Japan starts selling smart salads in AI vending machine
By Elliot Hale, SoraNews24
Japan is famous for its vending machines. It could easily be dubbed the 'Land of the Vending Machines.' While most countries stick to selection of drinks and snacks, Japan's line-up also includes cute knick knacks and shocking discoveries. From origami to potential spouses: the country is littered with quirky and unusual vending machines. The latest example, unveiled in Tokyo, steers away from the shock value, but instead highlights smart technology and healthy eating, which are also things Japan does really well.
Salad Stand is a vending machine service that allows passers-by to enjoy a healthy snack or drink on-the-go. This is a new plan introduced by Japanese wellness company Kompeito's Office De Yasai ('Vegetables at the Office') service, which started over ten years ago with the goal of helping office workers to eat a healthier, more balanced meal while they work. Kompeito felt that the lack of convenience was a major factor in people's choice to forego the greens and instead indulge in quick and unhealthy foods. The service gained traction over time, and now Kompeito is expanding beyond office walls to reach the general public.
▼ Grilled chicken Cobb salad, imitation snow crab and dried young sardines salad, luxurious smoked salmon and cheese salad
Getting to enjoy a salad when you're out and about is nice, but nothing revolutionary. However, this is no ordinary vending machine: Kompeito have seen fit to incorporate AI into it. Built-in cameras track foot traffic and expiration dates, allowing the machine to dynamically adjust prices. So, the same salad you saw at lunch might cost less at dinner. Kompeito is on track to lift the curse of throwing away unwanted, short shelf-life salads once and for all.
Combatting food loss is a noble cause, but are the products themselves worth buying? Let's take a look.
Their main line-up consists of salads, juices and 'fruit granola.' Going by the name of the machine, there's no doubt that the salads are the stars. With eight different varieties, made with farm-fresh vegetables, you're bound to find something you like. Combined with meat, fish, fruits, and nuts, the salads are finished with a specially selected dressing to give it that final dash of perfection.
The cold-pressed juices are made to preserve as much of the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, to keep the nutritional content high. They come in two different sizes, 250 and 400 milliliters, and can store up to one and a half kilograms of squeezed fresh produce within their bottles. These juices are sure to be a great way to get a boost of nutrition during a busy morning.
Sad to see the amount of vegetable leaves and peels that get discarded, Kompeito have turned these nutrient-rich parts into tasty, crunchy fruit granola snacks. Each pack provides the daily recommended intake of fiber (based on men and women in their 30s and 40s), and are a tasty little way to enjoy vegetables anytime, anywhere.
▼ Carrot and black pepper
So, where can you go if you want to be part of this futuristic salad experience? Sitting at the base of Tokyo Skytree is the shopping mall Tokyo Solamachi, which is also home to Sumida Aquarium. Within Tokyo Solamachi, on the second floor of the West Yard in Zone Three, you will find the Salad Stand vending machine just waiting for you to discover if you can get a good bargain on the delicious goods inside. However, if you were hoping for 24-hour access, you might be a little disappointed, as it follows the operating hours of the mall, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Or, if you happen to be in Kyoto, there's also one at Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Tozai subway line.
Whether you're after a healthy snack, or curious about the evolution of vending machine culture in Japan, this machine is certainly worth checking out. If you can't make it to Tokyo, perhaps you'll be inspired to rethink your own lunch routine, and keep food waste to the minimum.
