Eatwave
Integrated and refrigerated vending machines with an internal microwave cooking unit.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
N/A | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Eatwave, operating under the name VENDture LLC, was a San Diego-based company that entered the automated retail market with a distinct approach to convenient meal solutions. The company was led by CEO Andrew Preston and officially launched its primary product in November 2012.
Eatwave developed and marketed a sophisticated, all-in-one vending machine designed to serve as a comprehensive meal provider. This unit was engineered to dispense a variety of cold beverages, snacks, and pre-packaged refrigerated meals. Its key differentiator was an integrated, patent-pending internal microwave, allowing consumers to purchase and receive a heated meal in approximately one minute or less from a single point of sale. This design aimed to address the space and energy inefficiencies of having separate machines for hot and cold items. The machine's construction was based on a standard vending chassis with a gravity delivery system, ensuring some level of familiarity and reliability for operators. To enhance cleanliness and food safety, the internal microwave replaced the need for standalone units often found in break rooms.
The business model centered on selling these advanced vending units to vending operators and directly to locations such as office break-rooms, hotels, schools, and airports. The machines were priced at $11,995 per unit. Eatwave's revenue was generated from the direct sale of these machines. The target market consisted of consumers in high-traffic locations seeking quick and complete meal options. The company also offered an optional software package called VENDCheck, which provided remote online monitoring of machine inventory and operational status, aiming to improve efficiency for operators. Despite its efforts, the company ceased operations in May 2018.
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