Marriott Hotels has launched its first traveler-inspired innovation – a healthy vending machine, featuring handcrafted salads, sandwiches and snacks made fresh everyday using local ingredients.
The working prototype debuts in the lobby of the Chicago Marriott O’Hare, offering travelers healthy food options available all day and night during their journey. The innovation was inspired by Anjana Kallarackal, a 21-year old college student, who answered the call to join Marriott Hotels in co-creating the future of travel as part of its Travel Brilliantly campaign.
In looking to bring Anjana’s idea to life, Marriott Hotels reached out to Chicago start-up Farmer’s Fridge, which has taken an innovative approach to making healthy, delicious food easier to access. The company’s kiosk, one of 12 in Chicago area, will be located in the Chicago Marriott O’Hare for the next five months for testing with guests. Items curated and prepared daily by Farmer’s Fridge will be offered for sale in distinctive packaging, ranging in price from $3 to $12 dollars and include:
- The Detox Salad (also known as the Junk Food Eraser) made with organic Kale and Quinoa with fennel, fruits and beans served in white balsamic vinaigrette.
- Greek Yogurt and Berries (also known as Breakfast of the Gods) made with low-fat Greek Yogurt, berries and locally sourced honey.
- Lemon Pepper Chicken made with chicken breast from chickens that have been humanely raised without antibiotics, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper.
“Listening and responding to customer needs is a hallmark for Marriott Hotels. We are committed to introducing the most innovative ideas our guests and influencers have been submitting to TravelBrilliantly.com as part of the brand’s journey to co-create the future of travel,” said Michael Dail, vice president, Marriott Hotels Marketing. “Anjana’s idea inspired us, and thanks to Farmer’s Fridge, guests can now begin enjoying healthy food whenever they want it. Coming soon, Marriott Hotels will launch even more co-created travel ideas submitted to TravelBrilliantly.com by guests.”
“It is an honor for Farmer’s Fridge to partner with a company as innovative as Marriott Hotels that recognizes the need for healthy meal options among travelers,” said Luke Saunders, founder of Farmer’s Fridge. “I founded Farmer’s Fridge because I used to spend 75 percent of my time on-the-road for work and was personally frustrated by the lack of convenient, healthy food available. Now it has come full circle, with this new partnership giving travelers access to fresh, nutritious food on-the-go through our revolutionary kiosks.”
In little more a year, nearly 2,500 ideas have been submitted to TravelBrilliantly.com. This month, the brand is asking consumers for their best ideas in taking loyalty programs to next level. In October, the brand wants ideas for how it can support guests as they try to stay healthy and balanced on the road and in November, the brand will solicit ideas for its Greatroom lobbies.
Recently, Marriott Hotels evolved TravelBrilliantly.com by asking guests to help Marriott Hotels shape innovative ideas and concepts that are closer to being rolled out. The brand is working on offering a mix of amenities in a box that guests could purchase at check-in. Visitors to TravelBrilliantly.com can vote for their favorite amenities from a list under consideration or suggest their own ideas for the perfect amenities.
In addition to guests, Marriott Hotels is also co-creating with unexpected partners like the MIT Mobile Experience Lab. Marriott and MIT students – future travelers – co-created Six Degrees to reinvent the hotel lobby as a social hub, using a mobile app to connect people with similar backgrounds and interests. The idea is now in development in Marriott’s innovation pipeline.
