The beverage vending machines industry is massive throughout the world. It seems that in every theme park, movie theatre, parking garage, mall or other public forum we are completely surrounded. Their products are also relatively affordable, meaning their price point is such that the average consumer won't think twice about getting a cold soda or a hot coffee for a dollar or two.

But before you jump into the industry and start calling juice vending machine distributors to place your order, there are some things you should learn first about the business overall. This means an overview of the business with a cursory knowledge in everything from how to repair them, to which strategy will bring you the most sales.

1. Find some statistics on beverage machines and their use in the United States.

2. Get an education by taking a course in everything from repair to owning vending machines to understand all aspects of the business.

3. Check out trade show expos to see the newest beverage vending machines.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check out information about beverage vending machines

Take the time to learn information about the beverage vending machine business. What is required of a technician, what is required of an owner and the government statistics available for the field. That way you'll be able to make an informed decision about which section of the beverage vending machine industry you wish to be a part of for your career.

I recommend: Check out the Department of Labor statistics on the Beverage Vending Machine industry. They provide an in-depth look on the foresight for a technician now and in the future. IBIS World also offers statistics on the industry from the perspective of owners and operators.

Take courses on beverage machines as part of your beverage vending machines education and training

Once you've determined the section of beverage vending machines you desire to work in, seek the appropriate education from a technical college or university. Technicians are advised to have a degree in electronics, while a business degree will be advisable to owners. Definitely seek out national organizations for beverage machines which offer additional courses on the latest machines in the industry.

I recommend: Check out the National Automatic Merchandising Association website for training and education courses for everyone from supervisors to technicians. Each year, a course in V-commerce is taught at Michigan State University covering how technology is advancing the business of vending machines, including beverage vending machines.

Attend trade show expos that specialize in beverage machines

Once you have a foundation in the area of beverage machines, attend trade show expos for the latest and greatest in everything from juice vending machines to soda vending machines to coffee vending machines. It will keep you up-to-date with the latest technology and allow you to interact with beverage vending machine providers.

I recommend: Check out the Atlantic Coast Expo website. Each year they offer educational seminars and panels on the latest vending machines, including beverage vending machines. Be sure to check back as it does take them a few months after an expo has passed to lock down their educational panel on the website. InterBev is another yearly expo which specializes in beverage vending machines. They too offer educational seminars.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Once in the beverage machine business, look for used vending machines to place in some of your locations. You'll cut down on the cost of renting from a vending company on a monthly basis.

Keep your company breakroom comfy with a wide variety of beverages and beverage vending machines. Beverage vending machine providers can help you select the right beverage machines to add extra income in your coffers every month by offering employees and/or customers a quick way to grab a juice, soda of other drink on the go.

When you consider a beverage vending machine for your business, you’ll need to look at many factors, including customer traffic and beverage vending machine location, or the number of employees in your business if you’re considering a soda vending machine for a breakroom.

Look at these factors when selecting beverage vending machines:

1. The number of servings the beverage vending machines can dispenses;
2. The frequency of refills for the beverage machines;
3. Vendor and co-op situations with beverage vending machine providers; and
4. Outright purchase of used juice vending machines, soda vending machines, or other beverage machines.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose a convenient countertop beverage machine

Decide whether you want a generic vending machine or a smaller cabinet model. Compact beverage vending machines that fit on a counter in a communal lunch area or waiting room or in a small retail store.

I recommend: Browse Instaoffice for compact juice vending machines and beverage machines. Check out the information about counter top soda vending machines at Betty Mills Company if you have more demand than space.

Save time, space and money by purchasing a beverage and snack machine in one

If you want to offer a selection of snacks and beverages without purchasing a separate snack dispenser and beverage vending machine, look for information about soda vending machines and other beverage machines that offer snacks as well.

I recommend:

Contact 1-800 Vending for beverage vending machines that also offer candy bars, chips, sandwiches and other food in addition to juice and soda. Select a beverage only machine, that sells only one brand like Pepsi or Coca-Cola that’s serviced and restocked by the beverage manufacturer or an intermediary. Call Vendforus or a similar company in your area that has this option, along with beverage vending machines that contain many beverages like juice, soda and bottled water .

Look at healthy choices, like juice vending machines

In today's health conscious world, many consumers choose juice or sports drinks over soda. Juice vending machine distributors and other suppliers of healthy drinks now cater to all kinds of businesses.

I recommend: A vending machine clearinghouse like the Vending Connection
contains the names of new and used juice vending machine distributors and suppliers. If your employees or customers prefer sports or energy drinks, Contact companies like RedbullUSA
for energy drink beverage machine information.

Check out refurbished beverage vending machines

Several major vending machine companies sell used vending machines. Always inspect any used juice vending machine or juice vending machine yourself before purchasing unless you've bought from the used, beverage vending machine provider in the past and trust them.

