Business with a Vending Machine: Why the Vending Market Is Growing in Russia but Falling in Moscow

One of the simplest ways to start your own business in Russia is to install a vending machine. No large staff is needed, nor are significant start-up costs. According to Avito, demand for starting a vending business in Russia grew by 22% over the year. The vending market has already reached nearly 80 billion rubles and is growing at approximately 10% per year. The largest number of machines is located in Moscow, but since 2025, an increased trade tax has been in effect in the capital. Forbes examined where it is most profitable to place machines, who managed to expand a network from two devices to more than 1,000, why coffee machines are not the most successful idea, when the first chocolate vending machine appeared in Russia, and how the ban on gambling helped the market.

Demand for ready-made vending machine businesses—coffee points, snack, and toy machines—has grown by 22% year-on-year since January 2025, according to a study by the online platform Avito (referring to an increase in the number of views).

A Forbes correspondent, after studying the service's website, found that prices for toy vending machines start from 60,000 rubles, a coffee point can be purchased from 140,000 rubles, and the most expensive vending machine network, comprising nearly 200 points, is sold for 118 million rubles.

Most often, small networks are sold, which can be purchased for 649,000 rubles, Avito notes. Today, nearly 500 advertisements for the sale of such businesses are posted on the platform.