From Moroccan Kitchen to Automated Retail: HAVIBI’s Meal Vending Machine in Belgium

Prepared meals do not always need to be sold through a conventional restaurant counter.

In Belgium, HAVIBI Cantine Marocaine selected a customized WEIMI food locker vending machine to create a convenient self-service sales point for packaged Moroccan meals. The customer recently shared an installation photo showing the completed machine with HAVIBI’s distinctive branding.

Designed with 40 separate storage compartments and a temperature-controlled cabinet, the machine provides a practical way to display, store and sell boxed meals through an automated retail system.

The Customer’s Requirement

HAVIBI specializes in Moroccan food and needed a vending solution suitable for packaged meals.

Unlike snacks and bottled drinks, boxed meals require more careful handling. Food containers can vary in size, and they should remain level during storage and collection. The operator also needs a simple way to organize different dishes and give customers convenient access to their orders.

For this project, the machine needed to provide:

• Separate storage space for individual meals
• Temperature-controlled food storage
• Convenient self-service purchasing
• Clear identification of each compartment
• Space for different boxed-meal formats
• A customized exterior matching the HAVIBI brand
• A simple collection process without products being dropped

A locker-style food vending machine was therefore a suitable choice.

The Solution: A 40-Compartment Food Locker Vending Machine

WEIMI supplied a customized vending machine with 40 individually numbered lockers.

Each packaged meal can be placed inside its own compartment. When a customer completes a purchase, the corresponding locker can be opened for collection.

This delivery method is especially suitable for boxed meals because the food does not need to pass through a spiral, conveyor or drop-delivery mechanism. The container stays inside a stable compartment until the customer collects it.

The separate-locker design can accommodate products such as:

• Packaged lunches
• Moroccan meal boxes
• Rice and meat dishes
• Salads and cold meals
• Bakery products
• Meal-preparation packages
• Preordered food
• Other packaged ready-to-eat products

The compartment layout also helps the operator organize different dishes while reducing unnecessary contact between products and customers.

Temperature-Controlled Storage for Prepared Food

Temperature management was an important part of this project.

The machine uses a controllable cooling system to maintain an appropriate cabinet environment for the products being sold. The operating temperature can be configured according to the food type, packaging and local storage requirements.

This makes the machine suitable for operators who need to sell refrigerated packaged meals while keeping products inside an enclosed, monitored cabinet.

However, the vending machine is only one part of a complete food-safety process. Operators must still establish appropriate preparation, cooling, packaging, restocking and expiration-management procedures in accordance with local Belgian and EU food-safety requirements.

Simple and Secure Product Collection

The individual locker format creates a straightforward purchasing experience.

Customers use the machine’s touchscreen to view the available products and make their selection. After payment is confirmed, the assigned compartment opens, allowing the customer to collect the meal directly.

Compared with a traditional drop-style vending machine, the locker system offers several advantages for packaged food:

• Meal containers remain level during storage
• Delicate packaging is not dropped
• Each order is stored separately
• Different product sizes can be accommodated
• Customers only access the compartment linked to their purchase
• Restocking and product organization are more intuitive

This makes locker vending particularly useful for restaurants, caterers, central kitchens and prepared-food businesses.

Customized for the HAVIBI Brand

The exterior of the machine was customized to match HAVIBI Cantine Marocaine’s visual identity.

Warm yellow and orange graphics cover the payment cabinet and top sign, while the HAVIBI logo is prominently displayed above the food lockers. Moroccan-inspired food illustrations help customers immediately understand the type of cuisine available.

This customization turns the machine into more than a food collection cabinet. It becomes a recognizable branded retail point that can attract attention and communicate the customer’s identity even when no staff is present.

Brand customization can include:

• Company logos
• Custom colors and graphics
• Product photographs
• On-screen menus
• Purchasing instructions
• Promotional information
• Local-language content

For food businesses, maintaining a consistent visual identity can help customers connect the automated machine with the original restaurant or kitchen brand.

Suitable for Different Meal-Selling Locations

A boxed meal vending machine can extend food availability beyond the limits of a staffed counter.

Depending on local permissions and operating requirements, this type of machine may be placed in locations such as:

• Office buildings
• Factories and warehouses
• Universities and student accommodation
• Hospitals and medical centers
• Residential communities
• Transportation hubs
• Hotel lobbies
• Business parks
• Restaurant entrances
• Pickup points for central kitchens

It can also support preorder and collection models. A kitchen prepares and loads the meals, and customers collect their orders from the assigned lockers at a convenient time.

Customer Feedback from Belgium

After receiving and installing the machine, the Belgian customer shared a photograph of the completed HAVIBI food vending solution.

The photo shows the machine positioned at the customer’s location with its customized branding, touchscreen terminal, payment area and 40 numbered meal compartments.

For WEIMI, customer installation photos provide valuable feedback. They show how a machine designed and manufactured for a specific project becomes part of a real food retail environment.

This Belgian installation also demonstrates the flexibility of the locker vending format. By changing the locker dimensions, temperature configuration, payment system and exterior design, the same basic platform can be adapted to different packaged-food businesses.

Planning a Boxed Meal Vending Project?

The right machine configuration depends on the products and operating model.

Before selecting a food locker vending machine, businesses should consider:

1. The dimensions of each meal box
2. The number of meals required per restocking cycle
3. The appropriate storage temperature
4. The payment methods used in the target country
5. Indoor or outdoor installation
6. Local food-safety requirements
7. Branding and language customization
8. Whether preorder collection is required

WEIMI can customize the compartment layout, cooling configuration, payment integration, touchscreen content, and exterior branding based on these requirements.

Start Your Automated Food Retail Project

The HAVIBI installation in Belgium shows how a restaurant or prepared-food business can turn packaged meals into a convenient self-service retail experience.

With separate food lockers, controlled-temperature storage and customized branding, the machine provides a flexible solution for selling boxed meals in locations and at times that a traditional counter may not cover.

Contact WEIMI to discuss your packaged meals, required locker sizes, temperature settings and payment methods. Our team will help you develop a suitable food vending solution for your market.