Tasty Xpress
Key Metrics
24 hours of footage reviewed in seconds using AI-powered search.
$150K in potential equipment damage prevented through proactive temperature alerts.
Automated theft detection via Verkada’s webhook integration with POS systems.
Zero support tickets filed since deployment — “It just works.”
Background
Founded in 1979, Tasty Fresh Food Co is an Australian, family-owned business serving freshly made food to workplaces nationwide. Known for its fleet of over 160 mobile food trucks and growing network of 24/7 micro-markets (Tasty Xpress), the company delivers fresh meals, snacks, and drinks directly to Australian workers every day.
Through its Tasty Xpress markets alone, the company serves more than 30,000 customers daily across the country — a scale that demands dependable systems for visibility, accountability, and safety. To support this fast-paced operation, Tasty needed a modern and scalable way to reduce shrinkage, monitor remote sites, and maintain food quality — all without adding IT complexity or manual oversight.
Challenge: Monitoring Unattended Micro-Markets
When Tasty launched Tasty Xpress, its self-service markets introduced a new challenge: maintaining accountability in locations without staff onsite.
“Some of our sites are inside secure facilities like Amazon fulfilment centres, but others are open to the public,” explained Doug. “We needed cameras that were visible enough to deter theft, but also smart enough to identify if someone didn’t complete a transaction.”
Legacy DVR systems proved costly and inefficient.
“We were spending roughly $3,500 per location just on equipment. Watching HD video over cellular connections took as long as the event itself—it was essentially window dressing.”
Traditional NVR and DVR setups required on-site servers and complex network configurations, creating single points of failure and limiting scalability. Footage could only be accessed locally, and exporting video was slow and unreliable — especially over cellular connections.
Solution: Simplified & Strengthened Security at Scale
After trialling Verkada, the difference was immediate.
“It was literally plug-and-play,” said Doug. “We entered the serial number in the portal and the camera came online instantly. No port forwarding, no firewall rules — it just worked.”
Verkada’s hybrid cloud cameras combine on-device storage with secure cloud backup, eliminating the need for NVRs or DVRs. Cameras record continuously, even during internet outages, while using just 20–50 Kbps of bandwidth.
Through the Command platform, Doug and his team can securely access live and historical footage from anywhere — no VPNs, port forwarding, or manual updates required. Automatic firmware upgrades and real-time device health monitoring keep the system up-to-date and running optimally, all without added maintenance costs.
The project was delivered in partnership with Melbourne Electronic Security Pty Ltd, who supported system design and deployment across Tasty’s nationwide network of micro-markets.
API Integration for Theft Detection and Operational Insights
Using Verkada’s open APIs and webhook events, Tasty developed a custom integration between Verkada Command and their point-of-sale (POS) system. Cameras monitor the fridge and shelf areas, while webhook events log entries.
If someone enters without completing a purchase within 60 seconds, the system flags the footage for review.
“We log into Command, identify the individual, and take it from there. It’s given us a daily list of unverified transactions — and it’s actually caught real cases of unpaid items.”
Beyond reducing shrinkage, the integration revealed valuable operational insights.
“When we reviewed footage, we realised some payment failures were due to checkout friction. That discovery led us to redesign our POS for faster, more reliable transactions.”
Facilitating Seamless Interoperability
Tasty’s integration is one example of how Verkada’s expansive API library helps organizations unify physical security with broader business systems. Verkada’s APIs allow users to stream video, extract data, and trigger real-time webhooks across applications — automating workflows like event verification and incident reporting.
With Access Events Webhooks and the Streaming API, customers like Tasty can securely bridge Verkada Command with third-party platforms, streamlining operations while maintaining end-to-end visibility.
Safeguarding Assets with Verkada Air Quality Sensors
To protect critical IT infrastructure, Tasty also deployed the Air Quality Sensor in its server room — initially as a trial, but it quickly proved invaluable.
“I thought it was a false alert until I checked — the room temperature had risen to 25°C. Our air conditioning had failed. Without that notification, we could’ve faced equipment damage worth over $150,000.”
Verkada’s Air Quality Sensors deliver 10+ environmental and air quality readings, including temperature, humidity, particulate matter, and CO₂. When thresholds are exceeded, teams receive real-time alerts and can review linked video footage for context — all from the Command dashboard.
With 365 days of onboard storage, Tasty now maintains continuous environmental monitoring to protect networking equipment and reduce the risk of costly downtime.
Results
24 hours of footage reviewed in seconds – AI-powered search enables rapid, remote investigations.
Automated theft detection – API and POS integration identifies unverified transactions in minutes.
Proactive equipment protection – Air quality alerts helped prevent $150K in potential hardware damage.
Effortless reliability – “We haven’t contacted support once—it just works.”
Looking Ahead: Expanding Fleet Visibility
Tasty Fresh is exploring Verkada Intercoms for real-time support at unattended markets and evaluating cellular gateways to extend video coverage to its national truck fleet. This would allow teams to remotely review footage, analyze routes, and respond to incidents—all within the same Command platform.
“It’s simple, powerful, and reliable. Verkada isn’t just for security — it’s part of how we improve our business every day.”
