The food distributor market - Italy (2024)

1.2 The global market

The global size of the retail vending machine market has been estimated at $**.** billion in **** and is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (***) of about **.* percent from **** to ****, reaching $*** billion.

Consumers' fast-paced lifestyles are boosting product sales through vending machines. The industry's growth can also be attributed to the ability of these machines to deliver goods quickly, making them an extremely convenient option for consumers. From offices to exclusive restaurants, from busy bars to public places, access to food and beverages is made easy with a vending machine.

Global vending machine market World, ****-****, in billions of dollars grandviewresearch.com

Regional insights

North America has dominated the global industry by accounting for the largest share of sales, and the market is expected to grow at a steady rate.

Asia-Pacific is estimated to have the fastest growth rate over the forecast period. The region's growth can be attributed mainly to high product penetration in major countries, such as Japan and Singapore, due to population growth. Developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region, such as India and China, also have strong growth potential for the industry.

European market

A total of *.** million vending machines are distributed throughout Europe, *.* million of which dispense ...

1.3 The Italian market

Italian vending, with more than *** thousand machines installed, is the most important food vending chain in Europe, of which Italy is a leader in production and and export.

Theyear **** constituted theyear of recovery, in which the sector showed positive signs compared to ****, the recovery was noticeable, with a growth of **.**%.

In **** , the industry's growth continued, with +**% turnover compared to **** coming in at *.* billion, plus *** million from OCS (***).

In the first nine months of ****, the vending sector continued to grow slowly, recording *.* billion in sales (***). A more subdued recovery then compared to the same period in **** when consumptions grew by * percent. Pre-pandemic figures are still far off.

Vending Machine Market Italy, ****-**** (***), in billions of euros corriere.it confida.com

1.4 Import-Export

Regarding foreign trade, reference is made to commodity code HS:****, which refers to vending machines for goods (***), including currency changers. This is a broader category than food vending machines, however, the latter account for a considerable share.

As mentioned earlier,Italy is the European leader in theexport of Vending Machines. About **% of the vending machines produced are, in fact, exported to other countries.

Looking at theImport-Export trendfrom **** to ****, we can see a decline in exports from ****, due to the pandemic-related crisis period, of about -**% compared to ****. However, a slow recovery can already be seen from ****, which is confirmed in ****.

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Import-Export of Vending Machines [***] Italy, ****-****, in millions of dollars comtradeplus.un.org

Regarding the main destinations of vending machine exports, about ** percent by value is directed to France, Spain and Germany. This is followed by The Netherlands and Denmark.

Main destinations of vending machine exports Italy, ****, % comtradeplus.un.org

As for suppliers of vending machines, most are imported from Germany, which accounts for **.* percent of total imports. With decisively lower shares, Poland, Spain, China and Romania follow in incidence.

Main suppliers of vending machines Italy, ****, % comtradeplus.un.org

1.5 The impact of Covid-19

The pandemic due to covid-** and related restrictions had a significant impact on the vending machine industry, banning access to places that house such devices, such as offices and schools.

In April ****, the industry went as far as losing as much as ** percent of its sales, and after a brief recovery, it was back in crisis as of October. Weighing on the industry's condition is the sharp decline in consumption (***) in places where vending is strongest.

In the first six months of the year, vending's main consumption categories declined sharply: compared to the same period in ****, **.**% less coffee and **.**% less water bottles were sold. Consumption almost halved (***) also for sweet snacks such as cookies, brioches, and snacks.

Impact of covid-** on Vending Machine Consumption Italy, ****, % vendingnews.co.uk

2.1 Demand in Italy

In order to better characterize the demand for vending machines, separate consumption for different product categories is reported.

Regarding the macrocategories of goods found in different food vending machines, the main one concerns hot beverages, which account for **% of total consumption. This is followed by cold drinks with **%, while snacks represent **% of consumption.

Consumption of vending machines by category Italy, ****, % confida.com

In ****, Italians drank nearly *.* billion coffees (***). In addition, probably due to the temperatures remaining high at the end of summer, there was an increase in sales of cold drinks (***) saw the largest increase. Snacks benefited from the full reopening of schools: the trend is led by salty snacks (***).

Vending machine consumption trend by category Italy, ****, % confida.com

2.2 Demand drivers

The following are the main drivers that stimulate demand for vending machines.

