this but more for meal
and less for snacks. I would like to have a machine that offered things such as
sandwiches or small salads. I think this would change the demographic even
more. I hope that in 5 years from now my product, The Better Options vending
machine, is in all schools worldwide, offices worldwide, in hospital, malls,
department stores…everywhere. Within a decade I believe that my concept would
have really helped me learn what works and what does. It would’ve guided me to
where I was meant to be. The first concept would have only been the
beginning.
The feedback that I received on my original venture concept was all very positive. The only changes that were suggested were to space out my thoughts a little more clearly. Everyone seemed to really like my posted over all. Based on the feedback, I did exactly as suggested and broke my thoughts up instead of having what seemed like one continuous thought. I believe it should be little easier to read and determine the different categories of the venture concept.
