East Texas A&M University is seeking a vendor to provide and operate wellness vending machines on campus, while a separate grant program is funding new wellness vending programs serving community college students.

Together, the developments put a spotlight on wellness vending and the role convenience services operators could play in serving the market.

East Texas A&M seeks convenience services operator

East Texas A&M issued a request for proposals on September 11 seeking a vendor to acquire, install, stock and maintain wellness vending machines at no cost to the university.

For convenience services operators, the solicitation offers one example of wellness vending being treated as an operator-provided campus service rather than solely as a university or public-health program.

• Products specified in the RFP include over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers and antihistamines, emergency contraception, at-home STI and respiratory tests, menstrual-care products and pregnancy tests.
• The operator would be responsible for the equipment and its operation, including stocking, maintenance and eventual removal. The university would provide the location and electricity. The operator also must propose a commission to the university based on gross sales.
• Machines must accept credit and debit cards and integrate with the university’s Transact Campus payment system. Other requirements include temperature control, flexible compartment sizes and features intended to provide privacy during purchases.

Proposals are due October 9.

Campuses expand unattended options

Vending is nothing new at colleges and universities, and as convenience services technologies have evolved, so has their use. Colleges and universities are leaning into newer options to provide round-the-clock access to food, beverages and other products.

Lake Washington Institute of Technology, for example, recently added a store operated by Evergreen Refreshments using Just Walk Out technology by Amazon and 365 Retail Markets. The store provides students, faculty and staff with around-the-clock access to food and beverages.

Elsewhere, PizzaForno installed its automated pizzerias at Los Angeles City College, California State University, Long Beach and Rio Hondo College. VendingMarketWatch.com has also reported on campus micro markets and other unattended formats designed to extend retail availability.

Wellness vending addresses a different campus need: convenient access to health, hygiene and personal-care products, including during hours when campus health services or other retailers may be closed. A new grant program could put more of those machines on community college campuses.

Grants fund 12 wellness vending programs

While operator-provided wellness vending holds the most opportunity for the convenience services industry, it is not the only path to adding unattended retail wellness hubs on campuses. Some educational institutions buy and operate their own equipment while others seek grants to provide the services.

This month, the American College Health Foundation, in partnership with the American Society for Emergency Contraception, awarded grants to 12 organizations to establish wellness vending programs serving community college students. The inaugural recipients include eight community colleges, one local health department and three community organizations. The program is intended particularly for community colleges that may lack traditional campus health centers.

Grant recipients will receive funding and technical assistance and are expected to involve students in decisions about product selection and machine locations. The initiative also calls for recipients to develop sustainable approaches to pricing, maintenance and long-term operation, evaluate their programs and share what they learn with other participants.

A second round of grants is planned for 2027.