Updated July 2025.
There’s a lot of foot traffic at shopping malls and retail centers, and healthy vending operators can definitely capitalize on that. And, keeping shoppers in the mall could be an advantage to businesses. In fact, shopping centers continue to be good locations for vending machines.
Most malls and shopping centers are located in close proximity to restaurants. Your vending machines are competing against those restaurants, so consider the advantages you want to present to the consumer: ease of access, portability, and speed. With the right mix of offerings in your vending machines, you can entice holiday shoppers and make a substantial profit.
Here are a few ideas for best-selling inventory items for shopping centers:
Trail Mix
Trail mix is a great choice for shopping centers because it’s easy to eat, low-mess, and full of fiber thanks to ingredients like nuts and grains. Fiber helps us to feel full, which means trail mix can help satisfy those mid-shopping cravings until lunch or dinner comes around.
Healthy Chips
Most of us get cravings for a good old potato chip every now and then. Try stocking your machines with some healthy chip varieties, such as low-fat chips or even dried fruit chips. These make for an easily portable and delicious snack that shoppers can take with them as they browse.
Granola bars
Granola bars take trail mix and solidify it into an even easier-to-eat package. And including some healthy granola bar varieties in your vending machines, including ones made without a lot of sodium or added sugars, means shoppers can feel good about the selection they make. Just like trail mix, granola bars are great for staving off hunger cravings until the next meal, so they’re the perfect holiday shopping season snack.
Drinks
Drinks also tend to be popular vending machine items in shopping centers. Just as shoppers and employees get hungry, they get thirsty, too. Shoppers bringing young children along are also a target here—consider including juice boxes and other kid-friendly drinks in your vending machines. Of course, bottled water is always a top performer, too.
Get or give a smarter more satisfying snack experience.
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