The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.
By Sherin Shibu
Key Takeaways
- Candy and soda vending machines have become an unexpectedly popular investment.
- The U.S. already has seven million vending machines, or one for every 50 Americans, according to Vending Locator.
Vending machines have become an unexpected and popular investment trend, according to a new Wall Street Journal report.
On paper, the side hustle looks simple. Buy a secondhand machine, which the WSJ estimates would cost about $1,500, fill it with candy and soda from wholesalers like Sam's Club and Costco, mark up the price by as high as 100% per unit, and collect cash.
Vending machine owners can usually get started for less than $2,000 and expand at their own pace, giving the side hustle the benefit of low startup costs. Owners restock the products in the machine and collect revenue a few times a month, so they set their own hours and have a relatively passive income source.
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