Forget the cookies and chips. Some South Bay workers and school kids will soon have a choice instead of protein bars, apple slices and trail mix.

As obesity rates climb, a number of organic and healthy vending machine companies are sprouting up across the country, including at least two in Southern California. A South Bay franchise was recently established under the brand name of San Diego-based Fresh Healthy Vending.

The local franchise, called Seven Reasons, LLC, has now placed the healthier machines in several South Bay businesses, and will soon establish a presence in Redondo Beach and El Segundo schools.

“We decided to go into this business to help our children,” said Amanda Alton, one of three South Bay residents who started the local franchise. “We want to help them make healthier choices.”

The machines, some refrigerated, offer about 500 choices of healthy snacks and drinks, none of which contain refined sugars, trans fat or artificial flavoring and preservatives. Some of the food choices include Cliff bars, Pop Chips, yogurt, dried fruit, fresh fruit and nuts.

Three companies have recently agreed to offer the machines: Pelican Products in Torrance, the Michael Stars clothing company in Manhattan Beach, and the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach Hotel. Other businesses with Fresh Healthy Vending machines are People’s Yoga Health & Dance in San Pedro, and Broadway Gymnastics and Belkin International, both in Playa Vista.

In the next month or so, the company will place machines at Vistamar School in El Segundo and three Redondo Beach campuses: Redondo Union High, and Parras and Adams middle schools.

Alton, along with partners Carolyn Dia and Ed Newton, said they started the company primarily due to changes in their own lifestyle, and a desire to help their kids.

“People are looking for this, and they wonder why it hasn’t happened yet,” Dia said. “It’s really exciting.”

The products are a bit pricier than more calorie-rich snacks , but company officials say people seem willing to pay more for quality.

The products also do not last as long as traditional snacks, which have artificial preservatives to enhance their shelf life. The idea, however, is that the machines will be emptied and refilled more frequently.

“It is a little more costly, and it’s more work, but it doesn’t seem to be hindering our sales,” Alton said.

The local company has been in touch with the Vitality City program, a two-year effort now under way to remake the health of residents in the beach cities.

Joel Spoonheim, director of the Vitality City program, said more companies are starting to offer these types of products, which is good news for workers and schoolchildren.

Even if a company doesn’t want a new machine or new vending contract, it can still take steps to improve the snack options they offer employees, he said.

“A typical vending machine has one healthy option, usually some kind of fruit and nut mix, which gets boring after about two days,” he said. “Most vendors have other options that can be incorporated into an existing machine.”

Part of the Vitality City program involves helping companies make environmental changes that can improve the health of workers. Vending machines are a good place to start, Spoonheim said.

Simply putting healthier options on the top shelf of the machine, instead of at the bottom, can have an impact on what choices people make, he said.

“These are really simple things that can make a big difference,” he said.

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