WeVend and SandStar Unveil the First QR-Powered AI Smart Cooler — Redefining What Unattended Retail Can Be

Two Technologies, One Integration, One Consumer Experience — And a North American First

McKee Foodservice intros Fieldstone Bakery Chocolate Chip Creme Pies

April 13, 2026

McKee Foodservice has launched a product under its Fieldstone Bakery brand: Chocolate Chip Creme Pies, now available nationwide. The product features a layer…

Syracuse man arrested in cupcake vending machine explosion

April 13, 2026

A 30-year-old man has been charged in connection with an explosion that damaged a Cupcakes R Me vending machine Friday afternoon in a multi-tenant office…

SandStar SRK2 AI Vending Machine Fact Sheet

High traffic? That’s exactly where SRK2 belongs. Two doors. Fourteen shelves. Designed for locations where speed, capacity, and turnover matter.

Presented by SandStar

Packaged ice trade group reacts to vending machine lead study

April 10, 2026

The International Packaged Ice Association is calling for stronger oversight of vending kiosks and similar retail formats, according to a press release.

UK bakery offering donuts by vending

April 9, 2026

U.K.-based bakery brand Planet Doughnut has introduced a 24/7 vending machine outside its bakery in Shrewsbury, about 24 km northwest of London, according to a…

Foodture: A new category of retail-ready meals

Unattended retail already has fun, but they were not designed for today's consumer who desire consistency, cravability, and performance. Foodture was built to…

Presented by Foodture

VendGO seeks to reshape the breakroom experience

April 7, 2026

Atlanta-based vending services company VendGO is working to create a more engaging breakroom experience by offering customized workplace solutions, according…

Evolvending serving travelers at Charleston International

April 6, 2026

In a repeat of a deployment at the Southwest Florida International Airport, Evolvending has launched automated dining kiosks at Charleston International…

Japanese vending machine offers taste of Kyoto

April 6, 2026

A vending machine in Kyoto is offering a unique take on traditional Japanese cuisine, dispensing frozen "obanzai," a style of home-cooked dishes rooted in…

Uber scraps in-car vending test

April 3, 2026

In-car vending machines, once promoted as a convenient add-on for rideshare passengers, are fading from use as companies shift their focus to advertising…

Ramen vending machine opens at Penn State

April 3, 2026

An autonomous ramen vending machine offering hot meals on demand has opened at the University of Pennsylvania, offering a new late-night dining option for…

Pennsylvania high school to offer breakfast by vending

March 27, 2026

Pennsylvania's DuBois Area School District plans to install a breakfast vending machine at DuBois Area High School to improve student access to morning meals…

Healthy vending gets a boost: Farmer's Fridge, Weight Watchers team up for National Nutrition Month

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

A partnership between Farmer's Fridge and Weight Watchers underscores the trend of healthy vending and highlights how technology-enabled vending can help make…

Pizza vending off to a rough start in Houston

March 25, 2026

PizzaForno, a Canadian company known for its automated pizza vending machines, announced ambitious plans in 2022 to expand across Texas. The concept centered…

Michigan dairy rolls out first milk vending machine in US

March 24, 2026

Annie G's Dairy in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has introduced what the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said is the first retail milk vending…

Ina Garten ribbed over post about Hamptons vending machine

March 19, 2026

Celebrity chef Ina Garten recently drew attention online after sharing a photo of a specialty vending machine she discovered in the Hamptons.

Australian deli revives automat format

March 18, 2026

Melbourne, Australia, sandwich shop Nico's Deli is introducing a self-serve "automat" concept called Night Shift, offering hot, handmade sandwiches through a…

Lifedrink expands footprint in Japan

March 17, 2026

Japanese beverage manufacturing and distribution firm Lifedrink plans to establish a wholly owned subsidiary, LD Vending Co., as part of its strategy to expand…

How smart coolers can power up vending kiosks

Smart coolers are becoming a strong option for vending kiosks and modern retail.