99 Spoons Becomes Largest Soft Serve & Frozen Yogurt Vending Company in the United States

350 Machines Sold, 200+ Operators Nationwide

PASADENA, CA, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — 99 Spoons, a manufacturer and distributor of automated frozen-dessert kiosks, today announced it has surpassed 350 machines sold and now supports more than 200 independent operators across the United States and internationally, making it, by unit volume and operator count, the largest soft serve and frozen yogurt vending company in the country. The company’s footprint now extends into Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Puerto Rico, with additional international placements in progress.

The milestone is notable for what 99 Spoons has not done to reach it. There is no franchise fee. No royalties. No system to follow. No mandated use of any trademark. No required suppliers. Operators buy their machines outright, own their locations, and keep 100% of the revenue they generate. The only ongoing payment to 99 Spoons is a flat $49 per month software fee that powers real-time sales tracking, temperature monitoring, menu management, and technical support. Logistics services, including delivery, installation, setup, and in-person training, are all provided by third-party trusted service partners. Everything is optional. Supplies are available through a multitude of wholesale distributors around the country, none of which are mandatory.

Machines start around $17,000 to $18,499 depending on quantity. All-in operator startup costs typically run $21,000 to $23,000 including delivery, install, training, and initial supply. On an average $6.50 transaction, operators paying a typical 20% location commission net approximately $3.75 per cup after supplies and commission. Operators who own their own locations, including businesses that purchase machines for direct placement in their own facilities, net approximately $5.00 per cup on the same transaction, since there is no revenue split. Typical operator payback periods are measured in months rather than years.

Where traditional soft-serve and frozen-yogurt franchises charge $30,000 to $50,000 in upfront franchise fees plus ongoing royalties of 6 to 8% of gross sales, 99 Spoons operates on a pure equipment-sale model. Operators own the equipment outright and can resell it at any time. Many brand their own equipment and run it under their own name, with their own social media, their own marketing, and their own customer relationships. 99 Spoons also receives inbound location inquiries daily and shares them with existing operators at no cost, helping them place machines they already own and plan future purchases.

99 Spoons also runs a Direct to Business program that lets business owners purchase and place a kiosk in a facility they already own, including restaurants, hotels, gas stations, convenience stores, mini markets, and family fun centers, rather than routing through a third-party operator. Direct to Business customers pay no location commissions, no revenue share, no franchise fees, and no royalties, and keep 100% of the revenue the kiosk generates. Kiosks require only about 30 minutes per week of restocking and cleaning.

99 Spoons machines are Intertek-certified and have passed health-department inspection in jurisdictions across the country. The most productive deployment categories, based on cups-per-day performance across the fleet, are hospitals, hotels, malls, military bases, universities, family fun centers, and tourist attractions. Every machine serves soft serve, frozen yogurt, açaí, and gelato, and offers three toppings and three syrups, a mix-and-match menu that lets a single kiosk fit any of these location categories without changing hardware.

The global smart vending machine market is projected to grow from roughly $29 billion in 2025 to nearly $90 billion by 2034, a CAGR of approximately 13%. North America’s smart vending segment alone is forecast to more than double, from $4.1 billion in 2024 to nearly $9 billion by 2032. Meanwhile, the global frozen dessert category continues to expand toward $45 billion by 2030, and automated kiosks are eating share from both traditional vending and quick-service ice-cream shops, driven by higher margins, no on-site labor, and consumer preference for premium, on-demand product.

99 Spoons is the flagship brand of 99 Innovations, an S corporation. The company has been in business for four years and is privately held. For more information, visit 99spoons.com or email sales@99spoons.com.

Nick Yates
99 Innovations
+18584055167 ext.
email us here

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