University of Toledo rolls out cashless vending program

July 6, 2026

The University of Toledo is transitioning its campus vending operations to the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired in a phased rollout scheduled…

What Are the Criteria to Judge a High-Quality AI Vending Machine? Our Standard Lies in the Five A’s

To help operators pick dependable, profitable hardware, SandStar created the Five A Benchmark: Accuracy, Anti-theft, Affordability, Assurance and…

Police seek suspect in $3K vending machine theft

July 2, 2026

The Richmond Police Department in Virginia is asking for the public's help identifying a suspect accused of stealing more than $3,000 worth of snacks and…

Financial disclosures trigger VenHub shareholder probe

July 2, 2026

A shareholder rights law firm has launched an investigation into VenHub Global to determine whether the company's officers and directors violated securities…

Nestlé's Michael Schwartz takes helm of NAMA board

July 2, 2026

The National Automatic Merchandising Association has named Michael Schwartz chair of its board of directors for the 2026-27 term, according to a press release.

Research shows healthcare kiosks are growing smarter — and more human

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Four published academic studies suggest kiosk and vending technologies are becoming more intelligent, more accessible and more responsive to community needs.

Queue raises $12.6M to expand robotic pharmacy kiosks

July 1, 2026

Palo Alto-based startup Queue has raised $12.6 million in seed funding to accelerate deployment of its autonomous pharmacy kiosks, which are designed to…

Maryland county deploys 24/7 naloxone vending machines

July 1, 2026

The Howard County Health Department in Maryland has installed two outdoor vending machines that provide free, 24/7 access to naloxone and other…

Aspect Bullion expands precious metals vending network in India

July 1, 2026

Aspect Bullion & Refinery has expanded its network of precious metals vending machines with two installations in Mumbai, according to a Retail4Growth…

UK entrepreneur rolls out vending machine for baby necessities

July 1, 2026

A Dundee, Scotland, entrepreneur has launched what she believes is the U.K.'s first vending machine dedicated to baby essentials, according to a Yahoo News…

NYC expands public health vending to Staten Island

June 30, 2026

New York City has opened its first publicly supported health vending machines on Staten Island, according to a press release, providing free, 24/7 access to…

Vending machines combat nutrition inequality in Malaysia

June 30, 2026

ATLAS Vending, the vending division of Etika Sdn Bhd, has launched ATLAS Nutri Aid, a smart vending machine initiative that provides free Goodday Charge milk…

Vadzo intros camera for touchless interactions

June 30, 2026

Vadzo Imaging has introduced the Falcon-521CRS, a 5-megapixel USB 3.0 camera module designed specifically for interactive kiosks, digital signage and other…

Automated retail helps drive FIFA merchandising windfall

June 29, 2026

The soccer governing body FIFA has dramatically expanded the retail reach of the 2026 World Cup by placing officially licensed merchandise in thousands of…

Smart Vend Group expands into Uganda

June 29, 2026

Smart Vend Group has expanded its svgapp smart retail platform into Uganda, according to a press release, marking the company's latest move into the African…

Pat Liebler to lead Aramark's AI data center services unit

June 26, 2026

Aramark has appointed Pat Liebler as president and CEO of Aramark Nexus, a newly created business unit focused on providing integrated support services for…

Portland vending machine to offer rare chips

June 26, 2026

A Portland entrepreneur is launching a specialty vending machine dedicated to hard-to-find and regional snack chips from across the United States and around…

Ohio hospital adds self-service floral vending machine

June 26, 2026

An Ohio florist has expanded her business beyond a traditional storefront by launching a floral vending machine at Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Hospital in…

Beyond route drivers: The growing need for vending technicians

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

As vending machines, micro markets, smart coolers and unattended retail systems become increasingly sophisticated, operators need workers who can do far more…

What the latest academic research says about kiosks and vending machines

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Three recent studies examine topics ranging from customer acceptance of self-service kiosks to AI-powered healthcare kiosks and the growing role of vending…