Break area: vending machines allow the creation of a break area in any place, whether it is at school or in a company office. Such an area also can provide a space for sharing and interacting with other people.

Wide variety of beverages and food: vending machines usually offer different types of hot drinks, very often also with a very high cup quality, ranging from coffee, barley, and hot chocolate. In addition to hot and cold beverages, there are vending machines with different solutions of sweet and salty snacks, which in some cases also include fresh products.

Cost-effectiveness: vending machines constitute cost-effective devices, both for those who plan to install them (***). Many suppliers make dispensers available on a free loan basis. In this case, suppliers take charge of installing and operating the machines. At the same time, for those who use the service, it is possible to find products at cheaper prices than in other outlets.

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2.3 The geographical distribution of demand

In order to get an overview of how the demand for food vending machines may be distributed, reference is made to the average monthly household expenditure in Food and non-alcoholic beverages, broken down in the different Italian regions.

Spending values seem to be rather homogeneous, with the exception of Sardinia (***).

These regions could be considered potential development areas for expanding the vending machine business. In addition, a report by CONFIDA (***) found that vending machines are present throughout the peninsula, with a higher concentration in the South, particularly in the cities of Naples and Bari.

2.4 New trends in demand

Digital and contactless payments

The year **** saw the continued rise of digital and contactless payments in vending machines, a trend accelerated by the COVID-** pandemic. Consumer preference for payment methods that reduce physical touch points and offer greater convenience has become predominant.

ATMs have rapidly integrated these technologies, offering payment solutions via smartphones, smartwatches, and other forms of electronic payment. This transition is not limited to mere convenience; it also represents an important step toward a more secure and hygienic shopping experience.

The ability to make contactless payments eliminates the need to exchange physical money or interact with shared keyboards, thereby reducing the risk of germ and virus transmission.

Furthermore, the adoption of such payment systems is a clear signal that the vending industry is in line with emerging digital technologies, offering consumers an experience that meets their expectations in an increasingly connected and digital world.

Health and Sustainability

The year **** marked a turning point in consumer awareness of health and sustainability, directly impacting the vending machine market.

The demand for healthy and sustainable products is clearly growing, reflecting a growing awareness of the impact of food choices not only on individual health but also on the environment.

This year, we ...

3.1 The market structure

Manufacturers of vending machines

The analysis of the market structure related to vending machines is carried out on the basis of data belonging to the category related to ATECO code **.**.* (***), as far as manufacturers are concerned. Specifically, three different quantities are considered: number of active enterprises, number of employees, legal form of enterprises.

Looking at the number of active enterprises, it can be seen that, compared to ****, they have increased. However, over the past * years the number has been decreasing, albeit slowly. This figure may suggest a settling of the market in this direction.

Number of enterprises ATECO code ***** Italy, ****-****, in number istat.it

In terms of legal form, more than half of the enterprises assume a limited liability company configuration; this usually indicates that they are fairly structured businesses with multiple partners attached.

Legal form enterprises ATECO code ***** Italy, ****, % istat.it

Regarding the number of employees, an upward trend can be observed until ****; after which two fluctuating phases are noted. However, in **** the number has returned to growth; therefore, combining the figure with the number of enterprises, a market concentration can be deduced, in which the number of enterprises decreases, while the number of employees increases, assuming the expansion ...

3.2 The value chain

The value chain of the vending machine market can be broken down into several key stages, each of which contributes to the overall functioning of the market. An explanatory representation is given below.

3.3 The main actors in management activity

The following are the main players in Italy involved in the management of vending machines, belonging to ATECO code **.**.**.

IVS Italia spa: part of the IVS Group, is a major player in the foodservice sector, especially in the beverage and snack vending machine market. it is the leading company in Italy and the second largest operator in Europe, with active operations also in Spain, France and Switzerland. The company has developed from a small local business to a key player in Europe, being a pioneer in the vending and vending industry. Founded in ****, IVS Group has become a leader in the vending industry in Italy, with more than ***,*** machines distributing more than *** million products a year, serving both large and small private businesses.

Gruppo Argenta spa: a leading Italian company in the vending machine industry. It offers a wide range of vending services, meeting the needs in various workplaces and beyond. Since ****, it has been part of the Selecta Group, a European leader in coffee and snack vending. The company operates over ***,*** vending machines and OCS (***). It is based in Peschiera Borromeo, Milan, Carpi, and Modena.

