The products you stock can make or break your vending business. Stock the wrong items, and you'll waste money on spoilage and lost sales. Stock the right items, and you'll maximize every service trip.
After years of running machines and analyzing sales data from operators using VendHub, here's what actually sells in 2025—and what you should skip.
The Universal Best-Sellers
These products perform well in almost every location type:
1. Bottled Water
Margin: 80-90%The #1 seller in most machines. Buy at $0.15-0.25, sell at $1.50-2.00. Everyone drinks water, and it never expires.
2. Classic Chips (Lay's, Doritos)
Margin: 50-60%Lay's Classic and Doritos Nacho Cheese are consistently top performers. Don't overthink it—stock the classics.
3. Candy Bars (Snickers, Reese's)
Margin: 55-65%Snickers is the #1 selling candy bar in vending. Reese's is a close second. These two alone can drive 30% of snack sales.
4. Coca-Cola Products
Margin: 65-75%Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite are reliable sellers. If you can only stock one soda brand, Coca-Cola wins.
5. Energy Drinks (Red Bull, Monster)
Margin: 40-50%Lower margin but high demand, especially in manufacturing and gym locations. Monster outsells Red Bull in most vending scenarios due to price point.
Best Products by Location Type
Office Buildings
Office workers want quick snacks and afternoon pick-me-ups:
- Top sellers: Bottled water, Diet Coke, Kind bars, trail mix, Snickers
- Trending: Healthy options like RXBars, Baked Lay's, sparkling water
- Skip: Full-sugar sodas (diet outsells regular 2:1 in offices)
Manufacturing & Warehouses
Physical workers need energy and hydration:
- Top sellers: Energy drinks, Gatorade, chips, candy bars, bottled water
- Trending: Larger portion sizes, protein bars, beef jerky
- Skip: Premium healthy snacks (price sensitivity is higher)
Gyms & Fitness Centers
Health-conscious customers with specific needs:
- Top sellers: Protein bars, bottled water, Gatorade Zero, protein shakes
- Trending: CELSIUS energy drinks, Premier Protein, electrolyte drinks
- Skip: Candy, regular chips, full-sugar sodas
Hotels & Motels
Travelers want convenience and familiar brands:
- Top sellers: Bottled water, soda, chips, candy, crackers
- Trending: Late-night snacks, aspirin/medicine, phone chargers
- Skip: Niche healthy brands (stick to recognizable names)
Schools & Universities
Students want affordable, quick options:
- Top sellers: Chips, candy, cookies, energy drinks, bottled water
- Trending: Baked chips, granola bars (healthier options required in many schools)
- Note: Many schools have nutrition requirements—check before stocking
2025 Trends to Watch
1. Better-For-You Snacks Are Growing
Healthy snacks now account for 25-30% of vending sales in office locations, up from 15% five years ago. Stock at least 20% healthy options in white-collar locations.
2. Functional Beverages Are Hot
CELSIUS, Liquid Death, and Poppi are seeing explosive growth. These premium drinks command $3-4 price points with decent margins.
3. Protein Is King
Protein bars and shakes are growing faster than any other category. Quest, RXBar, and Premier Protein are top performers.
4. Cashless Means Premium Pricing
Machines with card readers see 20-30% higher average transaction values. Customers spend more when they're not limited to pocket change.
Products to Avoid
- Anything with short shelf life: Fresh sandwiches, dairy products (unless you service daily)
- Unknown brands: Customers buy what they recognize
- Oversized items: If it doesn't vend reliably, it's not worth stocking
- Seasonal items: Unless you're committed to rotating inventory
- Low-margin items: If you're making less than 40% margin, reconsider
How to Optimize Your Product Mix
- Start with the classics. 60-70% of your machine should be proven sellers.
- Test new products in one slot. Don't overcommit to trends until you see data.
- Track everything. Know exactly what's selling and what's sitting.
- Rotate slow movers. If something hasn't sold in 2-3 weeks, replace it.
- Match products to location. A gym and a warehouse need different mixes.
The key is data. Without tracking what sells, you're guessing—and guessing costs money.
Know What's Actually Selling
VendHub tracks every sale so you can see exactly which products perform best at each location. Stop guessing, start optimizing.