3 Reasons to Invest in Ice Vending for Your Marina

Boaters have a few simple needs when arriving at a marina: a safe place to dock, restroom facilities, fuel and easy access to fresh ice and water. When it comes to managing a marina, it’s critical to select top-notch amenities carefully to guarantee the best guest experience. 

Everest Ice & Water Systems offers energy-efficient, high-end vending services that eliminate stock and delivery issues at the dock and provide guests with on-demand, self-service ice and water conveniently.

Ice vending machines are important business investments, because you can place them just about anywhere and turn a profit. While most vending locations seem obvious, a lucrative option many people overlook is a marina. If you aren’t sure your marina is a good fit, the following list shows the benefits of buying an ice vending machine.

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Necessary for most Anglers & Boaters

People enjoy boating so they can get out in the open water and go fishing. With long trips at sea, having fresh ice at the marina is like music to a fisherman’s ears. Of course, anglers aren’t the only ones who’d benefit from an ice machine. Easy-access ice vending is the ultimate perk for cruisers who often bring food and drinks along.

While guests might bring their own coolers, it’s much more convenient to purchase ice at the marina when they need to restock and refill. That means if you offer an ice vending machine, you’d have a built-in customer base right away. Running out of ice is a common occurrence on sweltering hot days. Your marina’s vending machine could be quite the lifesaver!

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Eco-Friendly & Reliable

Just think about the journey bagged ice makes from the ice plant to the cooler. It’s distributed by a machine, bagged, loaded onto a truck, handled by a delivery person, rearranged by convenience store clerks then eventually handled by customers. 

An all-in-one vending machine like Everest reduces the carbon footprint of the ice factory model by at least 85%. In addition, the bulk dispensing feature encourages customers to use coolers and water jugs to save plastic and protect the environment. 

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Convenient for nearby Restaurants

The last benefit of buying an ice vending machine isn’t as common, but it’s worth noting if you have a restaurant on-site at your marina. Restaurants go through tons of ice, meaning they may need quick access to restock if they run low on busy days. The proximity of your ice vending machine will come in handy, saving both you and your staff inconvenient trips to stores. 

Not to mention, local dining and provisions may be scarce in some locations. Boaters will need to stock up on ice especially when buying groceries or ordering carry-out.

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How Do Investors Feel about the Product?

Owner of marina properties in Ohio, Lyndon Yoder, purchased an Everest machine about two years ago and says how impactful it has been to his guests. 

“I would dare to say that 95% of the people in this area have never seen a water and ice machine like this, and people have stated over and over how grateful they are that I took the plunge and invested in this for the community,” says Yoder. “My hope is in the next few years to have five or six Everest machines in the area. I have requests to put these machines in different locations up to 20 miles from here.”

Fill out this form to get in touch with an equipment specialist today or visit everesticeandwater.com for more info.