In 2019 state-of-the-art technology is king, especially in Omaha break rooms. But, and it’s a big one, adopting new technology should not come at the expense of good employee experiences. Based on the most recent Consumer Payment Study performed by Total System Services (TSYS), researchers found that while Americans want to adopt and use the newest payment technology to pay for purchases, they also want to be able to speak with someone when there is a problem.

For Omaha employers, the challenge is to find the ideal balance between state-of-the-art payment technology and old-fashioned customer service when it comes to the break room experience.

What Employees Look For  

• the option to use a mobile device – whether it’s through a mobile payment app or a bank’s app – to pay for snacks, beverages and fresh food 
• speed, agility and convenience during the buying process
• intuitive and user-friendly equipment and processes
• personalized offers based on individual purchasing preferences such as buy-4-get-1-free and information about promotions and rewards

Adding new technology in the break room also helps employers provide excellent refreshment services. Vending equipment, open-front coolers and touchscreen self-checkout kiosks are connected to vending suppliers, thus supporting remote data management or sales and inventory data analysis as well as machine maintenance. Vending machines with sought-after products and less time offline are a win for everyone.

“Old-fashioned” Customer Service

Reflecting on the TSYS study, John Dale Hester, Senior Vice President of Relationship Management at TSYS, explained, “Americans are demonstrating a strong appetite for digital technologies…but that willingness to adopt the latest technology has its limits. When people encounter a problem…most still want to interact with a real person.”

When Omaha employees have a problem with any part of the refreshment services in their break room, there must be a way to connect with someone who can help solve the problem. Whether it’s via a facility/office manager or the mobile app, effective customer service in the break room is about helping your employees be as successful as possible.

But ultimately, customer service issues in the break room should fall back to your Omaha refreshment provider, and Host Coffee understands that. Not only do we offer state-of-the-art technology and sought-after snacks, beverages and fresh food, but we deliver top-notch customer service. Your employees’ break room experiences are important to us.

For more information about delivering top-notch technology and “old-fashioned” customer service in your break room, please call Host Coffee at 800.578.4678. We look forward to designing the best solution for your organization.

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Recent research in the Consciousness and Cognition journal found that exposure to coffee-related cues, without having actually consumed any coffee, can trigger a chemical-response pattern in the brain that increases “concrete, precise thinking and mental arousal, or attentiveness.” It’s sort of like Pavlov’s dogs, but in this case, individuals are exposed to non-chemical but coffee-related cues which then trigger a chemical-response pattern in the brain.

So what types of coffee-related cues in Omaha office break rooms could cause this effect? The answer is almost anything such as colors, sounds and smells that can be observed. Let’s take a look at one of America’s favorite hot beverages and the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch), and see how each sense can impact alertness and attention.

Taste: While the concept of taste is often associated with the physical act of drinking, taste can can also play a role in a more abstract way. For many Omaha employees, the “taste” of coffee is often the first thing that comes to mind when someone else mentions coffee.

Sight: Seeing a physical object such as an image of a mug, roasted beans or even an actual cup of coffee are just a few of the many different visual cues that can create a response.

Hearing: Understanding which sounds have the ability to trigger the chemical-response pattern is a bit more complicated as sound is unique for everyone. Several popular sounds include grinding beans, the brewer brewing and sounds that are associated with a favorite local cafe.

Smell: The sense of smell is similar to the sense of hearing in that everyone experiences it differently, but freshly brewed coffee, the smell of beans being ground or that favorite cafe tends to elicit almost the same reaction from everyone.

Touch: Experiencing the feel or size of a favorite mug, picking up the container that holds the ground beans, pressing the start button on the grinder or using an espresso machine or favorite French press are all ways to activate the brain via touch without ever drinking a single drop.

Whether it’s by itself or in combination with other senses, the human body takes in many different observations during the day. It’s time to increase the likelihood that more of your employees will benefit from the coffee effect and design your Omaha office coffee service to engage all of the senses.

