The carrot machine is part of a first-ever national marketing campaign for baby carrots.
Installed last Friday, it will be in the school for two months. Bolthouse Farms, based in Bakersfield, Calif., is the group leading the campaign.
Earlier this week, George Coates, Mason’s assistant high school principal, said the vending machine was a hit, and that students were purchasing the baby carrots within an hour of the machine’s installation.
The national packing and marketing campaign for baby carrots is encouraging consumers to “Eat ‘Em Like Junk Food.”
John Thomas, Edgewood’s director of community relations, said he’s open to the idea of a baby carrot vending machine.
“Obviously, healthy food choices is something we’re always interested in,” he said. “I’d like to get some more information.”
Along with Mason, a school in Syracuse, N.Y., houses an all-carrot vending machine.
AJ Huff, public relations coordinator at Madsion Local Schools, said the campaign sounds interesting but whether or not this is a new trend is too early to tell.
“With the financial status of districts, it depends on where the money will be coming from,” she said. “I don’t see a district making the switch before a lot of talk about it. Healthy foods cost more.”
Neither Middletown nor Franklin schools have plans to add machines.
Mason students and staff pay 50 cents for a bag of carrots. The vending machine holds about 300 bags.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or asedlak@coxohio.com.
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