Planning to launch a vending business — 4 machines in tourist rent-a-car offices and city centre locations. Looking for feedback from experienced operators.
Hi everyone,
I'm planning to start a small vending business on Madeira Island (Portugal) and would love to get feedback from people who've done this before — especially in tourist-heavy locations.
**The setup**
My idea is to place vending machines in 4 Offices that i have direct access and i will not need to pay rent.
Phase 1 would be 4–5 machines:
- 2 machines at our rent-a-car offices near the airport (~729 and ~500 car rental contracts in April alone)
- 2 machines at offices in central Funchal (~178 and ~229 contracts in April)
**Why I think this works**
The rent-a-car context is almost ideal for vending: customers are waiting for paperwork, they just landed, they're thirsty and hungry, and they rarely have local change. April alone = 1,636 contracts across 4 locations, with summer (July/August) expected to be 40–45% higher based on tourism seasonality.
No rent = no location cost, which is the single biggest risk in most vending businesses.
**My product focus**
After doing research I'm leaning heavily towards:
- Water (50cl)
- Chocolate bars
- Energy bars
- Energy drinks
- Soft drinks/juice cans
**My questions for experienced operators:**
Where i can buy brand new machines, or used machines? Preferentially from europe.
Water + chocolate/energy bars seems like the obvious product mix for this audience. Any products you've found surprisingly well at airport/car rental locations?
Has anyone used micro markets or smart coolers instead of traditional machines for this type of location? Wondering if an open shelf setup would convert better than a closed machine.
Any red flags you see in this plan that I'm missing?
Thanks in advance — really appreciate any real-world experience here.