Farmer’s Fridge

Just when you thought things were settling down on the small store front—along comes Farmer’s Fridge. Well, it isn’t exactly a store and won’t put you out of business—but it might steal some of it. Farmer’s Fridge has 13 kiosks/vending machines offering fresh salads and snacks in downtown Chicago including four at 7-Eleven stores, Northwestern Memorial hospital, the Prentice Women’s hospital and at the Fairbanks Court office building. The concept is the brainchild of 29-year-old entrepreneur Luke Saunders who plans to have another 100 kiosks up and running over the next year. The salads and snacks are replenished daily by a refrigerated van and have become very popular among lunch customers who might prefer some hummus and tofu to a burger or hero. I know what you’re thinking! “We have those salads at the same price in our takeout section.” Maybe, but this is a step up on convenience by offering products where people work and maybe getting them to take something home for dinner without making an extra stop. The concept might be worth taking a look at while you’re in Chicago for FMI in June.