For us, Venditalia this year meant much more than a simple professional event: it was the realization of a long-nurtured goal. Although in recent years we have regularly attended various international trade shows as visitors - whether the Paris vending exhibition or professional events in Germany - we were now exhibiting for the first time at an event of this scale.
This opportunity also came partly through a partnership: we were able to participate as co-exhibitors at the exhibition together with the team of goodID. This joint presence created an ideal opportunity for us to finally not only be present in the industry as visitors, but to actively show who we are, how we think, and what kinds of solutions we offer to players in the vending sector.
Venditalia is a highly professional environment where the entire industry is represented: vending machine manufacturers, payment system developers, and numerous innovative technology players all meet in one place. In such an environment, the key question is what truly makes a company stand out.
It quickly became clear to us that we did not simply want to present vending machines. In the vending business, machines are offered by virtually everyone, so this alone does not provide a competitive advantage. Instead, we focused on presenting complex, value-adding solutions that provide real business and operational benefits to our partners.
One of the most attention-grabbing solutions at our booth was our universal master-slave system, which enables vending machines from different manufacturers to be connected. In practice, this means that multiple machines can operate with a single payment system and other connected solutions. The result is significant cost reduction: there is no need to install a separate payment unit for each machine, which already creates substantial savings during the investment phase, while also significantly reducing monthly operating costs.
In addition, our refurbished vending machines also played an important role. We particularly wanted to demonstrate that we can serve customers quickly from a large stock, in various preparation levels. Our new machine purchase model also generated strong interest, which allows for the trade-in of used vending machines. Based on visitor feedback, this proved to be a particularly strong and attractive service model.
At the shared booth, we also presented our partner goodID’s innovative age-verification solution, which - when connected to payment systems - is capable of automated age checking. Although in Hungary the necessary regulatory framework is not yet in place for broader application, international interest was extremely positive.
We also made sure that our booth was memorable not only professionally but visually as well. Thanks to RobotMarket.eu, a moving marketing robot that patrolled around the stand, playing videos and naturally attracting visitors’ attention. In addition, we displayed our company’s daily operations, projects, and solutions on a large screen, while our colleagues continuously welcomed interested guests.
Being an exhibitor at Venditalia was both an inspiring and extremely intense experience. Such an event places serious physical and mental demands: long days, continuous conversations, networking, and focus. At the same time, this is exactly what makes it valuable. Not only are the meetings at the booth important, but also the opportunity, in an exhibitor role, to walk around the exhibition, discover new trends, gather inspiration, and meet in person with partners with whom we previously only communicated via email or phone.
The feedback was particularly encouraging for us. Several partners and visitors asked in surprise: “Why haven’t we met before?” We also spoke with operators from Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, and Austria, and in many cases we found that personal presence makes a huge difference in terms of visibility and trust. This was an important realization for us: no matter how good a product or service is, international visibility must be actively built.
The exhibition also brought many new connections. We managed to establish relationships with operators and resellers from countries ranging from Jordan through Western Africa to Ukraine. It is still too early to say what long-term business results will come from these, but the foundations have definitely been laid.
Of course, we also gained valuable lessons. A foreign exhibition located 1000 - 1200 kilometers away presents completely different logistical challenges than a domestic event. It requires much more precise preparation, since there is no opportunity to “run back for something.” Although overall everything went smoothly, it became clear that next time we want to arrive with even more thorough organization, a larger booth, and more solutions on display.
Whether we will attend the next Venditalia is still hard to say with certainty today. Much depends on how the market develops over the next two years. One thing is certain, however: we feel that we have a place on this international stage, and based on the feedback, there is demand for what we represent. This gives us strong motivation to continue.
