Food and beverage vendors are individuals who sell food and drink items in retail or wholesale. These items are further categorized into raw, cooked, canned, bottled, packed (plastic wrapped), boxed, or served such as when eaten in restaurants, fast food or streets. The history of food and beverages can be traced as far back as when humans ate their food raw and even the discovery of fire thousands of years ago. Selling food and beverages also dates back to ancient times when humans had supplies in excess and saw that others needed them but without having to labor to get them.
The origin of trading and selling (vending) of food and beverages may have resulted in our natural need for food, water and bodily comforts. Egyptians of ancient times already had a social system wherein individuals were identified as rich or poor. The rich had things in excess and flourished in comfort by hiring workers to do manual jobs for them. The workers in turn were paid in bread, beer and wine. This is a classic trading of manual labor with food & beverage. Subsequently, trading an object for another object was practiced, and this included trading food and beverages for other things or for other kinds of food and beverages. Soon the Cretans, who were considered to be the earliest traders, traveled through the seas of Mediterranean to exchange goods. Other traders from other countries followed suit especially during the time when European explorers conquered the New World.
In the United States, the chuck wagon is considered to be the vehicle first used by the first portable food vendors during the Wild West Days. The chuck wagon was a cowboy’s portable kitchen wagon that was used on the cattle trails. It was invented by Charles Goodnight in 1866 who also one of those who created the major cattle trails from Texas to New Mexico and Colorado. Chuck wagons sold food such as black-eyed peas, beans, corn, cabbage, beef steaks, beef stews, bison steaks, quick biscuits, sourdough breads, skillet corn bread and cowboy coffee was the beverage served with the meals. “Chuck wagon” comes from the words “wagon” and “chuck” that refers to the lower-priced part of the beef carcass.
Of course, before the chuck wagon, taverns, saloons, and restaurants already sold both food and beverages. Going out to eat and drink was already a way of life in the past due to people’s need to socialize and spend time with family, friends and colleagues. Dining and drinking are two activities that create bonds and business deals. This is why the food industry flourished because not only do we need food and drinks for sustenance but these are also two of the factors that create and maintain relationships.
Nowadays, every possible food item and drink can be sold and bought in different restaurants, stores and online. There are also hundreds of vending machines available worldwide that dispense coffee, tea, chocolate drink, soda, chocolates, candies, sandwiches, chips, cookies, power bars, jell-o and even burritos. These food and beverage vending machines are conveniently situated in offices, hospitals, malls and other crowded areas.
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