Traditional vending might be associated with potato chips and candy bars, but the team of experts at Vistar is changing that. In the last five years, U.S. Natural and Organic food and beverage sales have nearly doubled from $40 billion in 2010 to $80 billion in 2015, plus they are projected to grow to $252 billion by 2019. Not to mention 47 percent of U.S. consumers report that they look for foods and beverages with a short list of recognizable ingredients and 71 percent have eliminated foods to make their diets healthier. The team of leaders at Vistar noticed this shift, as well as increased demand for healthy, convenient snacks, and launched Good To Go in April of 2014.

With more than 1,800 items to choose from, the Good To Go program is an easy way for Vistar’s customers to find natural snack and beverage options with the convenience of online ordering and fast deliveries. In order for a product to be included in Good to Go, it must be made with clean ingredients and possess at least one of the following attributes:

• Organic
• Non GMO
• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Zero Trans Fat
• USDA School Approved

In addition, the team sources products that contain more than 9 grams of protein, are made with no MSG, or are allergen-free (made without peanuts or tree nuts, eggs, or soy), to meet additional consumer needs.

For the most part, these attributes are clearly called out on product packaging to make it effortless for consumers to make healthy choices. In order to create the program, Vistar partnered with specific suppliers who focus on natural, healthy snack products, and is continuing to add suppliers. Vistar’s team also helps customers create plan-o-grams to effectively sell Good To Go items in their convenience areas.

In conjunction with the program, Vistar is also launching an educational ad series in September, which will help to better define important attributes of the better-for-you food category. To see the ads, visit Vistar.com, or to request more information, contact goodtogo@pfgc.com.