North East technology firm Vianet has announced a significant deal with global coffee business Lavazza Professional UK for its fast-growing Smart Machines division.
The Stockton firm, which provides monitoring systems to vending machines, pubs and restaurants, said it has been awarded a three-year contract to provide contactless payment, telemetry, and data services across its unattended retail estate.
Vianet said it secured the deal following a rigorous tender process, to provide its services to 3,000 units in Lavazza Professional UK’s managed estate.
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It also gives Vianet preferred supplier access to a further 10,000 machines in Lavazza Professional UK’s direct estate providing coffee solutions to vending operators and end-users.
The Teesside tech firm will provide its services including real-time monitoring, business intelligence, and contactless payment, which it said “will allow Lavazza Professional UK to maximise operational efficiency, stock control, and cash flow whilst reducing the estate’s carbon footprint”.
In a stock market announcement to shareholders said that, whilst not having a material impact on the current financial year, the deal marks a financially significant new three-year contract. The deal value has not been disclosed.
Commenting on the contract announcement, James Dickson, chair and CEO said: “I’m delighted that we have secured this long-term contract with Lavazza Professional UK, who, following a rigorous process, clearly understand the significant brand and financial benefit to be derived from rolling out SmartVend, our leading end to end solution.
“Over the past 18 months, we have made significant investments in our product and people, laying a strong foundation to address our exciting growth opportunities, which has resulted in a strong sales pipeline for the division.”
News of the deal comes a month after Vianet published half-year results in which profits and revenues rose.
Sales increased from £4m to £6.3m in the six months ended September 30 and adjusted operating profit rose to £820,000 from a loss of £380,000.
The group said it had seen a strong recovery in its Smart Zones division, aligned to the re-opening of pubs in the second quarter of its financial year, together with good growth in both new business and unit sales in its Smart Machines division.
