The vending machines are dead, long live the vending machines

Die Automaten sind tot, lang leben die Automaten

While classic snack vending machines are losing importance in public spaces, they are gaining relevance in companies. Self-service vending machines optimise processes, save resources and offer 24/7 availability.


The Swiss market leader Selecta is deep in the red. Once established as the undisputed provider of quick snacks and drinks, the company is suffering from changing store opening hours and growing competition. Extended opening hours at train stations have made snack vending machines less relevant, as consumers now have convenient access to a wider selection. At the same time, rural locations are less profitable and high debts continue to burden the company.

Vending machines are not dying out - they are moving into the business environment

While snack machines, also known as vending machines, are becoming less and less relevant in public spaces, demand is increasing in companies. The reason: in the business environment, there is more demand than ever for automated solutions - and there is no alternative like the retail sector has created in public spaces.

The demand for self-service vending machines is growing, particularly in modern companies, where they offer employees a flexible and efficient way of procuring snacks and work equipment.

How snack vending machines are reinventing themselves

One company that recognized this trend early on is Felfel. The Swiss family business specializes in smart snack vending machines for the workplace and provides its customers with high-quality, healthy food options. Felfel has now established itself as a leading provider of smart office catering and is now represented in over 900 companies with around 140,000 users. This development shows that vending machines are not going out of fashion - they just need to be rethought.
  • «Vending machines are not dying out - they are migrating to where they offer real added value: in companies that rely on automation and self-service.»

It does not necessarily have to be edible

The triumph of vending machines does not stop at snacks. Self-service solutions are also increasingly being used in IT to make operations more efficient.

One example of this is the use of IT vending machines, which enable employees to obtain the IT equipment they need around the clock - be it a headset, a mouse or a replacement laptop. In companies that rely on automated solutions, IT teams no longer have to manually issue work equipment or manage its return. Instead, a Smart Locker combined with an IT vending machine takes care of this process, often even integrated into the existing IT asset management system.

This solution offers enormous advantages, especially for companies that operate internationally or offer flexible working models. IT support no longer needs to be physically on site and employees can also access the devices they need outside of regular working hours.

Vending machines have a future - just not in public spaces

While providers such as Selecta are increasingly losing relevance in public spaces, vending machines are more in demand than ever in the business world. The key to success lies in adapting to changing needs.

Whether in office catering by companies such as Felfel or in IT asset management with intelligent IT vending machines such as cora - vending machines are far from over and are experiencing a targeted, new boom.

Portraitbilder_702x674_0004_Melanie Mueller
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