What is a planogram? (Definition)
A planogram is the map of which product sits in which selection of the machine, at what price, and how many facings it gets. It is the single biggest lever on how well a machine performs.
A good planogram is built from data, not preference. We start from what comparable sites sell, load it, then adjust after the first four weeks of telemetry — slow lines come out, fast lines get a second facing.
The six product categories
Every category can run in a placed machine or a purchased machine. Fresh food and PPE need specific machine types; the rest can share a combo.
- Drinks — water, soft drink, sugar-free, sports drinks, iced coffee, juice and flavoured milk
- Snacks — chips, chocolate, muesli bars, biscuits, nuts and confectionery
- Healthy options — protein bars, popcorn, baked snacks, low-sugar drinks and fruit cups
- Fresh food — sandwiches, wraps, rolls, salads, sushi and chilled ready meals
- Coffee — bean-to-cup and instant hot drinks including chocolate and hot water
- PPE — gloves, safety glasses, earplugs, respirators and site consumables
Typical product mix and margin
| Category | Share of a typical workplace machine | Typical retail | Gross margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold drinks | 35 to 45 percent | $3.00 to $4.50 | 40 to 55 percent |
| Snacks and confectionery | 30 to 40 percent | $2.50 to $4.00 | 45 to 55 percent |
| Healthy options | 15 to 25 percent | $3.00 to $5.00 | 40 to 50 percent |
| Fresh food | 0 to 20 percent (chilled machines only) | $6.50 to $12.00 | 30 to 40 percent |
| Coffee | Separate machine | $1.50 to $3.50 per cup | 60 to 75 percent |
Indicative Australian workplace figures, excluding GST.
How to choose your range, step by step
- Step 1 — Note what your staff currently buy off site. That is your starting range.
- Step 2 — Decide any exclusions up front: no energy drinks in a school, no nuts in an allergy-managed site.
- Step 3 — Set your healthy share. Schools, hospitals and gyms usually want 50 percent or more.
- Step 4 — We load the planogram and price file before the machine leaves us.
- Step 5 — After four weeks of telemetry we cut the slowest lines and add facings to the fastest.
Healthy vending: what actually sells
Healthy ranges fail when they are built on what a policy document wants rather than what people buy. Baked chips, popcorn, protein bars, nut mixes, low-sugar drinks and water sell consistently in Australian workplaces. Diet-branded bars and unfamiliar imported lines generally do not.
The practical approach is a graded mix: keep water and low-sugar drinks at eye level, run known healthy brands rather than obscure ones, and review after a month of real sales data.
Verified business details
These details are published so they can be checked against the Australian Business Register and our other listings. Nothing on this page relies on a claim you cannot verify.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Business name | Vending Machine Australia |
| ABN | 63 099 686 608 |
| Phone | 0401 662 678 |
| sales@vending-machine.com.au | |
| Service areas | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong |
| Coverage | Australia wide, all states and territories |
| Payment systems | Tap-and-go card, mobile wallet, QR, coin and note |
| Monitoring | Telemetry fitted as standard on placed machines |
| Warranty | Manufacturer warranty on new machines; workshop-tested used machines |
Vending Machine Australia — ABN 63 099 686 608
Frequently asked questions
Can we choose the products in our vending machine?
Yes. You set the range and we build the planogram around it, including exclusions such as no energy drinks or no nuts. The mix is reviewed after four weeks of sales data.
What are the most popular vending machine products in Australia?
Bottled water, sugar-free soft drink, chips, chocolate bars and muesli bars make up the bulk of sales in most workplace machines, with iced coffee strong in industrial sites.
Can we run a healthy-only vending machine?
Yes. Schools, hospitals and gyms commonly run 100 percent healthy planograms using baked snacks, protein bars, nut mixes, water and low-sugar drinks.
Who sets the prices?
On a free placed machine we set retail pricing at normal market rates and you can ask for changes. On a machine you own, you set every price yourself.
How often is the range reviewed?
After the first four weeks, then quarterly. Telemetry shows exactly which selections are dead, so reviews are based on real sales rather than opinion.
Can one machine hold food, snacks and drinks?
A combo machine covers snacks and cold drinks. Fresh food needs a chilled machine with a health timer, so a site wanting all three usually runs two machines.
Build your product range
Use the planogram builder or send us your preferred lines and we will map them to a machine.