[vendtalk] Calorie Disclosure Upcoming Webinar

[Mike Vandervoort]

Thanks, Terry!

Finally, we might get some real useful information.

 

Please note that many of us blind vendors who are or use totally blind employees to fill some or all of the snack machines in our route want to know how they will be able to place product in the machines in a compliant manner.  

 

It is assumed that all vendible products will carry required labeling on the front, and likely, all product will have to be facing to the front and possibly aligned up and down properly.  Today, this is not totally important in order to place a product or vend, though occasional issues might arise with some products.  Some candies, for example M&M Peanuts, do not have any tactile indication of front or back or up and down.  Confusion can also exist, say for Snickers and Milky Way, which feel exactly alike but neither give a clue as to up or down orientation.  Obviously, a solution is not to hire sighted employees nor can available technology, such as the Envision Quest, be used because it does not tell you that information and is way too slow to be productive loading machines.

 

Many of us who cannot afford sighted employees are anxious to learn what the labeling requirements on us will be and whether we can reasonably comply without fear of fines, litigation, or imprisonment.

 

One other related issue – So far, I personally have asked both Pepsi and Coca Cola management what they will provide us for their owned machines in order to be compliant.  Both have said their corporate offices have not responded or provided any advice.  This is a major issue because, as you know, there are different types of labels – depending on machine vendor, age of equipment, and whether they are glass front or drop—style machines.  Sometimes, certain flavor labels are not currently available for older machines and the label space may not provide adequate room to place a compliant label.  This problem is not just ours – it is the suppliers’ – Coke/Pepsi/Big Red/Dr Pepper, etc.  What we all need to know is what will those companies do to support our diversity of machines and label types?  Can you help on this?

 

Thanks, Terry and keep up the hard work for all of us!

 

Mike Vandervoort

Abilene, TX

 

From: Terry C Smith [mailto:terrysmith at epbfi.com] 
Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2016 8:16 PM
To: terrysmith at epbfi.com
Subject: Fwd: Calorie Disclosure Upcoming Webinar

 

 


The requirement that vending operators disclose calorie content on all products vended goes into effect in less than 6 months. Failure to comply with the requirements could result in fines and expensive litigation. Be prepared. Join us for a special  Hadley/NFBEI Randolph-Sheppard on the Web webinar that is being presented in cooperation with the FDA. Register today and please circulate this to all of your vendors and BEP staff. Everyone needs to know the rules. 







Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 3:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Central Time



"Calorie Disclosure for Blind Entrepreneurs: A Presentation by the FDA"






Join Ashley Rulffes, Consumer Safety Officer for the Labeling Regulations Implementation Team (LRIT) at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Randolph-Sheppard on the web presents the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) overview of the new vending machine final rule which takes effect in December of this year. The webinar will cover the background of the final rule and will focus on reviewing its definitions and requirements. Topics include the criteria of a covered vending machine, an explanation of foods that are covered and foods that are not covered the requirements for declaring calories, and other requirements that must be met.

Register by clicking on the link below:

 


http://www.hadley.edu/FCE-BizTalk.asp



Thanks!

Terry Smith, Director

NFBEI