The Automatic Vending Association (AVA) has teamed up with the University College Birmingham (UCB) for this years culinary product development challenge.

The annual contest sees teams of final year culinary arts management students tasked with developing a new vending product that demonstrates creativity with novel ingredients, while ensuring it is wheat free and contains less than 400 calories per portion.

Students are required to give the product a brand name and prepare relevant marketing materials, as well as designing packaging that contains all the information required under strict allergen labelling legislation.

Steve Collins, membership services manager, at AVA says, "This is the third year of our collaboration with UCB on this highly successful and innovative programme that helps create the next generation of vending products.

"We task students to not only develop vendable, tasty products, but to also look at vending from a whole new perspective and be as creative as possible.

"Working in partnership with the university and product developers of tomorrow is an important part of ensuring that the vending industry continues to evolve and bring fresh ideas to the table, responding to the needs of an ever changing society.

"We look forward to seeing the students ideas and trying the vending products of the future."

Last years winning product was Goosefoot – two quinoa bars self contained in carbon friendly packaging and featuring one sweet bar and one savoury bar.

The winner of this years products will be chosen by a panel of vending industry experts in December when students will be asked to simulate a product launch.