A micro market in your clinic or wellness centre costs the facility nothing. Chewings owns the equipment, holds the King County food permit, logs the temperatures, rotates the dates and restocks it. You provide the space and one 120V outlet. On qualifying sites we share a percentage of net revenue with the facility.
Two groups, both badly served
Clinical staff on nights and long shifts. A cafeteria that closes at 7pm serves the day shift and nobody else. The alternative is leaving the floor, which in a clinical setting is not a break-length problem, it is a coverage problem.
Patients and the people waiting with them. A family sitting through a four-hour procedure has nowhere to go, and dialysis, infusion and rehab schedules put the same people in the building on a fixed rhythm every week. What they need is a real meal or a decent drink, not a bag of crisps from a machine in the corridor.
Neither group is well served by traditional vending, and neither justifies staffing a counter around the clock.
Food safety and who is responsible
This is the part that matters most in a healthcare setting, and it is worth being precise about.
| Responsibility | Holder |
|---|---|
| King County food establishment permit | Chewings |
| Micro-market plan review | Chewings |
| Person in charge under WAC 246-215 | Chewings |
| Food worker cards | Chewings staff |
| Temperature logging | Cooler, automatically |
| Date rotation and disposal | Chewings |
| Allergen information at point of sale | Chewings |
| Space, power, site access | Facility |
A micro market in King County is a permitted food establishment. Public Health — Seattle & King County runs a dedicated Micro-Market (Unattended Retail) plan review, and operation falls under the Washington State Food Code, Chapter 246-215 WAC. None of that attaches to your facility’s existing food service licence. The market is a separate permitted operation with us as the permit holder, which is generally what facilities and infection-prevention teams want to hear — it does not sit inside your survey scope.
The coolers log internal temperature continuously and alert on excursions. Product that goes out of temperature is discarded and replaced at our cost, never sold. That log exists whether or not anyone asks for it.
What gets stocked in a clinical setting
- Real food for staff: wraps, sandwiches, salads, frozen entrées — eaten in twenty minutes, not grazed.
- Low-sugar and allergen-labelled options, because a wall of candy in a health facility is a message nobody wants to send.
- Comfort items for waiting families: coffee, tea, tissues, phone chargers.
- Over-the-counter basics within normal retail rules.
Your dietetics or wellness team sets the guidelines — category bans, a minimum share of the shelf for healthier options, specific nutrition thresholds — and we source to them and review each quarter.
Frequently asked questions
Does this fall under our facility’s food service licence?
No. It is a separately permitted operation with Chewings as the permit holder. Your licence, your person in charge and your inspection scope are unchanged.
Can it go in a public waiting area?
Yes, and that is usually the right place — it serves families as well as staff. Facilities that want a staff-only market put it behind badge access instead; both work.
What about infection control and cleaning?
The unit is a sealed cooler plus shelving on a hard surface, wiped down at every service visit. Checkout is touch-free by card or phone. Your EVS team is not responsible for it, and we will work to your cleaning protocol if you have one for vendor equipment.
How often is it serviced?
Weekly for most sites, with extra visits triggered by stock or temperature alerts. We schedule around shift change rather than through it.
Is a single clinic big enough?
It depends on hours as much as headcount. A 40-person clinic running extended hours can outperform a larger daytime-only practice. If the traffic is not there, we will say so at the walkthrough rather than install something that sits idle.
Book a walkthrough
We serve clinics, wellness centres and rehabilitation facilities across Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell, Woodinville, Lynnwood, Shoreline, Renton, Issaquah and Everett from Kenmore. Book a free 30-minute walkthrough — bring your shift pattern and any dietary guidelines you need us to work to.