Location information
Salad Stand
Address: Tokyo, Sumida-ku, Oshiage, 1-chome 1-2, Tokyo Solamachi, West Yard, 2-kai, 3-banchi
東京都墨田区押上１丁目１−２東京ソラマチ ウエストヤード 2階3番地
Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Website
Related: Tokyo Solamachi website
Source, images: PR Times
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- The Perfect Vending Machine – for when you gotta have those fresh cut apples
-- We found an underground Kyoto vending machine that sells multi-course French meals
-- Vending machine with in-flight meals becomes a sell-out hit at Haneda Airport in Japan
External Link
https://soranews24.com/2025/04/21/japan-starts-selling-smart-salads-in-its-new-ai-vending-machine/
© SoraNews24
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
an hour ago
- Kyodo News
Japan lags in closing gender gap: government report
KYODO NEWS - 22 minutes ago - 16:11 | Japan, All Japan lags many other countries in addressing gender inequality, particularly in raising the share of women in leadership positions, according to a government report released Tuesday. A task force led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to promote the U.N. sustainable development goals met at the prime minister's office the same day and reviewed the current status of efforts to close the gaps by 2030. Referring to the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum, in which Japan ranked 118th out of 146 economies and last among the Group of Seven nations, the government acknowledged that its efforts remain clearly insufficient. The index benchmarks the current state of gender parity across four key dimensions -- economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment, according to the Swiss think tank. The Japanese government set a goal in 2003 to raise the share of women in leadership positions across fields such as politics and business to about 30 percent by 2020. But it later delayed the target to "the earliest possible time in the 2020s," as the proportion at major firms remains stuck in the low teens. The government report says it will step up efforts to advance gender equality by ensuring women have more opportunities to participate in decision-making across a range of fields. Gender equality and women's empowerment are among the 17 sustainable development goals adopted at a U.N. summit in 2015. Japan aims to lead in implementing the SDGs both at home and abroad. The government on Tuesday adopted its latest basic policy on gender equality and women's empowerment, with a focus on local economies and small businesses, amid a trend of female brain drain in rural areas. "We will advance our efforts to realize a society where everyone can live life to the fullest in their own ways," Ishiba said. The policy cited a lack of entrepreneurial role models and advisory resources outside major cities and pledged to build a support network for entrepreneurs. The government plans to create a database of professionals and dispatch experts to places in need nationwide through a new gender equality body slated for launch in fiscal 2026. Other measures include sexual harassment prevention training at firms investing in start-ups, advisory support for small- and medium-sized companies in rural areas to promote women into leadership roles, and initiatives to address the gender pay gap. Related coverage: Japan ranks 3rd worst place for working women in 2024 int'l ranking FEATURE: Pioneer in spotlight as women's presence grows in legal community Women make up 16% of executives in Japan's top-listed firms: study
Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
G7 Expected to Forgo Issuing Leaders' Declaration; Nations Seek to Avoid Highlighting Rifts with U.S.
Reuters Roadside turnouts are closed on the Trans-Canada highway ahead of the G7 meeting in Alberta, Canada, on Monday. Group of Seven nations are planning to forgo issuing a leaders' declaration at their summit in Kananaskis, Canada, according to Japanese government sources. Their aim is apparently to avoid highlighting the rifts between the United States and other G7 members, including Canada, the chair of the meeting, and Japan. The G7 summit will be held on June 15-17. It will be the first summit of the group for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. If a declaration is not issued, it would be the first time since 2007. That year, only the chair's summary was produced. Following Russia's ouster from the Group of Eight industrialized countries in 2014, after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula , declarations and other joint documents have been released by all G7 summits, including those during the first Trump administration. The Canadian government has not joined the efforts to compile a declaration at this stage, and preparations are underway to announce only outcome documents on specific themes such as the supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence, on which Trump places great importance. The G7 has traditionally promoted free trade, but Trump has been strengthening protectionist moves. There are also gaps between the United States and other G7 countries over support for Ukraine, which is under invasion by Russia. 'Canada is taking a realistic approach,' a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
Kyodo News
3 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Japan, U.S. eye Ishiba-Trump summit in Canada on G7 margins
KYODO NEWS - 8 minutes ago - 14:20 | All, World Japan and the United States plan to hold summit talks between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and President Donald Trump in Canada on the sidelines of the Group of Seven leaders' meeting in mid-June, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday. Before the three-day G7 gathering from Sunday, Japan's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is expected to visit Washington for the sixth round of ministerial-level negotiations on the Trump tariffs, to take place on Friday, setting the stage for the meeting between their two countries' leaders, according to the sources. The Japanese government had another option for Ishiba to travel to the United States before the G7 summit in Kananaskis, and meet in person with Trump, depending on progress on negotiations at the ministerial level. But the past rounds of negotiations failed to resolve differences between the two nations and Akazawa, who is a close aide to Ishiba, aims to continue with his efforts to bridge the gap over Trump's tariff policy. Akazawa will head to Canada following the ministerial meeting to continue communicating with Ishiba until the last minute. The minister for economic revitalization will return to Japan on June 18, according to the sources. Japan has demanded that the Trump administration remove its tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum, along with a 10 percent baseline levy as part of what is called a "reciprocal" tariff. It is also opposed to the 14 percent country-specific portion of the reciprocal tariff, which has been suspended for 90 days from early April as negotiations continue. But Tokyo has begun to consider whether it will accept reduced tariff rates as the United States has consistently refused to eliminate the duties, according to sources with knowledge of the talks. Japan and the United States are aiming to reach a deal at the earliest possible time. Ishiba has repeatedly underscored the need for the longtime allies to focus on boosting investment and creating jobs in the United States. Trump is seeking to reduce his country's massive trade deficit with Japan. Related coverage: Japan's top negotiator eyes U.S. trip this week for 6th tariff talks U.S., China hold high-level trade talks with rare earths in focus
