First of its kind vending machine arrives at Meadow Park rec centre

A new healthy vending machine that is the first of its kind in the country has been installed in Whistler’s Meadow Park Sports Centre.

Guests to the recreation centre can now access 100% organic, plant-based, gluten-free, nutrient rich meals and desserts from the machine during the sports centre’s operating hours.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler teamed up with local business The Green Moustache to provide the service. The restaurant’s Chief Strategy Officer and Partner, Geoff Telfer says that unlike the traditional vending machine model, they are re-stocking daily with freshly prepared meals and snacks. He says organic food used in the machines has higher nutrition and also supports sustainability using organic farming practices. Packing is also environmentally friendly; “The forks, the plastic containers, they’re all compostable. They all get sent to Sea to Sky Soils and turned into soil in about fourteen days”.

Telfer says vending machines are often in institutions, and says the choice that is there is often antiquated; “conventionally vending machines are primarily full of candy and pop… going for a big work out and then popping down a candy bar doesn’t make a lot of sense”. Currently The Green Moustache machine offers buddha bowls, nut free granola bars, no cheese cheese cakes and kids packs among other items.

The project is a pilot program but The Green Moustache hopes to eventually expand across the country.