Host Coffee can help customize a refreshment menu that includes the hot beverages your employees seek out as well as healthy snacks, cold beverages and fresh food. A successful break room is more than just a place to grab a quick snack. It’s a welcoming and relaxing place that encourages employee creativity, collaboration and productivity.

To update your current break room menu or design a new break room space, contact Host Coffee at 800.578.4678. We look forward to enjoying a cup of Joe or tea with you.

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Before the busy fall season begins, it is important to bring back or develop new, healthy habits, and that includes eating enough fruits and vegetables.  According to nutritionists at ChooseMyPlate.gov, adult women should consume between 2 and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day and between 1.5 and 2 cups of fruit per day. Men should consume between 2.5 and 3 cups of vegetables per day and about 2 cups of fruit per day.

To meet those guidelines consider adding any of the following eight healthy, late-summer fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Tomatoes: Big, red and juicy often describes ripe tomatoes in the summer. Full of water but low in carbs, tomatoes are known for their beta-carotene or vitamin A and vitamin C. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A and combats the effects of free radicals, improves cognitive function and may protect against common eye diseases.

Bell Peppers: The summer harvest of bell peppers offers a variety of different tastes from the most bitter, green bell peppers to the sweetest, red bell peppers. High in water and fiber but low in calories, bell peppers offer a variety of health benefits from a boost in immunity to improved eye health and heart health to a decreased risk of anemia.

Tomatillos: Although tomatillos may appear to be small green tomatoes, they are closely related to South American Cape gooseberries and are full of healthy boosting vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Among its many benefits, tomatillos can reduce the chance of diabetes, boost the immune system and reduce the risk of some cancers.

Summer Squash: Two of the most well-known summer squash are zucchini and yellow squash. Low in carbs but high in water, they are a great source of Vitamin A, B6, and C, folate, magnesium, fiber, riboflavin, phosphorus and potassium. These nutritional workhorses protect against heart and common eye diseases as well as boost immunity and bone strength.

Grapes: While grapes contain important nutrients for bone health and protect against certain bacteria, viruses and yeast infections, the skin of red grapes contain high amounts of anthocyanins, an antioxidant. Anthocyanins protect heart health, improve blood flow to brain, lower blood pressure and protect against damage caused by free radicals.

Peaches: Another delicious summer fruit, peaches provide good amounts of fiber as well as Vitamin A, C and numerous minerals. A variety of antioxidants protect against cancerous cells, help prevent chronic health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and boost the immune system.

Nectarines: Like peaches – high in fiber, low in calories and without the fuzz, nectarines also help improve digestive health and resist obesity-related diabetes and heart disease. Nectarines also offer numerous B vitamins which are important for the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat and in the formation of red blood cells.

Cantaloupe: Offering more beta carotene than apricots, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, tangerines, nectarines and mangoes with same amount of vitamin C as a small orange, cantaloupes help fight free radicals in the body as well as support hydration, eye health, the production of red blood cells and the immune system.

Supporting employee consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables while at work helps support Lincoln employers too. Healthy employees are more creative and productive and have fewer sick days. Whether it’s hunger or thirst, employees will be able to stay on-site when they need something to eat or drink.

Host Coffee would like to work with your organization to customize a refreshment menu that delivers a variety of options and draws employees to the break room. Add an extra benefit by offering office refreshments at a reduced or zero cost and increase the appeal. For more information or to schedule a tasting appointment, please call Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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A mashup requires at least two separate ideas or, in this case, beverages and combines them in new, unusual and exciting ways. Today’s new beverages include ingredients that appeal specifically to Millennials, the largest generation in the U.S. workforce.

Coffee Plus Sparkling Water, Juice and Plant-Based Water

The first trend highlights how coffee, a popular energy boost, can be combined with unlikely partners to create healthier beverages with new flavor profiles.   

