Design in vending: aesthetics and innovation shaping the break of the future

The connection between design and vending was born in Italy in the 1960s, when a handful of visionary manufacturers realised that a vending machine could be much more than a simple beverage dispenser. This sparked the idea of combining functionality and aesthetics to create welcoming break spaces capable of encouraging social interaction and improving well-being in the workplace.

The contribution of Italian design to the world

During this same period, Italian design was beginning to make its mark globally, and vending became part of this aesthetic revolution. In 1970, an espresso vending machine designed by Bruno Morassutti was showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, a recognition that officially marked the sector’s entrance into the world of industrial design. A few years later, Angelo Mangiarotti introduced the first model with a fully plastic cabinet, a groundbreaking machine that introduced the concept of the table-top format and paved the way for new formal interpretations.

In the years that followed, contributions from distinguished masters such as Marco Zanuso, Matteo Thun and Sergio Pininfarina further strengthened the relationship between aesthetics and functionality, transforming the coffee machine into an iconic, unmistakable symbol of Made in Italy design. In particular, the work of Pininfarina Design House played a decisive role in launching the OCS (Office Coffee Service) segment, promoting the spread of espresso in workplaces and helping establish a new culture of quality breaks.

Design as a strategic tool

Today, this tradition continues. Design has become a strategic driver for creating break areas and coffee corners that blend comfort, sustainability and visual appeal. Furniture and furnishing solutions for the vending sector are experiencing strong growth across Europe and represent a major opportunity for exhibitors wishing to showcase their products, concepts and solutions to leading European operators, increasingly focused on creating high-quality spaces and innovative out-of-home concepts.

Venditalia 2026: where the future of vending design takes shape

Venditalia 2026, taking place in Rimini (Italy) from 6 to 8 May, will be the ideal showcase to discover new design projects applied to the vending world: an international event where technology, creativity and innovation come together to shape the break of the future.

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