Belgium gets first frites vending machine with 100% Belgian ingredients

Belgium's first frites vending machine is making its debut following its creation by a pair of entrepreneurs from Liège.

While there are already such vending machines in Germany and Italy, this new one features 100% Belgian ingredients, from the cooking oil to the potatoes.

The vending machine contains two fryers and a freezer that can store up to 20 kilos of frozen potatoes, which are then cooked twice in vegetable oil, as is done in a traditional chip shop.

“The chips first go into a first fryer and then arrive in a buffer zone,” explained Arianne Polis, one of the two co-founders of Fries & Go.

“When the customer arrives and the 35-second countdown begins, a portion falls into the fryer to get that crispy, hot finish, before being seasoned with salt and sauce.”

The machines only offer ketchup to avoid allergens. A small 100-gram portion costs €3.50, but the price will also depend on where the machine is installed.

“These vending machines will be found in supermarkets and petrol stations, but also in amusement parks and cinemas,” Polis said, adding that for the moment, the machines are still in the testing phase.

“We're going to start in Belgium, but we’ll very quickly expand throughout the Benelux countries, then Portugal and Spain, and eventually across Europe,” said fellow co-founder Yoko Uhoda.

So far, the frites are earning the approval of customers.

“I didn't think they would be so hot, so good,” one customer told RBTF. “It's great when you don't have much time for a break.”

The vending machines are scheduled to officially enter into service on 26 September. One of them will be placed at the entrance to a supermarket in Liège, while another is planned for Brussels Airport.