• Sparkling Water: A healthier option than traditional carbonated beverages, sparkling water has been combined with ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee, resulting in a low or no sugar, carbonated and energy-boosting beverage.
• Fruit Juice: Traditional juice has gotten a bad rap over the past few years, but that is about to change. Mix a blend of cold-pressed fruit juice and cold brew coffee with light carbonation and discover a delightful, caffeinated blend that is bubbly and naturally sweet.
• Plant-Based Water: Flat bottled water comes in a variety of options including plant-based waters like coconut water, watermelon water and maple water. Mix coffee with maple water and enjoy a naturally flavored and sweetened RTD coffee.

Tea, Energy Drinks, RTD & Cold Brew

Tea has long been known to be a healthy beverage with long list of health benefits. Unfortunately, tea hasn’t always been at the top of Millennials’ most-favorite beverage list. To remedy that, drink manufacturers are incorporating tea into energy drinks and sparking beverages as well as using new brewing methods.

• Cold Brew: Just as with coffee, tea can be made using the cold brew method. The final beverage packs a punch with 75 percent more caffeine than a typical RTD iced tea.
• Ready-to-Drink: Speaking of RTD teas, new options have been made using sparkling water instead of traditional, flat water.
• Energy Drinks: Depending on the type of tea leaves used, such as guayusa, green tea or matcha, tea has become a viable option to enjoy instead of traditional energy drinks.

“Clean” Caffeine Sources

Just as with clean snacking, many health-conscious, Omaha employees are looking for “cleaner” energy drink options. Several new beverage choices get their caffeine boost from guayusa or green tea plants, offering both the energy benefits of caffeine and the health benefits of tea. To add to the number of choices, another beverage combines green tea with sparkling water and L-theanine, an amino acid, which offers a clean caffeine boost without the crash that happens with caffeine sources lacking L-theanine.

Omaha employers can add any of the above options to the break room beverage menu, and their employees will have one more reason to stay on-site during the workday. Encouraging employees to find their refreshment on-site can lead to an increase in productivity as less time is spent in transit and more time is spent collaborating and working.

Does your break room micro-market or vending machines offer the snacks, beverages and fresh food your employees are looking for? How about traditional coffee and espresso-based beverages?

It’s time to reevaluate your refreshment services program, and Host Coffee would like to help. We offer a variety of options and will customize the perfect menu that delivers the choices your employees are looking for. For more information or to schedule a sample tasting, please contact Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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According to the report, changes in the definition of health and wellness have led Lincoln consumers to seek transparency when it comes to the ingredients in their favorite snacks. Unlike previous years when a brand name, by itself, could sell a snack, today’s consumers prioritize the quality of ingredients over brand names. In addition to organic ingredients, non-genetically modified organism (GMO), clean, low-sugar, gluten-free, and healthy ingredients are at the top of the most wanted ingredients list.

Two additional characteristics continue to influence consumer demand. New snacks must have the ability to bridge the gap between nutritious and indulgent and offer ingredient lists that take regional or local taste preferences into account.

Now that we know healthy snacks aren’t going anywhere, what can Lincoln employees expect to find in their break room vending machines or micro-market? Both snack bars and sippable or ready-to-eat soups will likely make an appearance, if they haven’t already.

While snack bars will continue to be consumed as snacks, many will also be used to replace a meal. Bars eaten as meal replacements will need to offer nutritious ingredients including a variety of healthy proteins. Healthy sippable soups can also function as a snack or a meal thanks to healthy ingredients, convenience, and versatility.

Which healthy snacks do your Lincoln employees look for when they need a quick bite to eat? Do they have a favorite beverage? It’s important to understand which products they reach for first in order to be able to offer the most highly desired products.

We would like to help your organization customize a healthy vending machine or micro-market menu to meet your specific needs. For more information or to schedule a product sampling, please call Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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Some blueberry related healthy snacks or mini meals that Omaha employees might enjoy during their day include blueberry breakfast bars, blueberry muffins, blueberry yogurt or parfait, blueberry smoothies, a fruit salad with blueberries or a dark green salad with blueberries and nuts. Choosing to eat multiple mini meals or snacks during the day can help employees meet nutritional requirements, control blood sugar, and maintain metabolism.

