Janetzki’s Naturals NW Vending supplies healthy food choices

Published 1:30 pm Friday, May 13, 2016

Vending machines and health are not two things that typically go together.

But Rainer Janetzki is trying to change that with his new venture.

The Redmond resident, who lives on Education Hill, started Naturals NW Vending after leaving a decades-long career in the corporate world.

He wanted to try something new, so he took small business classes and met with a franchise broker — although Naturals NW is not a franchise — and landed on the idea of a vending machine that offered healthy food choices.

“Our family is very health conscious,” Janetzki said. “PCC is our best friend.”

He said he wanted to do something to make a difference in the way people eat.

The company’s vending machines feature healthier snack foods such as baked chips, pita chips, protein bars such as Clif Bars, Luna Bars and Kind Bars and assorted nuts. In addition, the machines also include a variety of drinks such as coconut water, juices and vitamin water.

Snack items will range from $0.75-$1.75; protein bars will be $1-$2.50 and drinks will be from $1-3.

Janetzki partnered with Naturals 2Go for his startup. Before officially opening for business, he traveled to Idaho Falls, Idaho in mid to late January. There, he learned how to market his business and manage the back office as well as how to operate the vending machines.

Naturals NW officially kicked off in March.

Since then, Janetzki has been to two conferences as an exhibitor. He said the feedback he has received from attendees has been enthusiasm for the Naturals NW concept.

Janetzki said among those he spoke with, there were a number of common complaints about machines in general: They’re dirty, often out of stock and the customer service is bad.

For Janetzki, who had previously worked for the Walt Disney Company in a customer service-based job, the latter is particularly important to him.

With this in mind, Janetzki said he is able to track his vending machines through his computer and see which items are running low. That way, he can make sure to restock them before they run out completely. In addition, he said employees at the businesses where the machines are located can also vote on snacks and beverages they want to put in the machines.

Chris Doran, whose business Serious About Fitness (SAF) gym in Redmond has a Naturals NW vending machine, said he appreciated the ability to choose what they wanted to put in their machine. He said Janetzki has also made himself open to feedback on which types of items people want more of and what they like.

In addition, Janetzki said if an item is stuck or the machine is not working, there will be an email people can access through the machine’s touch screen to contact him to report the problem. In return, the person will be sent a digital coupon for a free vending item they can use immediately instead of having to go to someone at their business — who has no control over the machines — to complain.

“We pull them completely out of it,” Janetzki said.

As a gym owner, Doran said he has always carried products such as protein drinks and the Advocare line. But he was getting tired of carrying the products and so when he learned about Janetzki, a long-time client of his, was going into healthy vending machines, it was very easy to say yes to having one of the machines in his gym.

Doran acknowledged the types of items in vending machines are less than healthy and that a vending machine with healthier options can be risky.

“(Janetzki’s) actually taking a big risk,” Doran said.

SAF is one of two locations in Redmond that currently have Naturals NW vending machines. The other one is Emerald City Gymnastics. Janetzki said he is in talks with a number of companies in Redmond about having his machines in their businesses. He is focusing on the Eastside, specifically fitness facilities, businesses, government buildings and eventually, schools. Typically, when a Naturals NW machine is installed, the old one is removed.

With the businesses Janetzki has been in contact with, he said “employee wellness is really important to them.” His vending machines are just another tool for them to encourage a healthier lifestyle among their employees.

For more information, visit www.naturals nwvending.com.