Sogedai spa: an Italian company mainly engaged in retail sales through vending machines. It began ...

3.4 The main actors

The following are the main companies involved in the production of vending machines.

Evoca spa: a leading international company in the manufacture and sale of professional coffee machines and vending machines for hot, cold and snack drinks. The company, based in Italy, is renowned for its wide range of products that combine innovative technology, quality and design.

Rheavendors industries spa: part of the Rhea Vendors Group, is a major Italian company specializing in the production and distribution of coffee machines and vending machines for consumer goods. Founded in **** by Aldo Doglioni Majer, the company is recognized worldwide for its customizable vending machines, combining high-end design and advanced technology. Rheavendors headquarters and administrative offices are located in Caronno Pertusella, in the province of Varese, Italy.

Bianchi Industry spa: while having a historical origin in bicycle manufacturing, it has evolved over the years to become a major player in the vending machine industry. The company has specialized in the design, production and distribution of coffee machines and other food and beverage vending machines. The solutions offered by Bianchi Industry in the field of vending machines are characterized by technological innovation and modern design. These vending machines are designed to adapt to different needs ...

4.1 Supply analysis

Vending machines (***) are devices that make both products and services available to users on demand, subject to payment by cash, prepaid card or credit card. The great advantage of such machines is that they are available ** hours a day and any day of the year.

Vending is also a growing business sector due to the use of increasingly technological equipment that allows remote control by operators who manage its use through apps on smartphones.

Vending machines can be located individually at different points of collective interest, such as schools, hospitals, airports, train stations, department stores, and shopping malls, where they offer users the opportunity to purchase various kinds of products even if there are no businesses present.

In some cases, there are stores consisting solely of vending machines that constitute a complete point of sale for the marketing of all items contained in the vending machines.

There are very many types of goods that can be distributed by these devices; if food is involved, vending machines must ensure certain indispensable hygienic and sanitary standards, such as constant refrigeration.

Types of vending machines

Coffee, tea, chocolate, and cappuccino vending machine: This is a device dispensing hot beverages that usually employ pre-packaged pods; ...

4.3 New supply trends

Data analytics for supply optimization

The use of data analytics is becoming essential for customizing product assortment, enabling operators to tailor supply according to consumer preferences and monitor market trends.

The sector related to vending in recent years, has undergone a real technological evolution, introducing, for example, telemetry, a system that enables perfect synchronization, between the operator of vending machines and those who use them, i.e., the end user.Based on computer technology, telemetry allows information to be measured and transcribed accurately and in real time, returning countless benefits.

Telemetry connects vending machines, to a "remote control center," where constant monitoring of both sales data and alarm data caused by possible malfunctions and anomalies takes place. Precisely thanks to telemetry, it is therefore also possible to control the refilling of vending machines in real time: in this way, the manager has the possibility to intervene promptly both in the presence of faults and if it is necessary to refill the vending machine with hot and cold drinks or snacks.

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Increase in Automated Stores

The number of automated stores featuring vending machines, which offer **-hour services and are especially popular among young people, workers, and students, is growing.

These ...

5.1 The legislation

Italian and European regulations governing food vending machines focus onfood safety andhygiene, as well as the responsibility of food business operators .

At the European level, Regulation (***) No. ***/** of April **, **** on the hygiene of foodstuffs establishes the primary responsibility of food business operators in ensuring food safety. This regulation imposes detailed rules related to hygiene at all stages of food production, processing and distribution

In Italy, the main regulations include Law No. *** of April **, ****, and Presidential Decree No. *** of March **, ****, which regulate thehygiene of the production and sale of food and beverages. These regulations establish the hygienic requirements that must be met in the operation of food vending machines, placing the responsibility on operators to ensure that the products sold are safe and comply with applicable regulations.

Another crucial aspect of operating food vend ing machines is compliance with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (***) system, which requires the identification and control of food safety hazards. Operators must take a specific HACCP course and have a HACCP manual documenting the procedures and control activities adopted. Severe penalties can be applied in case of non-compliance with HACCP requirements.

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6.1 Segmentation

• EVOCA S.P.A
• EVOCA S.P.A
• Rheavendors industries spa
• Bianchi Industry spa
• Saga Coffee spa
• IVS Italia spa
• Gruppo Argenta spa
• Sogedai spa
• Gruppo Illiria spa