What's New in the Vending Industry: October 2026
Vending industry news for October 2026: cashless growth, new vending and micro market products, hardware changes and where to find locations.
Key takeaways
- Cashless is now the default: one industry report put 78% of 2025 vending sales on cards and mobile, up from 73%.
- New products aimed at vending and micro markets landed this month, from chewable espresso to celebrity-backed protein soda.
- Touchscreen maker Elo is changing CEOs as it becomes part of Zebra Technologies.
- Free location alerts and government vending RFP lists are two cheap ways to find new placements.
This is the first post in our monthly What's New series. Each month we pull together the vending news that actually affects a route operator: payments, products, hardware, and where new locations are coming from. If you only have five minutes, read the quick hits, then jump to the section that matches your week.
Cashless keeps climbing
The number to remember this month: a 2026 Cantaloupe report, as cited by machine seller VMFS USA, says 78% of vending sales in 2025 were cashless, up from 73%. The same report put the average cashless ticket at $2.45 versus $1.57 for cash. If you are still on coin and bill only, you are leaving the bigger tickets on the table.
It is not only snack machines. A seafront arcade in Malaga, Spain added a card-and-PlayCard payment system called KwikPay on October 5, with real-time telemetry on game activity for the operator. Different industry, same direction: pay with a card, and let the operator see the data.
If you are weighing a reader, read our breakdown of card reader fees and how to price around them.
New products for vending and micro markets
- Dry Brew introduced a chewable, waterless espresso product aimed at vending and micro markets (October 19).
- PRODA, a protein soda brand, announced Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel as co-founders for creative strategy, product innovation and national expansion (October 14). Protein and better-for-you drinks keep showing up in operator conversations.
- Little Debbie unveiled a holiday lineup including hot cocoa mini muffins and a large-pack Christmas donut (October 14). Seasonal items are an easy way to refresh a tired snack machine before the holidays.
- Datassential released its food, flavor and beverage trend predictions for 2027 (October 7). Skim it before you plan next year's product mix.
Hardware and tech
Elo Touch Solutions announced that CEO Craig Witsoe will step down in mid-November after more than 14 years, with Dan Ludwick taking over as Elo becomes part of Zebra Technologies. Elo makes touchscreens used in a lot of self-service hardware, so watch for how the Zebra tie-up shows up in kiosks and smart vending screens.
In the UK, a new industry guide from Kepak and the Automatic Vending Association reports lunch occasions through automated retail rising from 12% in July 2025 to 21% in July 2026. It is a UK report, but the direction, more meals from machines and micro markets, is worth watching in the US too.
Finding new locations
- Vending Village now offers free email alerts when new vending locations become available (October 15), with paid membership adding purchasing access and buyer protection.
- Government vending RFPs were refreshed again on October 20, covering listings added since October 5. Public buildings are slow and paperwork-heavy, but they can be steady.
Still the best source of placements is outreach you control. Our guide to finding vending machine locations walks through it step by step.
What we are watching: collectibles, squishies and 21+ vending
Three niches keep coming up in operator conversations: trading card machines, squishy toy machines, and nicotine machines for adults-only venues. They are very different businesses with very different rules, so we wrote a two-part guide for each:
- Trading cards: is it worth it? and sourcing, restocking and staying legal
- Squishy toys: the starter guide and where to place them and how to price
- Nicotine and vape: the 21+ rules and running a compliant route
What's new at MyVendbook
- Training now has 16 lessons, including the new Warehouse Stock lesson, and your training progress and XP save to your account.
- A vape and nicotine machine type is now a preloaded option, with a reminder to check your venue and state rules.
- The owner side of MyVendbook now has a tool for sending newsletters like this one to our users.
- The app and this site now show the version you are on: Version 1.0 "Cola".
Have news we should include next month? Send it to [email protected].
Quick answers
What percentage of vending sales are cashless?
A 2026 Cantaloupe report, cited by VMFS USA, says 78% of vending sales in 2025 were cashless, up from 73% the year before.
Where can I find new vending machine locations?
Direct outreach to local businesses is the most reliable. Free location alerts and government vending RFP lists are two additional sources.
Sources
- Vending Times: People and company news, week ending Oct. 9, 2026
- Vending Connection: latest headlines (Oct. 7 to 20, 2026)
- VMFS USA: Pokémon card vending guide (cites the Cantaloupe 2026 payments report)
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See what's insideMyVendbook shares general business information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Figures from sellers and vendors are their own claims and examples, not guarantees. Check current rules and prices yourself and talk to a qualified professional before you act.