Vendo

Sanden Vendo America

Industry	Vending Machine Manufacturing and Distribution
Founded	1937 (1937)
Headquarters	Dallas, Texas, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Bernt Voelkel (CEO)
Products	Vending Machines Vending Machine Parts
Number of employees	400
Website	Official website

The Vendo Company is a large retailer of cold beverage vending machines. Since its founding in 1937, Vendo has come out with many innovations that now exist in nearly every beverage and snack vending machine in use today. In 2005, Vendo moved its headquarters to Dallas, TX and was renamed SandenVendo America, Inc. signifying a new global synergy with parent and sister companies in Japan, North America, and Europe.

Vendo was founded in 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri by brothers Elmer F. and John T Pierson. With help from J.E. Hagstrom and purchased patent for a lid that could be attached to coolers, the brothers developed an innovative vending lid that was much more practical than any other one available at the time. Nicknamed "Red Top", this vending lid moved the opening to the bottle rather than the bottle to the opening and was the first of many innovations introduced by the Vendo company.

After the outbreak of World War II, some of the company's work force was dedicated to producing radar detection systems as well as various other electronic equipment for the military. As well as manufacturing military equipment, Vendo was authorized to produce and send 5,000 beverage vending units for military training camps and war plants to help raise morale. For its efforts, company earned seven Army-Navy ‘E’ Awards awards for "excellence in fulfilling government military contracts".

After the war, the Vendo company began expanding globally. By 1956, vending machines were being shipped internationally to 20 different countries. At the same time, Vendo began experimenting with new ideas. Vending machines that dispensed varieties of goods were manufactured and distributed and existing beverage vending machines were given a new, sleeker look. It was this time that the company began creating completely automated convenience stores and restaurants as well as drive-in refreshment stations. In 1956, Vendo merged with its primary rival, Vendorlator. It became a major supplier for the entire soft-drink industry and, for a brief period, the company went public. The company's expansion continued into the 1970s as the company expanded its international market and began manufacturing the world's first canned beverage dispensing machine.