I recommend: Check Usedvending for deals on refurbished and pre-owned soda beverage machines. Click on more choices at Global Vending Group , which sells combination machines ,bill changers and new beverage vending machines in addition to a wide selection of used vending machines.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider leasing and financing options. Monthly rental costs for beverage vending machines decrease the longer your lease. Some companies offer rent to own situations. Comparison shop with several vending companies to get the best deal.

The beverage vending machine business can be a lucrative and rewarding career. Vending machines are one option for people who want to run their own business. Before anyone can start the building up of a successful vending route, an understanding of terms specific to the vending industry is essential. There are turn-key vending businesses, vending service contracts and vending security systems to understand. With an overview of the basic terms, you can confidently venture into a new vending business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Vending machine route or turn-key routes

A vending machine route is the route you determine will create the most profits. The route can be local, only covering a few miles from your business location, or you can have a larger route that covers an entire county or city. Turn-key routes are technically the same thing, except the route is already established. All you have to do is purchase the machines from the previous business owner and take over the route.

I recommend: VendingConnection.com has a huge list of vending routes for sale. The descriptions give an idea of how current route owners set up their routes, along with approximate earnings from vending machine routes.

Planogram

A planogram is the general blueprint of the machine. A vendor creates the planogram to hand out to drivers or post on the machines so customers see exactly what products the machine offers. These work out well should the labels on beverage vending machines fade or get removed from the machine.

I recommend: Elliot's Vending Company has an example of its snack planogram on its website.

Product markup

This term refers to calculations that help determine an appropriate markup on the original sale price. Although most vending beverages only need a markup of between 25 and 50 cents to see a profit, you can use a simple calculation to determine the markup cost. This calculation also gives you a tangible process to show a company utilizing your vending services.

I recommend: TheMainPage.com offers vending information, as well as a glossary of terms that relate to the vending industry, including a definition of product markup.

Vending security systems

Vending security systems are grates or cages that fit over the vending machine to prevent theft of the product, money or both. These systems are useful when vending machines are in high crime areas, middle or high schools or rest stops. Vending security systems can mount off the floor or the wall, and many companies will custom make a security grate for vendors.

I recommend: You can see examples of vending security systems at DC Weld.

Vending service contract

The vending service contract is the legal document that governs the business relationship between you and the business willing to host your vending services. It includes all agreements made between you and the vending host, such as location, duration of vending services and type of product.

I recommend: Vendline offers a sample vending service contract that you can actually print for your business use.

Route service cards or reports

Route service cards are an integral part of the vending business. These index-type cards are where you record all pertinent information about each vending machine. Sales, refunds, wasted product and the amount of each product sold is information included on route service cards.

I recommend: Vending Rules has an extensive glossary of vending related terminology.

Setting up a beverage vending machine can be a profitable decision. However, the initial costs associated with owning one of these machines require that you carefully plan your budget to absorb the cost.

Once you decide what type of product you will serve, use the following suggestions to get estimates of beverage vending machines pricing and costs:

1. Plan to purchase cold beverage vending machines to enable you to offer soda, juice, sports drinks, energy drinks and water.

2. Expand your selection by purchasing hot beverage vending machines for your vending company.

3. Make the most of your space and budget by purchasing vending machines that dispense snacks and beverages.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider cold beverage vending machines

If you want to dispense cold beverages, you will have to purchase a cold beverage vending machine. There are numerous models of these machines, including a soda vending machine, can vending machine, bottle vending machine or juice vending machine. The price you pay depends largely on the number of selections you want and the total capacity of the machine.

I recommend: Vending World sells refurbished and used vending machines. You can use these as soda vending machines or juice vending machines. Prices range from $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the model chosen. Vendor's Equipment sells a varied selection of cold beverage vending machines. Prices start at around $800 for a canned beverage vending machine and go higher than $5,000 for a glass front bottle vending machine.

Opt to offer hot beverage vending machines

Hot beverage vending machines give the chance to offer your customers coffee, cappuccino and other hot beverages. When you purchase one of these machines, you have to take the type of beverage into consideration. A machine that uses freeze dried product is ideal for coffee, while a powder brewer is ideal for cappuccino and hot chocolate. Generally, freeze dried machines are more expensive than powder brew machines.

I recommend: Vencoa Vending Machines sells hot beverage vending machines. Prices start at around $4,600. Vending.com sells a coffee beverage vending machine for under $7,000. This company offers parts, safety and service manuals online.

Upgrade to combination food and beverage vending machines

Combination food and beverage vending machines are ideal if space is limited in your location. These machines usually include dispensers for a few snack items, such as cookies, and spaces for either canned or bottled cold beverages.

I recommend: Sam's Club sells combination food and beverage machines starting at around $2,000 for a counter top model up to higher than $4,000 for a full sized machine. You can find a combination food and beverage vending machine at Betty Mills for around $1,800.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider financing your beverage vending machines so the profits from the machine can pay for the monthly payments. Many beverage and juice vending machine distributors offer this option.
• •  Check with your local food and beverage licensing officials to find out what permits you need to operate your vending machine. These fees can add anywhere from $100 to $5,000 to your total, depending on your location, machine size and product offerings.