Case Study

How Metz Culinary Uses Byte’s Smart Fridges to Unlock New Revenue Opportunities

Metz Culinary Management is a foodservice provider that offers businesses, hospitals, universities, airports, and other facilities dining management services. We spoke to Brian Bachman, VP of Purchasing and Culinary, to learn how Metz Culinary is using unattended retail innovation to offer their clients a new type of ultra-flexible food programs.

“Byte is going to be a permanent solution for us, because it checks a lot of boxes. It’s cost-effective, the technology is good. So yeah, it's been a huge success for us.” — Brian Bachman, VP of Purchasing and Culinary

The Highlights

The Challenge

Clients wanted a way to offer food to “third shift” workers late at night. Low supply of labor kept Metz from operating existing programs at full speed.

The Solution

Creating an employee-less way to sell food from cafeterias after they close. Theft-proof stores that could offer fresh food like a micro market, without the risk.

The Result

Increased retail sales in places and at times that were previously unreached. Happy clients who have greater flexibility to feed their employees and guests.

The Challenge

Clients Want Increased Fresh Food Access, but Labor Costs Require Creative Solutions

Metz Culinary is hearing the same things from their clients across healthcare, education, and office complexes: a need for fresher food available at all times of the day.

For some clients, this means making food available for late-night workers. In many cases, the client complexes are so large that employees cannot physically make it to the cafeteria before their lunch break ends.

“The kitchen closes at a certain time. At that point, there are basically no options for third shift employees other than chips and candy from a vending machine. A lot of times the retail outlet is just too far away—how can we get food closer to the people who need it?”

The problem is that, with rising labor costs and a shrinking supply, increasing staffing to serve clients in more locations with longer hours doesn’t make sense financially.

“With labor the way it is, we’re looking for different retail opportunities and retail outlets that don’t require manning them. We’re looking into technology.”

Brian and his team knew they couldn’t default to old vending partners. They needed to find a way to innovate on behalf of their clients.

“With labor the way it is, we're looking for different retail opportunities and retail outlets that don’t require manning them. We’re looking into technology.”

The Solution

Building a Cashierless Checkout Program for Fresh Food Kiosks

The Metz Culinary team had already looked in vending tech and micro markets, but neither solution seemed flexible or safe enough to really meet their clients’ needs.

“Micro markets can get pricey with all the technology, the POS system, the kiosk with the security cameras with the shelving, all that kind of stuff. We wanted something more secure and less expensive.”

Additionally, Brian wanted to make sure he was maintaining a high standard of culinary by bringing his best food to his clients.

“We needed a solution outside of vending that could satisfy our clients from a culinary perspective. Something where we could provide our own fresh products and customize them to clients.”

When Brian came across Byte Technology, an unattended fridge that uses RFID tags to charge customers automatically, it was clear this was the level of flexibility his team was looking for.

“It just made the most sense and opened up a bunch of opportunities. We can put food we know is fresh in there, we can track the expiration date, reduce the price to make sure it sells. It just has a lot of flexibility and options we liked.”

Metz Culinary placed their first Byte fridge in the athletics facility of Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA in August of 2021.

“It just made the most sense and opened up a bunch of opportunities. We can put food we know is fresh in there, we can track the expiration date, reduce the price to make sure it sells. It just has a lot of flexibility and options we liked.”

The Results

Delighted Foodservice Clients and New Revenue Opportunities

Brian’s team stocked the first fridge with Live Well products, an owned brand of foods that helps athletes recover quickly after workouts. Rather than having to visit a cafeteria in another building, athletes can now get food tailored to them on-premise.

It didn’t take long to realize the potential of the placement.

“The athletic facility sells a lot. It gives us a retail outlet with such a small footprint and all you need is a plug for the fridge. So all we do is fill it in the morning and walk away.”

One feature that Metz’s clients love is the Flex Plan compatibility that allows customers to use their student IDs or employee badges to check out, rather than only credit cards.

“The first thing our clients keep asking is, ‘Can we use flex cards?’ Having that technology is a real bonus for us, because it’s an easier sell and means more revenue in our pockets.”

Metz Culinary has placed four additional fridges since, and Brian’s team is preparing to sell many more as clients realize the potential of unattended retail with fresh food.

“The real sell here is showing our clients that we will do what it takes to serve them how they need with good, fresh food. It shows we’re being proactive and forward-thinking.

That’s why they hire us, to solve problems. And with Byte, we’re doing that in a way that everyone’s excited about.”

The first thing our clients keep asking is, ‘Can we use flex cards?’ Having that technology is a real bonus for us, because it’s an easier sell and means more revenue in our pockets.”

Unlock New Opportunities

Byte Technology helps retailers, food service providers and vending operators to serve fresh food anywhere, anytime.

Reach out today to learn more about how Byte’s stores can help your business thrive.