Micro markets & unattended retail
Workplace Micro Markets in Melbourne
A 24/7 self-serve mini-canteen inside your building — open shelves, chilled fresh food and a tap-and-go checkout.
The short answer
Free vending machine placement means Free Vending Machines Melbourne matches your site with a local vending machine owner-operator who supplies, installs, stocks and services the machine at no cost to your business. You provide roughly one square metre of floor space and a 240V power outlet. Melbourne workplaces with about 30+ staff on site or 50+ daily visitors typically qualify, and the machine is removed free of charge if the site doesn't suit either party — a placed machine does need to make sales to stay.
Why workplaces choose a micro market
- Ten times the range of a vending machine — fresh meals, not just packets
- Open 24/7 for shift teams, early starts and late finishes
- Self-checkout by card, phone wallet, QR or staff account
- Keeps staff on site instead of walking out for lunch
- A visible wellbeing and retention benefit at zero employer cost
- Full remote monitoring of stock, sales and expiry dates
- Layout tailored to your floor plan and security setup
What your site provides
- 6–30m² of accessible, staff-secure floor space
- Standard 240V outlets for fridges and the kiosk
- Wi-Fi or wired network for the checkout terminal
- Delivery and trolley access for service visits
100% cashless — tap card, Apple Pay & Google Pay ready
Office Combo — snacks & drinks
One combo cabinet, one square metre, one 240V outlet — supplied, filled and serviced at $0 COST hire.
Request a free micro market assessment
No purchase, no lease, no rental fee. Tell us about your site and we'll confirm which machine you qualify for, what it will stock and when we can install it — usually within a few working days.
- Your business name and site address (Melbourne suburb or Victorian town) so we can match a local operator
- How many staff, students or visitors are on site each day
- What you'd like stocked — snacks, cold drinks, healthy options, coffee, PPE or a mix
- Best contact name, mobile and email for confirming install times
We'll come back to you with machine availability and an install date. There is no cost, no lock-in contract and no obligation. Prefer to talk? Call 0401 NO COST (0401 662 678) — across Melbourne and Victoria Melbourne.
Typical micro market layout
| Zone | Typical products | Space required |
|---|---|---|
| Chilled fresh food | Salads, wraps, sushi, ready meals, yoghurt, fruit cups | 1–2 upright glass-door fridges |
| Ambient shelving | Protein bars, nuts, chips, confectionery, noodles, snacks | 1–3 gondola bays |
| Cold drinks | Water, sparkling, kombucha, energy, soft drinks, cold brew | 1 glass-door fridge |
| Coffee & hot drinks | Bean-to-cup coffee, tea, hot chocolate | 0.8m² bench or freestanding unit |
| Self-checkout | Card, phone wallet, QR or staff-account payment | 1 kiosk or wall-mounted tablet |
Not enough headcount for a full market? A workplace smart fridge delivers the same grab-and-go experience in one square metre.
$0 COST hire: we fund the fixtures, kiosk, stock and servicing. Send us your headcount, shift pattern and floor area and we'll return a layout.
Request your $0 COST hireMicro market questions
What is a micro market?
A micro market is a small unattended retail space inside a workplace — open shelving, chilled and frozen units and a self-checkout kiosk or app. Staff browse like a mini convenience store and pay by card, phone or staff account. There is no attendant and no cash register.
How many staff do you need for a micro market?
As a guide, micro markets suit sites with roughly 150 or more people on site across the week, or multi-tenant buildings and campuses with steady traffic. Smaller sites are usually better served by a smart fridge or combo vending machine.
How much space does a micro market need?
A compact layout fits in about 6–10m² with a kiosk, one or two chilled units and a shelving bay. Larger installations use 15–30m² with frozen, coffee and fresh-food zones.
Is theft a problem in an unattended micro market?
Shrinkage is typically low in staff-only environments because access is controlled by building security or staff ID. Kiosks are camera-monitored and stock is reconciled against sales each service visit.
What does a micro market cost the employer?
Nothing for qualifying sites. Free Vending Machines Melbourne funds the fixtures, kiosk, stock and servicing through product sales. Your site provides the floor space, power and network access.
Do you install micro markets in Melbourne?
Yes. Melbourne CBD, Docklands, Southbank, Richmond and the Dandenong and Truganina logistics precincts are covered. Multi-tenant Melbourne buildings often share one micro market across floors, with staff-ID access so only tenants of the building can use it.
Do you install micro markets in regional Victoria?
Yes. Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo are all serviced. Regional sites usually weight the chilled zone harder for cold drinks and fresh food through the summer months, and we schedule restocking to match your floor's headcount and shift patterns.
What products can a micro market stock?
Fresh salads, sandwiches, sushi, ready meals, fruit, yoghurt, protein and health snacks, confectionery, chilled and hot drinks, barista-style coffee and everyday items like painkillers or phone chargers.
Find out what fits your floor space — at $0 COST
Send us your headcount, shift pattern and available area — we'll come back with a micro market or smart fridge layout at no cost.