Apriva LLC and AveriGo LLC have partnered on a mobile-first solution for launching micro markets in the vending and food/beverage service industry.

AveriGo's patent-pending technology lets vending operators set and run markets without the traditional upfront equipment, network or software costs and allows them to launch new micro markets in hours, according to a press release.

"All you need is a cooler, some shelves and our Bluetooth beacon at each location," said Wilfred Martis, vice president of marketing at AveriGo, in the release. "Shoppers simply download our app and they're ready to grab, buy and go."

Apriva provided reliable and secure payments options for the solution.

"AveriGo has built a powerful mobile solution that resolves the problem of large upfront investments impeding the growth of micro markets," said David Riddiford, president at Apriva, in the release. "We're proud to work with them on this innovative solution, delivering the reliable, secure payment options their vending operators — and their vending consumers — expect when buying from unattended markets."

Apriva and AveriGo development teams integrated payments into a secure app customers can use to expedite shopping experiences.

The AveriGo Markets Bluetooth beacon, smartphone app and cloud application enable vending operators to deploy markets quickly and inexpensively, according to the release. A unique ID, tied to the micro-market location, is transmitted by the Bluetooth beacon at the location and lets the app know which product catalog to fetch from the cloud application.

A shopper then scans or browses/searches products, adds them to the cart and purchases them with a credit/debit card on the app. It essentially turns a shopper's smartphone into a personal kiosk and provides vending operators with instant access to data on market traffic, sales, inventory and shopping behavior, according to the release.

"Beyond the convenience of the mobile experience, the app also enables a compelling way to feature new products, promote slow moving or expiring products, and tailor deals to users, products, and even time periods as desired," Martis said in the release.