What's New With Vending?

Eggs, Flowers, and Lobster Bisque!

Ask most people to define the vending industry and they're likely to mention soda, chips, and candy. But while these products are still a staple in the industry, the truth is that a revolution in technology has transformed vending into a $30 billion industry specializing in convenience and fresh products. Today consumers can use vending machines to help them streamline their busy lifestyles by pourchasing everything from cameras and vitamins to pasta dinners and lobster bisque. Advances in technology and the growth of the internet have created unlimited potential for this ultimate self-service vehicle, while more services, various payment options, and easier usage have made shopping through a vending machine easier, quicker, and more reliable for consumers.

The truth is that nowadays you can get just about anything you can think of from a vending machine. In addition to standard traditional vending snacks, you can also buy audio books and fresh flowers, or pick up a carton of eggs or a gallon of milk on the way home. At Shop 2000 in Pennsylvania, consumers can use credit cards and a touch screen to choose among 200 items ranging from brake fluid to breakfast foods to dish soap. A basket on a conveyer belt stops at the items selected, then the machine drops each selection into the basket and delivers them to the shopper.

Best of all, today's new machines and all their technological advances mean customers have access to the freshest products possible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some machines have freezer compartments that will keep foods fresh longer. Vending machine menus can be posted on web sites and ordering and financial transactions can be managed via the web as well. Truly today there is no limit to what can be purchased via vending machines.

Click here to hear Michael Kasavana talk about new advances in vending technology.