And that is true whether or not Omaha employees choose to enjoy blueberries. It is important for everyone to consume enough fruit in their diet. According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, the recommended number of fruit servings per day depends on the individual, but the CDC “federal guidelines recommend that adults eat at least 1½ to 2 cups per day of fruit.”

Reading the ingredient list on the packaging of a healthy snack is a great way to see if that snack contains any fruit. If blueberries are a primary ingredient, they will be listed toward the front of the list as ingredients with the largest amounts are listed first followed by the others in descending order. The nutrition panel on the package is another place to find information about a snack. It lists the serving size, how many servings in the package, calories per serving and other nutrients.

For blueberries, 1 cup (148 grams) of fresh blueberries contains 84 calories, 0.3 g fat, 0.0 mg cholesterol, 1.0 mg sodium, 21.5 g total carbohydrates, 14.7 g sugar, 3.6 g fiber and 1.1 g protein. There is also 9 mg of calcium, 9 mg of magnesium, 0.4 mg of iron, 18 mg of phosphorus, 114 mg of potassium, 14.4 mg of vitamin c, 9 µg of folate, 80 IU of vitamin a, and 28.6 µg of vitamin k.

Learning about nutrients is important. Some – like saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium – can be very unhealthy when consumed because they increase the risk of developing certain diseases. Healthy nutrients do the opposite; they can help reduce the risk of developing some diseases, and healthy employees are much better for Omaha businesses.

Employers have the opportunity to contribute to the health and wellness of their employees by offering healthy snacks, food and beverages in their break room vending machines or micro-markets. Employees only need to take a quick trip to the break room instead of going off-site to find a healthy option.

What healthy choices does your Omaha break room offer? To learn more about healthy refreshment options, and how you can turn your break room into a great employee benefit, call Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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“…a good cup of coffee always contributes to the positive mood of the employees and customers.”   – Oliver Garn, CEO and Country Manager for Austria and the Netherlands at EVOCA Germany GmbH

Whether at work in Lincoln or overseas, quality office coffee service (OCS) is important. Gone are the days of everyone arriving at the office at 8:00 a.m. and leaving at 5:00 p.m. Today, many individuals work flexible hours, use a variety of different workspaces and often blur the line between personal and private lives. A well-designed OCS supports company employees and guests regardless of the time of day or workspace.

Let’s look at three reasons why your Lincoln business should offer a sought-after OCS.

Expectations

Employees usually expect several things when it comes to beverages at work; hot beverages, cold beverages, water service, excellent taste and quality, great service and a solution that is customized for them. The first three expectations are self-explanatory, but the others require more information.

• Taste and Quality are subjective. For either criteria to be met, the chosen OCS must be the right match. Employers can meet these preferences by considering brewing equipment, coffee options and tea varieties.
• Excellent ongoing OCS from a vending provider is also crucial. The best brewing equipment, beans or tea cannot overcome service that repeatedly disappoints and upsets employees.
• A customized OCS solution looks back at the previous two expectations. Not only must employee and guest needs be considered but the service record of the vending provider should be examined.

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A great OCS can positively impact an organization’s reputation with both employees and guests. Just as with a well-loved coffee shop, a break room with delicious coffee, espresso-based beverages and hot tea can have a welcoming and pleasing atmosphere that encourages collaboration, creativity and productivity.

Appreciation

Refreshment services including office coffee service is a great way to express employee appreciation. Everyone, well almost everyone, enjoys receiving something free. Offering delicious hot beverages as well as healthy and traditional cold beverages and snacks at no cost in your Lincoln break room is one way to thank your employees for all they do.

Are you ready to boost your office’s coffee experience? Host Coffee would like to help. To learn more about our OCS as well as healthy or traditional snack and cold beverage options or to schedule a tasting, contact Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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With 84 percent of Omaha residents trying to drink more water, and the hot summer season upon us, let’s take a step back and look at fun summer beverages that often began as flat or carbonated water.

