Vending
From edible bugs to underwater treats: Vending machines get quirky
Today's vending machines offer a glimpse into the future of retail, providing everything from gourmet cheese to underwater candy and even sparking debates about animal welfare.
June 28, 2024 by Sandra Carpenter — Editor, Networld Media Group
The vending machine industry is no stranger to innovation. From the humble snack and soda machines to the latest touchscreen models dispensing hot meals, these automated retailers have become a ubiquitous part of our lives.
They even attend to our needs in unexpected ways. Need a quick phone charger mid-day? A forgotten feminine hygiene product? A basic office supply like a pen or printer ink? There's a vending machine for that and more.
Vending machines are also distribution and sales vehicles for what some might see as unconventional needs: you can find an almost infinite number of types of items ranging from public health essentials like Narcan and emergency contraception to exotic cheeses, and even the (controversial) vending machines selling live animals.
Here are five examples of unique vending machines that have have popped up in recent months.
1. 24/7 cheese vending machine
Housed in a bright-red booth outside of Perrystead Dairy in Philadelphia, the cheese vending machine offers a wide range of Perrystead's award-winning cheese. It also offers charcuterie, jams and crackers.
Yoav Perry, founder of Perrystead Dairy, prefers "the cheese dispensary" over "cheese vending machine." He has also added cheese boards in marble, wood or slate.
2. Airheads underwater vending machine
Earlier this summer, Airheads debuted an underwater vending machine that dispenses Airheads candy while submerged in a swimming pool.
Yes, you read that right. The why however isn't as clear.
The vending machine is fully waterproof in depths of up to eight feet and equipped with an air propulsion system that launches the candy out and into the water for the user to retrieve.
The machine does not take cash or any other form of payment; rather, it takes "fun" in exchange for an Airheads candy bar. The machine prompts users to do underwater tricks like "do a flip" or "have a tea party" and accepts the movement as payment.
"Our underwater vending machine is sure to get adults excited about jumping back in the pool and re-living carefree long summer days," Craig Cuchra, VP of marketing at Parfetti Van Melle, said in a press release.
3. Pet vending machine
Controversy recently broke out in China over a vending machine that reportedly sold live animals. A video for Beijing showed cats in small compartments within the vending machine. Some social media users voiced concern about the animals' welfare, but others noted the pets in the videos appeared healthy.
Animal rights activists have condemned the practice as cruelty to animals and argue that this practice does not thoroughly vet potential adopters.
4. SPAM vending machine
This spring, a SPAM vending machine debuted at the Waikiki SPAM Jam festival. Hosted at the International Marketplace in Waikiki, Hawaii, the vending machine offered 175 cans of SPAM.
For those unfamiliar, SPAM is a hugely loved menu item in Hawaii.
Customers visiting the machine also had the chance to uncover golden tickets inside select cans. The tickets offered prizes ranging from a month's supply of SPAM to a complimentary hotel stay and Lamborghini ride with Kamea Hadar, the SPAM vending machine designer.
5. Edible bug vending machine
A vending machine in Melbourne, Australia offers a range of edible creatures including myrtle mealworms, cricket protein corn chips and ants encased in hard candy.
Founder of Edible Bug Shop and Circle Harvest, Skye Blackburn, emphasized the nutritional value of the vending machine's offerings in marketing materials. "Cricket protein powder for example is actually 69% digestible protein, it's got four times the amount of calcium as milk, three times the amount of iron as spinach and it's got a complete amino acid profile as well."
These five vending machines illustrate innovation beyond the edge of typical vending and kiosk use and also reflect the consistent evolution of unattended retail worldwide.
Clearly, vending machines have come a long way from dispensing just candy bars and sodas. Today, they offer a glimpse into the future of retail, providing everything from gourmet cheese to underwater candy and even sparking debates about animal welfare. With their growing sophistication and ability to cater to unexpected needs, vending machines promise to continue surprising us in the years to come.
About Sandra Carpenter
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