Over our 75 year history in the vending industry, the snack machine has evolved from a very simple and mechanical vendor to a state-of-the-art electrical candy/snack machine. 

Back in 1931 -  

We introduced to the vending industry a bulk machine that vended peanuts. At the time, the unique feature of this merchandiser identified the difference between a slug and coins. It also introduced to the vending industry a lottery feature.  

In the 1940's -  

We started looking at snack machines in a different application. We used a carousel method which allowed vending customers to shop the carousel mechanism for the desired candy bar. Then the vending customer would place the candy bar in a vend channel for delivery.  This machine was one of the first vending machines that would sell candy product with the shopper feature and not first-in first-out method.  

1950's - 

 We started using the column application when it came to dispensing snacks out of vending machines. The consumer never actually visualized the candy or chips they had selected until the mechanism delivered the product. These snack machines looked very similar to a cigarette machine.  During this period of our history, you would see these units in gas stations, bowling centers, bars, hotels, and the office environment. 

1960's - 

 Snack and candy machines started to become electrical. We would still manufacture vending machines that delivered product to the consumer like we did in the 50's.  Once electronics were introduced to the automatic merchandising industry it provided us, as a vending company, tools to start exploring the ability to create a different vendor that would resemble an early glass front snack machine.     

1970's - 

Candy and snack machines were all glass front vendors. This was a great advantage to the consumer. They were able to identify the product of choice before vending. It also benefited the vendor operator because the ability for their customer to see the product increased volume sales. The technology at this time did have some limitation. The coin mechanism at this time could only identify limited pricing scales.  

1980's -  

This decade introduced one of the greatest features of vending today. Our vending machines were equipped with bill acceptors. This allowed the consumer to use a dollar bill when purchasing their candy, chips, and pastries. This technology increased vendor operator sale by 30%. 

1990's - 

Vandalism is always an issue in the controlled dispensing industry. One of the technologies that entered vending machine manufacturing was a device that sensed the product being delivered to the consumer. This technology decreased the cases of vandalism in the vending machine industry. 

2000's -  

The electronic technology in snack & candy machines has become full circle. Today vending machines will let you know real time inventory levels; they will call you up through the internet when they need a service call, and they will also take credits through cell phones, and debit cards as well as credit cards. Candy machines today just don't deliver snacks, pastries or candy to the consumer; they can also deliver DVDs, industrial tools, cosmetics, and much more.    

2010's -  

We, as vending machine manufacturers, are looking forward to the next decade of candy vendors. Maybe our definition of what a vending machine merchandiser is today, will look completely different. But one thing is true, vending is a great way to dispense an item through a controlled mechanism.