Vending in the HoReCa industry
INTERGASTRA 2026 presents smart vending solutions
Imagine: It's late in the evening, the hotel restaurant is shut – and hotel guests still enjoy a freshly prepared bowl of steaming Spätzle, a traditional German pasta dish that has been loved in Swabian cuisine for generations. An authentic dish, straight from the vending machine. "We developed our Spätzle vending machines a few years ago together with Stüwer. The concept is extremely popular with our guests", reports TV and star cook Timo Böckle. For him, the Spätz-O-Mat is not only a nice gimmick, but a viable solution: It reduces personnel requirements, impresses guests and makes regional cuisine available around the clock.
It is precisely this combination of technology, gastronomy and experience that takes centre stage at INTERGASTRA 2026 in Stuttgart. From 7 to 11 February the latest trends and technologies will be presented here in the "Vending & Vending Machine Solutions" exhibition area – to view, touch and try them out. "Vending has long been part of the HoReCa industry in order to reduce personnel requirements in companies, among other things. Various solutions will be presented at INTERGASTRA 2026", says Markus Goike from the project team.
From emergency solution to success factor
For a long time, vending machines have been regarded as appropriate, but uninspiring niche solutions and were more associated with cold chocolate bars at the train station than freshly prepared meals. This image has changed radically. Today vending stands for flexible, individual concepts, which can satisfy service quality, efficiency and sustainability at the same time.
For the HoReCa industry, i.e. hotels, restaurants, catering companies, this opens up completely new possibilities:
- 24/7 availability without the need for additional service staff
- Flexible product selection, seasonal and local
- Relief at peak times
- Additional sources of income through expansion of the offer
"You only need to have a pleasant design and offer the right product – then it is a viable solution", is how Stefan Stüwer, Managing Director of Stüwer, summarises it.
Regiomat: The digital farm shop
A prime example is the Regiomat – a vending machine solution that was originally a platform for regional food. Today it can be found on farms, in city centres, in front of hotels or at tourist hotspots. The vending machine works like a self-service farm shop: Producers fill it with fresh goods, customers select their product on the touch screen or via app and pay electronically.
What previously seemed a technical gadget is now a well-conceived, data-based business model. The vending machines communicate with their operators, report fill levels, temperature deviations or upcoming maintenance requirements.
Sustainability: Economically and ethically sound
Vending is also a response to the growing sensitivity toward sustainability. A pioneer is the BeckaBeck from Römerstein. What is not sold from the display during the day does not end up in the bin, but in the vending machine – at a discounted price (20 to 50 percent), depending on the product group.
"We want to give everyone access to honest, fair food. At the same time, we want to avoid food waste and finance the vending machines. This is a simple but effective calculation", explains owner Heinrich Beck.
This model kills several birds with one stone:
- Food waste is reduced.
- Customers benefit from cheaper prices.
- The business receives additional sales, without extra personnel costs.
The three big trends in vending
The German Vending Association (BDV) supports INTERGASTRA 2026 as a conceptual partner. Managing Director Aris Kaschefi mentions three developments that are currently shaping the industry:
Digitisation & smart technology
Contactless payment, real-time sales data, personalised product selection – modern vending machines are networked high-tech machines. AI and IoT technology enable automated assortment optimisation and predictive maintenance. Through the integration of AI, the assortments can be automatically adapted to weather, time of day or target group. The operators know what works well with what weather conditions and can adapt the assortment accordingly.
Sustainability & regionality
Reusable packaging, organic products and regional supply chains are increasingly becoming a standard feature – and can be made accessible around the clock through vending.
New locations & target groups
Vending machines are conquering new environments: co-working spaces, fitness studios, residential complexes, rural communities – and adapt their range to the location.
From practical to spectacular
"The vending market is increasingly developing into high-quality, digitally integrated catering solutions", explains Giorgio Di Bartolo, Managing Director of Stüwer. "Themes such as the serving of fresh meals and drinks, modern payment systems like Mobile Payment, loyalty programmes and the design of a positive customer journey are to the fore." The variety of modern vending solutions is already impressive – and sometimes surprising: Vending machines that bake fresh pizzas in a few minutes, machines with antipasti and wine, dispensers for ballerina pumps in the event of high-heel emergencies, or even a vending machine in Dubai that dispenses real gold bars.
Smart fridges are particularly interesting from a technology viewpoint: Customers take products like from a fridge and cashless payments are automatically made once the door is closed. All this is already established and can be individually configured to every need of the companies and their customers or guests. Looking at practice also shows how diverse vending is already used in the HoReCa sector. The Spätz-O-Mat from Timo Böckle is just one of many examples where technology and culinary quality make a successful combination.
"The expectations of consumers have risen considerably", says Di Bartolo. Vending solutions adapted to market needs and with a future vision of what is possible is what the company Stüwer along with several other exhibiting companies want to showcase at INTERGASTRA 2026 in FOKUSVending. "Our aim is to not only inform visitors at the trade fair, but inspire them and fill them with enthusiasm!", highlights Di Bartolo and reveals that Stüwer will present ice cream vending machines and vending machines for high-quality, fresh meal and food solutions at the trade fair. The company also focuses on digital touchpoints for brand loyalty and user interaction.
INTERGASTRA 2026: The vending experience for the HoReCa industry
At INTERGASTRA 2026 in Stuttgart visitors can not only see such innovations in FOKUSVending, but also try them out and find out about technical details. Exhibiting companies are on hand to take questions and will gladly advise on how vending machines can be integrated in hotels, restaurants or other gastronomical concepts.
"Our aim is to make the potential of vending tangible – not only from a technical point of view, but also culinary and emotional", says Markus Goike from the INTERGASTRA project team. "Because in the end it is not only the technology that decides, but the experience that the vending machine offers."
Summary: INTERGASTRA satisfies hunger for gastronomical future
Today vending combines technology, service and storytelling in one. For catering companies it offers the opportunity to serve customers around the clock, conquer new markets and, at the same time, implement sustainable concepts. INTERGASTRA 2026 shows how these solutions look in practice – from the charming Spätz-O-Mat to the high-tech smart fridge.
Anyone who wants to experience the future of gastronomical self-service should definitely plan February 2026 in Stuttgart – and bring along their hunger for a gastronomical future.
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