The World's 8 Most Gourmet Vending Machines
Two years ago, I was in a biker bar in Sturgis, South Dakota (hey, don't judge), when I spotted an unusual vending machine. Just below the Pringles and Life Savers were three rows of cigarettes – priced at just $4.00 a pack, no less. It was an utter anachronism, like seeing a Shakespearean actor wear a wristwatch, or a thirtysomething chef with no tattoos.
Fast forward to 2014. Forget soda, snacks or even nicotine. The newest breed of vending machines marries farm-fresh ingredients and haute cuisine with coin-operated convenience. Remember those sustainable burritos in West Hollywood? Or the organic salads in a Chicago mall? The automated future is now. From an Australian banana farmer singlehandedly stocking downtown Brisbane to three Los Angeles caviar kiosks, these are the world's most gourmet vending machines.
1. Brisbane, Australia: Mackays Bananas
Ninety percent of Australia's bananas are grown in North Queensland. Mackays, a fourth generation, family-run farm in the region, supplies downtown Brisbane directly. Last year, Mackays installed three "Banana Bar" vending machines in the city, and four others in the surrounding area. The climate-controlled kiosks are serviced daily, and excess fruit is donated to a local food bank. mackays.com.au
2. Columbus, OH: Jeni's Splendid
Dairy queen Jeni Britton, author of a New York Times best-selling cookbook and proprietor of the nationally distributed Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, brought a chill to Ohio's Port Columbus airstrip last year. Concourses B and C are home to Jeni's Splendid vending machines, both of which are stocked with 6-ounce containers of her farm-fresh, hormone-free ice cream and frozen yogurt, as well as Jeni's macaroon ice cream sandwiches. jenis.com
3. New York, NY: Sprinkles
Few things seem more at home in Manhattan's Upper East Side than Sprinkles' recntly opened (and buzzed-about) cupcake ATM. Just a few blocks from Bloomingdale's, the 24-hour machine began dispensing cupcakes, cookies and doggie cupcakes (not a typo) in March 2014. If you and your pooch aren't heading to NYC any time soon, you might still be able to get your cupcake on. The California-based confectioner currently operates ATMs in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Beverly Hills. sprinkles.com
4. London, U.K.: Moet & Chandon
Last November, Oxford Street department store Selfridges decided to help shoppers take the edge of the holidays courtesy of a swish, Moet & Chandon vending machine. The luxury dispenser set up shop in the Christmas Emporium, stocked with 350, 200-milliliter limited-edition bottles studded with Swarovski crystals. moet.com/prehome
5. Cedar Creek, TX: Berdoll Pecan Farm
The Berdoll family has been growing pecans in central Texas for over 30 years. At their 340-acre farm, which is marked by a 10-foot statue of a nuts-for-nuts squirrel affectionately known as Ms. Pearl, the Berdolls maintain a 24-hour vending machine selling homemade, 9-inch pecan pies. berdollpecanfarm.com
6. Vienna, Austria: 7Stern Brau
This brewery restaurant sells its suds in one– and five-liter takeaway steins, but those with a pressing thirst can purchase all single-serving bottles at the beer "automat" located outside the brewery entrance. The vending machine is stocked with all eight varieties of 7Stern brews, including a traditional Märzen lager and seasonal Bockbiere. 7stern.at/eng
7. Los Angeles, CA: Beverly Hills Caviar
Hoping to combine a trip to Neimans with a caviar fix? Beverly Hills Caviar has you covered. Two years ago, the Southern California retailer installed vending machines in Burbank Town Center, Century City Mall and Topanga Westfield Mall. Called "caviar boutiques," the machines are stocked with jars of caviar ranging from $50 to $500, as well as bottarga, truffle-flecked salt and mother-of-pearl flatware. beverlyhillscaviar.com
8. Nelson, New Zealand: Oaklands Milk
In January 2014, Nelson-area dairy farmer Julian Raine decided to take distribution into his own hands. He mail-ordered two Italian vending machines, and installed the automatic dispensaries at a café and grocery store in Nelson city limits. Both sell Oaklan's farm-fresh, almost-raw milk in recyclable glass bottles. oaklandsfarm.co.nz
Read about these vending machines on Food Republic: