The Vendo Company History
The Vendo Company is known worldwide as having been a leader in the manufacture of vending machines for more than 50 years. Vendo was founded as a small company in 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri as a manufacturer of bottled soft drink vending machines. Prior to this, early vendors had not been coin operated machines, but rather self-serve coolers packed with ice. This system relied on the customers’ honesty.
The first coin-operated vending machines appeared in the early 1880’s. They were first used to dispense postcards and books. These early models did not work well, often jamming. They also did not have the necessary safeguards and could not distinguish between a coin and a slug.
In the late 1930’s, two brothers named Elmer and John Pierson saw a need for improvement to the earlier designs and took out a patent for a vending lid that could be added to existing coolers. This lid called “The Red Top”, was simple, reliable and inexpensive. The lid was locked on top of the cooler and could be opened after a coin was inserted. The lid rotated to the next available bottle, eliminating the need to dig through the ice. At first the lids were added to Frigidaire and Westinghouse coolers that were already in use. Vendo then began buying coolers from Westinghouse and outfitting them with The Red Top and selling the resulting vending machines under the Vendo name. Early examples of this were the Vendo Junior and the Vendo Master (both from the late 30’s to early 40’s). In the 40’s, a compressor was added to soft drink bottle coolers, eliminating the need for ice altogether.
Red Top lids went to war during WWII, after the US War Department declared that soft drinks were necessary to the morale of military personnel. 5,000 Red Tops were made to be placed in military training camps and wartime factories. Vendo also manufactured radar detection systems which aided in the war effort. After the war, Vendo went back to designing soda vending machines, and produced the V-83 in 1946. The V-83 was Vendo’s first mass-produced upright coin-operated machine. A nickel was inserted, and then you simply had to lift the small door to get your bottle of Coke. This model’s great success was followed in 1949 by another highly successful vendor—the V-39.
In the 1950’s Vendo diversified its product line and produced machines that could vend other items like hot food, ice cream and milk. They also experimented with fully automated restaurants, convenience stores and drive-ins that were served only by vending machines. Vendo merged with its competitor, Vendorlator in 1956. They had, like Vendo, been founded in 1937. But where Vendo worked mainly with Coca-Cola, Vendorlator had been working with both Pepsi-Cola and Royal Crown. The merger of these two companies made Vendo the primary supplier to the soft drink market. Vendo also went public in 1956 and their stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1961 and continued to for the next 20 years. Vendo also expanded internationally, working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan starting in 1962, where they manufactured Vendo beverage coolers. They also licensed operations in England and Mexico. In 1964 they opened new facilities and contracted out to Belgium, Australia, Italy, Germany, France and Canada. The 60’s also brought Vendo’s introduction of the canned soft drink dispensers.
In the 1970’s, due to the energy crisis, vending machines were determined to be nonessential and the vending industry began to suffer. Vendo left Kansas City and sold its snack vendor division. In 1988 Vendo was bought by the Sanden Corporation of Japan. This infused new life into the Vendo company, and led to many innovations in vending machine design. These include programmable electronic vending machines, high-capacity vendors that can hold plastic bottles in many shapes and sizes, and machines that will take a debit card. Today Vendo is expanding into territories like Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Not only has Vendo produced many highly collectible vendors in their past, but they also continue to be a significant presence in the manufacturing marketplace.
Blog in to add to the information presented here. We’d love to hear from Vendo machine collectors or anyone who remembers using them.
32 responses so far ↓
1 Cathy // Jul 12, 2008 at 9:16 am
Looking for a vintage Soda Fountain Drug Store Commercial type
do you have… parts???? the whole thing???
ideas???
Thanks!
Cathy in Texas
2 Maria // Jul 15, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Hi Cathy,
Visit americansodafountain.com They have an extensive selection of commercial soda fountains, dispensers and parts.
3 Lyle West // Aug 30, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Looking to buy a key for a coke machine.
Model # XF39B
Serial # XF501 68979
Lock # PR572
Could you help me out? If you don’t have one do you know where I might find one?
Thank you…. Lyle
4 ty achten // Sep 7, 2008 at 10:12 am
is there a vendo milk machine 210F
5 jhall // Oct 21, 2008 at 8:00 am
looking for parts for model xf39b to restore
6 Josh Sense // Oct 30, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Hello there…I have been trying to find a key
for a Vendo 83 cola machine…I’m not quite sure about it’s model number, serial number or lock number. Are they all keyed the same and is there somewhere where i can find a key for a reasonable price????
7 rafael orozco // Jan 7, 2009 at 9:12 am
I’m looking for a replacement motor for a old 8 selection coca-cola machine built around 1984. the motor’s part # 288637, mod# 4512 UP-110, manufactured by Merkle-Korff Ind. I need two of them or whatever is currently the replacement motor. Can you tell me where I can find this motor.
8 patti reid // Jan 29, 2009 at 8:50 pm
looking for a vendo 110 key pr503
where can i buy one?
