Recently, Marriott Hotels announced the Travel Brilliantly Co-Creation Program which invited consumers to come up with and share bold ideas to redefine the future of travel. And after receiving more than 700 submissions, Marriott chose a grand-prize winner and will begin working to bring her idea to life.
Anjana Kallarackal from Roswell, Ga., pitched a healthy vending machine that gave travelers the choice for nutritious snacks on the go. Kallarackal suggested the machines be stocked with items such as dried fruits, olive snacks, and air-popped popcorn. She suggested that Marriott partner with an established health foods company to make this idea a reality.
Now, Kallarackal will get a chance to travel to the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square in November to work with Housebites, a sustainable food innovator that delivers fresh and locally sourced recipe ingredients to consumers; Jamie Welch, executive chef at the hotel; and other innovators in fields such as design to further develop her winning idea in the next stage of the innovation process.
The hotel company hopes to roll out a prototype of the vending machine at select Marriott hotels in the future.
“Travel Brilliantly is more than a mantra for our marketing campaign, but also a truth for the brand as we invite our guests to co-create and innovate with us for the new generation of travelers,” said Mara Hannula, vice president of global marketing, Marriott Hotels. “The development process for Anjana’s innovative idea could inspire additional food and wellness initiatives for the brand, elevating what it means to eat and travel brilliantly. The possibilities for our ongoing co-creation platform are endless and we are so proud to celebrate Anjana’s concept and all of those that were submitted.”
