Vending

People and company news, week ending Oct. 23, 2026

Image courtesy Connect CRE

October 22, 2026 by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

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• Sacoa Cashless System has expanded its partnership with Play Game with a new installation at the Play Game Panda World entertainment center in Haifa, Israel. The facility is the fifth Play Game location equipped with Sacoa technology and features 200 Spark readers and five K4 self-service kiosks. The installation also includes integrated cashless management technology designed to support transactions and operations throughout the entertainment center.
• Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, has installed a vending machine outside Pierce Dining Hall that offers discounted food and reproductive health products to students, according to a report in the campus newspaper The Stute. The machine carries items including oatmeal, rice, beans, emergency contraception and pregnancy tests, although students have reported finding it empty at times. The initiative is supported by New Jersey's Hunger-Free Campus Grant program, which provides funding to help colleges address student food insecurity.
• Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and its dining operation at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, have received awards from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services. Aramark was named Outstanding Business Partner of the Year, while Widener Dining Services received the Edwin R. Golden Award for Inclusive Excellence. Widener's recognition honors its International Teaching Kitchen initiative, which allows international students to share traditional recipes and cultural experiences through cooking demonstrations.
• Students at Rutland Public School's Allen Street campus in Vermont can now earn books through a vending machine designed to encourage reading and reward positive behavior, according to a WCAX News report. Students receive special coins for demonstrating good behavior in class and can exchange them for books to take home. Educators say the program combines academic incentives with opportunities for students to build personal book collections and develop stronger reading habits.
• A&A Global, a supplier of redemption merchandise, bulk vending products and amusement industry merchandise, has appointed Mike Tipton director of sales, according to an Amusements & Attractions report. Tipton will work with Vice President of Sales Gerry Clothier to strengthen customer relationships and identify opportunities for expansion. He previously served as vice president of sales and chief operating officer at Redemption Plus.
• A vending machine at the Grand Aleutian Hotel in Unalaska, Alaska, is providing free health and wellness supplies to residents and visitors 24 hours a day, according to a KCUB News report. Installed through an initiative involving the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and community partners, the machine distributes naloxone, drug-testing supplies, hygiene products and emergency contraception when available. The machine dispensed more than 100 items over a recent three-month period.
• The Navasota Public Library in Texas has introduced a free blood pressure monitoring kiosk through a partnership involving the American Heart Association, Save Texas Moms and the city of Navasota. The kiosk allows residents to check their blood pressure and access educational information about hypertension, cardiovascular health and preventive care.

About Richard Slawsky

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