We share an insightful conversation with VendEase’s founding partners, Dave Berman and Jonny Holmes.
What VendEase Does
Q: For hotel managers who may not know VendEase, how do you describe what you do?
Dave: The simplest way to put it is that we take vending off your plate entirely. Hotels have enough to manage without worrying whether a machine is stocked, working, or embarrassing the property. We install the machines, fill them, service them, and keep them running flawlessly – all at no cost. It should feel like a small but reliable part of the hotel’s service offering.
Jonny: And it matters to us that hotels feel they can trust us. When someone invites you into their operation, especially in hospitality, they’re entrusting you with guest experience. Our job is to honour that trust with consistency, reliability, and a bit of pride. We want a GM to walk past one of our machines and think: good – that’s one thing I never have to worry about.
The Story Behind VendEase
Q: You’ve known each other a long time. How did that history shape VendEase?
Dave: We met as students in Manchester in the early ’90s and quickly discovered that we liked analysing businesses. One night in the pub, after several pints, we sketched a Venn diagram on a napkin: Balls. Foresight. Money. In the overlap we wrote: New Business. It was funny, but also oddly accurate. And it stuck. It became our private shorthand for what it takes to build something real.
Jonny: We went off into our separate careers – consulting, family business, MBAs – but we kept meeting up, having a pint, and saying, “One day… when the balance feels right.” Eventually, the balance did feel right. We were both ready to build something of our own.
Dave: We knew the type of business we wanted: recurring revenue, scalable, tech-enabled, low staffing. We just didn’t know the idea. Then I remembered seeing people queueing in the rain at a vending machine selling umbrellas in Vancouver. It wasn’t snacks, it was need-based retail. Exactly what you want, exactly when you need it. That idea tied back beautifully to our old napkin sketch and to the kind of business we wanted to run.
Why Hospitality is a Natural Fit
Q: Why has hospitality become such a natural fit for you?
Jonny: Hotels care deeply about guest experience, and so do we. When a guest needs something at 11pm, they don’t want to wait for a shop to open. They want a drink, a snack, a charger, or a forgotten toiletry right now. If we can deliver that seamlessly, we’re supporting the hotel’s promise to its guests.
Dave: And hotels can’t afford small failures. A single empty or broken machine sends the wrong signal. That’s why we operate proactively – telemetry, restocking plans, preventative maintenance. A GM shouldn’t know we’ve visited; only that everything is working.
What Sets VendEase Apart
Q: Many companies say they offer “fully managed vending.” What makes your approach genuinely different?
Dave: We run VendEase like a service company that happens to use vending machines, not the other way round. That mindset changes everything. We’re constantly monitoring each location, adjusting the product mix, planning stock runs. It’s active management, not a set-and-forget model.
Jonny: And we don’t hide behind jargon or contracts. No fees, no surprises, no caveats in small print. If we say it’s fully managed, it is. Hotels tell us all the time, “You’re the only vendor we don’t have to chase,” and that’s the best feedback we could hope for.
How Telemetry Helps Hotel Managers
Q: Telemetry sounds technical. What does it actually mean for hotel managers day-to-day?
Dave: It means peace of mind. Telemetry tells us what’s selling, what’s running low, whether anything needs attention – all in real time. Hotels don’t need to call, message, or nudge us. We already know, and we’re dealing with it.
Jonny: And because we see the patterns, each machine becomes tailored to the audience. Business hotel? More healthy snacks and protein bars. Family property? A very different mix. It’s personalised convenience without the hotel having to do anything.
Why Hotels Remain the Focus
Q: You operate in construction, gyms, universities… Why continue to centre hotels?
Jonny: Hotels have a service culture we instinctively align with. Reliability, presentation, cleanliness, responsiveness – those values are ingrained in how we operate. Other sectors benefit from that mindset, but hospitality mirrors it most closely.
Dave: And we enjoy working with hotel teams. GMs and procurement leads tend to be sharp, pragmatic, and appreciative of partners who make their lives easier. It’s a good match.
Common Misconceptions About Vending
Q: Final question – what misconception about vending do you wish hotels knew?
Dave: That it’s outdated. Modern vending is efficient, tech-driven, and genuinely useful.
Jonny: And that they have to manage it. With us, they don’t. When we place a machine, we’re making a commitment – and we keep it. Every day, without fuss.
Visit vendease.co.uk