EDITO Pierre TOFFOLI
On June 25th, 26th and 27th, the Vending Show will take place in Paris, organized by NAVSA.
This will mark the second French edition of the international trade fair for the vending industry since NAVSA acquired ownership of the event. While the inaugural edition in 2023 served as a “trial run” for the Federation — which was then partnered with Venditalia — the 2025 edition is intended to affirm our ambition to make this event the other essential meeting point in Europe, alongside the Italian trade fair.
All signs point in that direction: the number of exhibitors is rising compared to the previous edition, which already welcomed nearly 120 participants, and visitor numbers are also expected to increase (there were 4,000 visitors over the three days in 2023).
This year is particularly notable for the high percentage of new exhibitors: 40% of the companies attending the 2025 edition did not participate in 2023!
You may say that this is promising — and I would wholeheartedly agree.
It signifies that changes and transformations are underway and confirms the attractiveness of our professions, our market, and the Vending Show itself.
This new edition will follow three guiding principles: “Innovation, Inspiration, and Influence.”
You will discover companies that are invested and committed. But this Vending Show event also reflects the new directions the vending market is taking: it is becoming increasingly international — as evidenced by the strong presence of foreign companies and visitors from across Europe and beyond — and is evolving rapidly, growing and diversifying. Vending Show will reflect and embody this momentum.
Moreover, we aim to demonstrate how the vending profession is becoming more structured and professional. Once loosely organized and somewhat fragmented, the vending sector is progressively establishing itself as a recognized and regulated profession.
In this process of legitimization, we are introducing the very first Vending Show Trophies and the second edition of the Best Vending Supplier in France competition. The Trophies will honor products or solutions showcased at the exhibition that provide relevant responses to key challenges in the sector, while the Best Vending Supplier competition will recognize technical excellence and professional skills.
Both of these contests are important if we are to spotlight and showcase our profession. To ensure they are properly managed, the Federation has established official rules for their conduct this year.
An independent jury was appointed by the Board of Directors, and the competitions will be overseen by a court-appointed judicial officer.
Selections will be based on clear, objective criteria, all of which have been made public — as has the composition of the juries.
Winners will receive exceptional trophies, the result of remarkable craftsmanship by NAVSA staff. In the spirit of “Innovate, Inspire, and Influence,” we also enlisted the talents of Raphaël CRIADO, vice-world champion in additive manufacturing (WorldSkills), to design the trophies.
I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank him. Through this collaboration, we aim to bring true value to these awards and establish them as benchmarks in the industry.
As you will have understood, the Federation intends for these competitions to endure beyond the trade show.
This is why the winners of the skills competition will represent the profession at the National Skills Competition (WorldSkills), to be held on October 16th, 17th, and 18th in Marseille.
As for the companies receiving Trophies, they will benefit from two years of media coverage, giving them the opportunity to promote their award-winning products.
The goal is to ensure that these Awards become a major symbol within the vending industry.
I would add that the skills competition is part of a broader initiative: the Federation has already begun discussions and established a roadmap for the creation of a vocational training program, both initial and continuous, for the vending professions.
To conclude, many other critical issues are at stake for our profession, including:
- The evolution of the food offering in vending;
- Public health issues, particularly following the increase in soda and sweetener taxes voted in last February;
- The regulatory constraints and transitions we must begin to address within our businesses and product offerings.
There are numerous challenges we must face — and solve.
The Vending Show event positions itself as part of the solution. The event brings together the entire value chain, from upstream to downstream: all stakeholders in the industry will be present. It is there that we will map out the pathways to a more sustainable future.
On behalf of our Federation, I thank all those who will contribute to making this show an unmissable event for the entire profession.
Wishing you all a successful Vending Show event,
Pierre TOFFOLI
