Brandon Kuss spent several years in the corporate Human Resources space, where he had to continuously track down the vending company and resolve employee complaints. There came a point when he realized that there was a possibility for vending to become a better experience for HR leaders as well as employees. The mere willingness to enhance this experience led to the establishment of Innovative Vending in 2020. 

The mission behind the founding of the company was to positively impact the communities and locations through an employee-centric vending experience, something that is celebrated as a perk and not seen as a burden. 

Comprehensive Support from Setup to Success

Innovative Vending has revolutionized the vending experience for businesses. Beginning with the necessary tools to start vending, the company helps its clients every step of the way. It offers robust training, new equipment, profitable locations, as well as ongoing support to all of its clients. In addition to this, it also customizes the experience for every location it serves.

Brandon Kuss, President & CEO, explains, “To complement our drink and snack machines, we have access to fully refrigerated or frozen machines that will dispense cold food and frozen meal options or ice cream.” Moreover, they also provide coffee machines and equipment, such as breakroom utensils, ice machines, and water coolers. 

Finding the Right Location 

Since the location plays a major role in the profitability and success of the business, Innovative Vending puts special efforts into identifying the right location. They begin with a multi-pronged marketing approach, including direct mail and telemarketing to business locations primarily in four industries, namely manufacturing, warehousing, distribution centers, and healthcare facilities. 

While sourcing new locations, they follow a robust set of guidelines in determining if a location will fit the company’s program and generate profits. Some of the most significant factors that it places emphasis on are employee population, current vending setup, and the number of shifts per week. Whenever a location passes the screening test, it is presented to the client for consideration. 

Apart from using this approach to find new locations, the company also leverages its extensive network of highly satisfied locations to provide referrals for new business setups. 

Operator Success is What Makes Innovative Vending Unique 

Unlike other companies, Innovative Vending is primarily focused on operator success, which is what makes it unique. The company is not concentrated on the volume of machines sold annually; instead, it is focused on its clients’ long-term success. By doing this, more than half of the company’s annual revenue is generated from repeat clients and referrals. 

Innovative Vending offers a turnkey experience to new operators seeking opportunities in the vending space. The company gives new equipment that is manufactured according to its specifications, highly profitable locations, and necessary training. Moreover, the training does not stop at the installation of machines—clients receive ongoing support, which helps them navigate the industry’s changes and challenges, enabling continuous growth. 

Impacting Employee Morale and Workplace Culture

When an organization has an employee refreshment program in place, it impacts employee morale, as well as the workplace culture. By providing employees with options of food and drinks at their discretion, they utilize their break periods more efficiently, without having to travel off-campus. 

Other than this, vending areas also tend to become informal meeting spots, which further positively affects workplace culture. Such casual encounters can lead to cross-team collaboration and develop workplace relationships among team members, eventually contributing to the organization’s overall success. 

Adapting to the Changing Needs of the Market 

In order to revolutionize the world of vending, as well as to succeed, it is also essential to adapt to the changing needs of the market. Innovative Vending does this by prioritizing technology in its operations. Kuss explains, “Any machine that we bring into a location is equipped to accept as many forms of payment as possible. This includes credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and more. 

“However, we do not want to alienate our customers who prefer to continue to utilize cash for their vending purchases. So, we have equipped our machines to accept up to a $20 bill for each transaction and dispense change as necessary.”

Moreover, the company does not believe in penalizing its customers by charging a transaction fee for those who make purchases by card. The aim is to make their vending machines as accessible as possible, regardless of the payment method the customer wishes to use. 

From Corporate Careers to Vending Entrepreneurs

When asked to share a customer success story, Kuss said, “We have a husband and wife duo in the South Carolina market who had dreams of owning a business. We got them started with several phenomenal locations, and in less than 3 years, they have gained a 100% return on investment and have a six-figure vending business that supports their family of five, while working approximately 20 hours per week.”

The couple has been able to leave their corporate roles behind and make vending their primary focus. Not only this, but they have also started spending more time with their family, making it their best investment ever. 

Extensive Training for Real-World Success

One of the major factors that contributes to the success of Innovative Vending’s clients is extensive training. The company starts the training way before the machines are installed. Most importantly, there’s no endpoint to this process. Kuss says, “We help new operators get their Vending Management Software (VMS) set up, provide hands-on training in front of the machine itself, and even help them understand where to source their inventory and how to create pricing strategies to maximize revenue.”

When asked about the future of the business, Kuss says that the team constantly evaluates new markets and industries that can benefit from the robust vending program Innovative Vending offers. 

Description: Innovative Vending is a company focused on helping people set up their vending businesses. 

Pull Quote: “We help new operators get their Vending Management Software (VMS) set up, provide hands-on training in front of the machine itself, and even help them understand where to source their inventory and how to create pricing strategies to maximize revenue.”

Name: Innovative Vending

Founded: 2020

Headquarters: Tampa, FL

Website: www.innovativevend.com 

Featured Leader: Brandon Kuss

Designation: President & CEO