Running a Naturals2Go business from home is like having a vending machine empire at your fingertips. As the largest healthy vending machine company in the U.S., Naturals2Go is capitalizing on advancing technology in the unattended retail space, tremendous scalability and a recession-resistant business model in an unbounded industry. By Sarah Lindauer
Running a Naturals2Go business from home is like having a vending machine empire at your fingertips. As the largest healthy vending machine company in the U.S., Naturals2Go is capitalizing on advancing technology in the unattended retail space, tremendous scalability and a recession-resistant business model in an unbounded industry.
“It’s completely an upward trajectory. We see no end to the market availability,” said Heath Falzarano, president of Naturals2Go.
According to a recent report from Research and Markets, the global vending machine market is projected to reach $26.4 billion by 2028, up from $19.5 billion in 2022.
“Everybody has to snack and eat, so the opportunities in the unattended retail space just keep growing at leaps and bounds,” said Falzarano. “From an entrepreneurial perspective, that’s really attractive because you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to succeed.”
One of the biggest advantages of owning a Naturals2Go business is the smart technology that makes running the business easier than ever. “I started in this industry in 2016 as an owner-operator myself and watching the evolution in the new technology available to people has been incredible,” said Falzarano.
The telemetry company used by Naturals2Go, Nayax, is the No. 1 credit card reader and has gamified the entire user experience. Customers can pay through their app or even shake their phone to get their money back. “They’ve made it fun,” Falzarano said.
But it’s not just the front-end technology that has improved. Naturals2Go’s back-end software allows owners to manage their entire business from their phone. “The software also includes predictive analytics, sales trends, calculations of your top best sellers and profit tracking,” explained Falzarano, adding, “It can plan your routes and tell you which is the shortest.”
This flexibility and scalability make Naturals2Go an attractive option for people managing competing priorities. “When I joined the business, I liked that there was no restriction on where I could do it. I could manage it from home, and I wasn’t going to get a call saying, ‘This employee can’t come into work today,’” said Falzarano.
With packages ranging from four machines to over 500, there is an option for every type of owner.
“Most people run the business by themselves or with their family,” said Falzarano. “It involves very basic business acumen, including no overhead, no employees to manage and no workers’ compensation.” Options range from part-time work to replacing a full-time corporate income – even in one’s sleep. “The business keeps running while you’re not there, which is why we call it semi-absentee. You can earn money at all hours of the day,” Falzarano explained.
During the pandemic, Naturals2Go saw record profits as more people turned to unattended retail options. Falzarano explained how new buildings are going up all the time, creating new space for vending machines – and people are always going to eat, drink and snack.
“That’s the magic that unattended retail brings to people,” he concluded. “It’s not taxing to work this business. It’s mobile, it’s remote and it molds to match the business owner.”
Sarah Lindauer