With 2016 in the rearview, Chattanooga-based Five Star begins 2017 celebrating another milestone, the opening of its 600th micro-market.
“The opening of our 600th micro-market marks another significant milestone for our micro-market business," said President and CEO Alan Recher. "Twenty-sixteen was a busy year for us, but we are very excited about what the New Year has in store."
Micro markets 600 and 601 have been installed at Meritor, Inc.’s production facility in Morristown, Tn. about a 45 minute drive northeast of Knoxville. Meritor, a longtime vending customer, is a global supplier of axle, brake and suspension parts to original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket for commercial truck, trailer, bus and coach and off-highway machinery manufacturers, in addition to defense contractors. The Morristown facility produces over five million parts annually. The company has been eyeing a conversion to micro-markets for some time and saw the New Year as the time to leave behind traditional vending.
An all-day grand opening celebration will be held Tuesday for employees including brief tutorials on how to shop the market and cash vouchers to make their first purchase. Also, the first 600 employees will enjoy complimentary Five Star coffee, Aquafina bottled water from PepsiCo, and gem donuts from Mrs. Freshley’s.
To encourage early market participation and adoption, Five Star is running a celebratory giveaway promotion that will award $600 in prizes to employees for their activity in the market.
Five Star has been working on a few resolutions to make 2017 the best in company history. To name a few: unprecedented promotions, data-driven analytics and decisions, innovative market concepts, enhanced market designs and cabinetry, reinvigorated market branding, launches in technology and ecommerce, and laser-focused operational execution, said officials.
Five Star Food Service, based in Chattanooga, is an on-site food and beverage solution provider to employers and other commercial, institutional, and educational locations. Five Star is a leader in micro-markets, full-service vending, coffee services, full-service dining, and catering across Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Founded in 1993, Five Star Food Service has grown to one of the largest privately held operators in the United States and is a franchise of Canteen Vending. For more information visit www.fivestar-food.com.