Catering Scotland

Established in Glasgow in 2005, Abercromby is run by sibling directors Tracey and Thomas Graham, who aimed from the outset to satisfy a gap in the market for fresh, homemade food sold through vending machines.

Thomas, a vending engineer, believes their company is Scotland’s first and exclusive fresh food vending company: ‘We launched the business as a catering service,’ he explains. ‘A few years later we began working with catering staff at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and when they noticed that our emphasis was more on the promotion of healthier choices, they suggested applying for the award.

‘As all our food is prepared and cooked in our own purpose-built kitchen – and is therefore influenced and monitored by us – it was really a case of sourcing the right ingredients and making sure we maintained the healthylivng objectives throughout our range.’

As a catering service, Abercromby focuses principally on sandwiches, salads, pasta, homemade soup and hot meals. The positioning of the items within the machines is also carefully planned, so that the healthier options are always at eye level and prominently displayed.

‘Vending isn’t readily associated with healthy eating but what goes into our units is all under our control, so we can ensure that at least 50 percent of the products will be healthier,’ adds Tracey.

‘We’ve worked tirelessly on this and I would hope that Abercromby now represents health and wellbeing in the vending industry. After all, it’s the perfect opportunity to market healthier food to a captive audience.’

 www.healthylivingaward.co.uk