Pearl checked out the Carlo’s Bake Shop vending machine in Toronto!
Here is our assessment.
Slices from Carlo’s Bake Shop “ATM” around Toronto have been in high demand since their launch last week – most machines selling out by 2pm everyday! We were lucky enough to stop by during a quiet time and check out the machine and pick up a slice of our own to try. We were disappointed to see the beautiful rainbow slices posted across social media were all sold out, but glad that we were able to avoid lines and crowds and still had Chocolate, Red Velvet and Carrot to choose from.
The machine was large and easily recognizable by any Cake Boss fan with their classic red colour and storefront signage. It had a user-friendly touch screen for you to order from and pay at. On the side of the machine they had dispensers for plastic cutlery.
The cake slices were propped up nicely in the vending machine to give the illusion of thick, hefty slices slices –yet upon receiving it we’d say it wasn’t quite as much cake as you’d expect for $8.99. The clear clamshell lets you have a nice view of what you’re about to receive from the front with the sharp lines of frosting and cake, and includes the nutrition panel on the back (which we suggest you avoid looking at if you’re concerned about calories!)
The carrot cake met our expectations: it was moist, flavourful, and lightly spiced. The cream cheese icing was thick and smooth but not too sweet which we really appreciated. It was clear that the carrot shreds were real and everything about it was what you would expect from a fresh bakery – including a nice aroma when you open the package!
Carlo’s Bake Shop is an innovative way to stir up some buzz entering into the Canadian market.
Let us know what you think!
Do you want to WIN in innovation contact us at Johnchan@pearl-strategy.ca
