Maybe the world is clamoring for a french fry vending machine…
This industry write up says that people in the industry regard the fench fry cooking vending machine the “vending-machine equivalent of the Holy Grail.”
I’ll file this in the “What do I know?” category.
“That’s the main problem: You can’t immerse a frozen french fry in hot oil” without inviting a host of technical difficulties, Ruggiero said. Using frozen fries means combining a freezer unit and a fryer in the same machine, which raises the problems inherent in shipping and storing frozen fries.
Fry Manufacturing’s machine would use a proprietary mix of dehydrated, 100% russet potatoes, which are then rehydrated, extruded into 4-inch french fries, cooked and then dispensed into a cup, all in 48 seconds.
Yum ?
To me the bottom line is that they’re going to bring good manufacturing jobs to western Sussex. You should be happier j, it shows that the Markell Administration is actually working with start-up businesses to help them succeed instead of ignoring them like Ruth Ann did.
a proprietary mix of dehydrated, 100% russet potatoes
Oops, I think they just gave away the secret formula.
Maria,
So Republicans think that earmarks and government handouts are okay provided someone you know is getting the slice of pie? Got it. : )
anon,
We’ll sell one of these to China and 8 moths later we’ll be importing Chinese French Fry vending machines. Mark my words.
I guess those fries come with a side of Socialism.
I’ve often lamented the lack of potato-based options in vending machines. Thank God someone is addressing this oversight.
the thought of getting French fries from a vending machine is so disgusting – in terms of how old they are and how fresh the oil is and just the whole thing is GROSS…..
Just about as disgusting as those vending machines with sandwiches in them. Just where would they put those machines and how many jobs will it take away?
About as gross as getting the fries from McDonalds or Wendy’s 🙂 This would probably be marketed on College Campuses, military barracks, etc.
Just think, next it will be popcorn machines 🙂
By the way, there is already such thing
http://www.smartchefsolutions.com/products/just-fries/index.html
And here is a list of other bizarre vending machiens (in Japan)
http://www.japanguidebook.com/articles/10-most-bizarre-vending-machines-japan-82.html
No, j, I was pretty clear that the earmark was a bad move, I’m just glad that DEDO is actually paying attention to economic development and helping businesses get off the ground in Delaware, you know, what they’re actually supposed to be doing.
Have other businesses gotten direct bond bill grants before?
The Holy Grail is the French Fry vending machine of religious relics.
This is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money. If the idea were worth a damn, there is no doubt that 50K would be available in the investment community. I guess the government is just hoping to make the money back in tax revenue. I can’t see how this is the kind of healthy snack the gov spends big gucks promoting.
Not only that, the News Journal has reported that Venables put in a $50,000 earmark into the 2009 budget for this, and the beneficiary is literally his neighbor, and his nephew.
Yay for my senator.
Have other businesses gotten direct bond bill grants before?
Is water wet? I think the egregious thing about this, and the thing that makes this a story with legs, is that the payment was to the Senator’s neighbor, and his nephew. Combine that with the fact that the earmark (for french fries) sound ludicrous and put it all in the context of a difficult budget year and you get a story that will nag and nag and nag at Venables until he quits or is beaten in an election.
Mark my words. This will hurt the guy. Maybe not today or tomorrow but the french fry oil will burn.
The story might have even more legs if the media chose to go back and investigate whether a family construction business, owned at the time by a legislator who was (and may or may not still be) on the Bond Bill Committee, benefited from said relationship. Like, how much in state contracts did it rake in?
‘Bulo may or may not provide more hints, depending on whether the media does any legitimate followup on the Mystery Think Tank that is the Caesar Rodney Institute.
Don’t waste time with hints, ES. These days the media is mostly reduced to printing what it’s handed. Put the facts out there, let the buzz build and the media eventually has to pay attention.
An illustration: Bob Venables has a far sleazier transgression on his record. I forget when this happened — late ’90s maybe? — but Venables gave about $100,000 of street fund money to a Laurel organization that used it to buy a property owned by Venables. The News Journal wrote all about it, but because it was pre-blogosphere nothing happened, not even an ethics investigation.
Don’t count on any follow-up on CRI — editors will shun it as “too inside,” and not of interest to the general public, which is more concerned with how Jacko’s prosthetic nose got lost on the way to the hospital. Just keep doing what you’re doing and force them to take notice.
Whatever those fries are, they’re not French. But isn’t it great that these dehydrated, pulverized, reconstituted and extruded whatever’s are 100% russet potatoes? Cuz I’m sure they would taste horrible otherwise, n’est-ce pas?
Venables M.O. sounds like 100% graft, which is rehydrated, extruded into bond bill earmarks, cooked and then dispensed into a cup.
Suzanne – thanks for your links. So Venable’s neighbor/nephew is copying/stealing an idea that already exists outside of the US. Got to love “innovation.”
That’s over the top, MJ… nothing wrong with starting a business based on an existing idea. It’s the possibility of favoritism we’re looking into here, not a criticism of the business.
“It’s the possibility of favoritism we’re looking into here, not a criticism of the business.”
Really? You’re OK with welfare for businesses — or, in this case, would-be businesses?
“You’re OK with welfare for businesses”
No of course not. That would be the “favoritism” we are looking into. There is nothing inherently wrong with trying to build a better mousetrap.
Geezer – my take on what anon said was what you are concerned with. I think anon was delineating (sp???) between the business itself and the $$$-propping the business received. In other words, the business as an organization isn’t the point and criticism on that is moot (or another day), but on the other hand, the sugar-daddying it received IS the point here.
I think French Fry-gate fails on two levels. One, nepotism. Two, a French fry vending Maxine is a dumb idea.
Two, a French fry vending Maxine is a dumb idea.
Three, the future is in Internet talk radio.
Four – Maxine? What the hell kind of spellchecker are you using?
Five – Business plan includes the word “extruded” which is giggle inducing.
I hope Venables retires in 2012.