• lemonade: water, lemon juice, and a sweetener, to taste
• iced tea: water, tea, and a sweetener, if desired
• fruit/veggie/herb-infused water: water plus any combination such as strawberry & lime, lemon & basil, strawberry & basil, lemon & raspberry, and cherry & lime

If none of those flavor combinations sound appealing, consider choosing one or more of the following fruits and vegetables that are in-season in the Omaha area: mint, blueberries, apricots, kiwi, cherries, cucumbers and peaches. There are also a number of different ways to infuse the water with the flavors of your choice.

You might try squeezing a bit of the juice from citrus fruit (ex. lime, lemon or orange) into a glass or pitcher of water and enjoying. Depending on the size of the container, sliced or chopped fruit can be placed at the bottom of a pitcher or glass and soaked overnight (pitcher) or for a couple hours (glass). Berries can be mashed and placed at the bottom of a glass, and the glass filled with water. For herbs, such as mint leaves, tear up the leaves, cover them in water, and let the water steep.

The number of flavor combinations and preparation methods are limitless, but not everyone will have the option or want to prepare a water-based beverage.

While almost three-quarters of Americans voted bottled water as their first choice, don’t forget about other popular beverages. Sixty-one percent of those polled ranked coffee in second place and soft drinks in third with 59 percent. In 2019, Omaha employees have a lot of healthier options available including natural and organic sodas and carbonated juices.

Host Coffee would like to help Omaha employers provide their employees with healthy beverages and snacks in their break room vending machine. Hydrated and satiated individuals have more energy and are more focused. For more information or to schedule a product sampling today, call Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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Functional beverages, as a group, are a segment within the rapidly growing nonalcoholic beverage market, which is expected to grow to $1.6 trillion in sales by 2025. The fastest growing category in the nonalcoholic beverage market, functional beverages, includes ready-to-drink (RTD) coffees and teas, and relaxation, hydration or energy drinks.

Christina Wood, Sales and Marketing Director at OptiBiotix Health Plc, recently spoke about the expected demand. “Whether vitamin or ‘enhanced’ water to fend off illness, energy drinks to combat fatigue or sports drinks to aid exercise, they [functional beverages] provide the multipurpose value expected by today’s informed [consumers].”

And those consumers also expect to be able to easily purchase their preferred choice at any time of the day.  it’s easy to make sure that Lincoln employees can access different functional beverages in their break room vending machine or micro-market.

RTD Cold Teas

Enjoy a variety of healthy and organic teas made with Fair Trade ingredients. There is an option for everyone from unsweetened to sweetened teas made with organic sweeteners and tea with or without fruit flavors.

Enhanced Fruit Drinks

The term ‘juice’ takes on a new meaning when it comes to enhanced fruit drinks. Today, these beverages are made from unique ingredients like the coffee fruit and have no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors.

Fruit Infused Flat or Carbonated Bottled Water

Bottled flat or carbonated water with fruit infused flavors offer the benefits of plain bottled water without any diet sweeteners or sugars. They are zero calorie, zero preservative, vegan, gluten-free and kosher.

Sparkling or Flat Mineral Water

Mineral water offers additional health benefits when compared to traditional bottled water. As mineral water’s name suggests, there are extra minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the water that Lincoln individuals need.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is a new, healthy choice for staying hydrated. It’s naturally gluten-free, lactose-free, and dairy-free beverage with potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, and phosphorus that hydrates.

Not sure which functional beverages your Lincoln employees might enjoy? Try offering a beverage taste testing event. If everyone knows a bit more about what is available and how it tastes, they are likely to be more comfortable purchasing it.

And don’t forget to pair your beverage offerings with a variety of snack options. Make it easier to grab a bite to eat or drink without having to go off-site. Hydrated and satiated employees are likely to be more productive and creative. For more information or to schedule a product sampling, please contact Host Coffee at 800.578.4678.

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