The food retailer market in France

The food vending market refers to the business of selling beverages and snack foods via automatic food dispensers. The most widespread machines are those dispensing hot drinks, such as coffee and hot chocolate, but there are also vending machines for cold drinks, fruit and snacks. The food offer is increasingly diversifying towards sandwiches, dairy products and healthy products with higher added value.

The global market is relatively mature, with a forecast CAGR of 10.7% between 2020 and 2030. Growth is driven by developing countries and their urbanization.

In France, the sector is expanding, thanks in particular to demand from businesses, which are increasingly installing vending machines. Some 80% of vending machines are installed on company premises. The vending market (food and beverages) is dominated by hot drinks, which account for 80% of sales. The number of vending machines in France is estimated at 640,000.

The market is divided between companies specializing in vending machine management, generally with a European dimension such as Selecta or Daltys, and machine manufacturers such as Evoca. Major food groups such as Nestlé and Mars are also important players, as they supply the products sold. The market is tending to become more concentrated, with the major groups buying up independent companies, but small businesses still account for a large majority of the sector.

While hot beverages in cups, such as coffee, remain the spearhead of the market, vending machines have to meet customers' demands for innovation and quality. The vending machine market is reaching a certain maturity, and manufacturers and managers need to differentiate themselves by offering innovative products in terms of taste, service and presentation. The modernization of beverage vending machines themselves, in particular by enabling dematerialization of payments, represents a major growth challenge.