9 ARTIE // Feb 13, 2009 at 7:17 am
I have a Vendo machune that has a round top that rotates and a little door that lines up to the bottle. It cost a dime to get a drink. Im trying to find out who repairs these machines and how much its worth.
10 COOT VEAL // Feb 21, 2009 at 10:52 pm
1949 Vendo Jr. It has the coin tower. I need the cap catcher, bottle rack, etc.
Lots of etc., actually. Any idea where to start finding parts?
11 david // Mar 25, 2009 at 10:36 pm
looking for a key for vendo 110
12 Horatiu H // Jun 25, 2009 at 5:41 am
Please,
I want documentation for Vendo 406.
Whit many thank’s Horatiu
13 charlie // Aug 8, 2009 at 1:51 pm
i have a Vendo cc machine like the one in the picture above showing 8 cc machines, i have the 3rd one in from the right side, tall with 2 bottom openings. I am look for the fron cover in the middle of the front door. Help has ony one seen one
Thanks
14 vintagevending // Aug 10, 2009 at 9:54 am
Horatiu and Charlie,
Try fun-tronicsllc.com. They have manuals, keys and parts for many different machines.
15 M // Aug 28, 2009 at 9:08 am
I’m looking for both pics and info about a Coke Vendo 216 machine with the metal sign.
thank you
16 vintagevending // Aug 28, 2009 at 9:31 am
M,
fun-tronicsllc.com has a Vendo 216 manual for sale on their website. It should provide you with the information you are looking for.
17 Chris // Sep 13, 2009 at 3:06 am
nice article. classic coke and pepsi machines are sweet to own/restore.
18 Fogg // Sep 16, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Looking for a key to a 1956ish Vendo 6 case Coke cooler, model E110L. It looks like a Coke machine, but doesn’t take coins. Does anyone know where I can find one? Thanks
19 vintagevending // Sep 18, 2009 at 11:43 am
Fogg,
Try fun-tronicsllc.com. They sell lock mechanisms and keys for many machines.
20 M // Oct 2, 2009 at 10:58 am
In response to my ad on Aug 28th it’s not service that it requires,pictures of interior and exterior that I want and I’ve been told there’s no pics in the manual.So I’m going back to the point Pictures only!
21 Deb // Oct 20, 2009 at 8:53 pm
My father worked for the coke company for over 50 years. He has a working Vendo 39. He is interested in selling it. Does anyone know what the value of that machine would be? He also has a Vendo model XV80A. The refridgeration works,but not the vending. Any idea of the value of that one.
22 Bobby // Dec 1, 2009 at 11:44 pm
I have a Vendo coin mechanism still new in box. I am trying to find out what drink machines that this would be used on. Any ideas on where to start my journey?
23 vintagevending // Dec 2, 2009 at 10:37 am
Bobby,
Contact Funtronics at fun-tronicsllc.com or (217) 857-1759. They sell coin mechanisms, and may be able to help you find the machines that yours fits.
24 andrew // Jan 5, 2010 at 5:55 pm
i have an original vendo 39 1950 the compressor looks original with fins on it. The color is dark blue is that correct? i hope you can help me with answer thanks andrew
25 vintagevending // Jan 6, 2010 at 10:12 am
Andrew,
The original compressor was painted Trophy Blue which is the Factory Correct Color.
26 andrew // Jan 13, 2010 at 12:20 pm
hi its andrew again can you tell me the color red for the vendo 39 and can you find it in a spray can thanks andrew
27 vintagevending // Jan 15, 2010 at 10:37 am
Andrew,
The paint scheme was changed for this machine around 1956, so it depends on the year yours was made. The paint is for sale at this link:
http://www.fun-tronicsllc.com/store.php?crn=312&rn=635&action=show_detail
28 Chase // Jan 18, 2010 at 10:05 am
I have a Vendo HA56A-A with a water fountain on the side. It does not have a glass cover on the drink door, rather it is solid metal. I can not find a picture of it online but it is similar to the Vendo 77 in looks. Does anyone know what exactly I might have?
29 JOHN // Mar 6, 2010 at 12:40 pm
I have a vendo model A23 ser.#61285672 5 cent, opens from top and loads from top, rotating top, storage in bottom, orig. Works
what is it worth? do you have any info on this specific unit?
30 Laurie Timmons // Mar 6, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Is there a user manual for a Vendo model V73 soda machine available? Where can I find one?
31 vintagevending // Mar 8, 2010 at 2:29 pm
John,
We aren’t able to give you an estimate of worth, since we have been out of the business for awhile. If you check Craig’s List or ebay, you might find one similar to yours, and get the value that way. I have found an owner’s manual for you at this link: http://www.fun-tronicsllc.com/store.php?crn=351&rn=428&action=show_detail
32 vintagevending // Mar 8, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Laurie,
I have checked the websites we recommend, and your manual is not listed. You could try contacting them directly to see if they could help out.
http://www.fun-tronicsllc.com/index.php 217-857-1759.
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