City of Phoenix looking for healthy snack options
Feb 25, 2014, 5:00 AM | Updated: 5:00 am
PHOENIX — Move over, Fritos! The city of Phoenix wants healthy snacks in city-owned buildings.
Phoenix’s Marketing Partnership Program hopes to find a company to offer healthier choices at more than 300 vending machines at city parks, community centers and other buildings.
City spokesman Jon Brodsky said Phoenix will adopt the healthy vending standards set by Maricopa County.
“It says at least 50 percent of the foods or 50 percent of the beverages in the machines will follow those guidelines and be categorized as healthy and it gives people choices,” he said. “It’s not everything in the machine, there still are plenty of things in the machine that are not healthy, but at least people who do want to make a healthier choice do have that option.”
In addition to healthier choices, Brodsky said the citywide initiative will improve customer service at the machines, include a recycling component and generate cash for the general fund.
“Since this is the first time that we’re doing this we don’t have a specific number as to how much we think it will generate and that’s why we’re doing the request for proposal process to see what the companies have in mind, to see what some of their ideas are,” said Brodsky.
The program will not include vending machines at the Phoenix Convention Center or Sky Harbor International Airport as they have their own contracts.
