Since its inception in 1990, Revive Vending has established itself as a leader in the UK vending industry, continuously seeking innovation to differentiate itself from competitors. Under the leadership of Tim Varney, the company has embraced emerging technologies and new business models to ensure efficiency, quality service, and sustained profitability — managing over 250 operated machines across 100 individual locations in the South of England, while successfully servicing and maintaining many more DIY machines.
Differentiation Through Innovation
Recognising the highly competitive nature of the vending industry, Revive Vending has consistently sought ways to stand out. This drive for differentiation includes the introduction of their Doozy offering, which features healthier products in a unique, visually appealing wooden design, positioning Revive Vending as a pioneer in the shift towards alternative vending options in universities, colleges, and hospitals.
Revive Vending was also among the earliest adopters of Vendmanager. Even before moving onto a vending management platform, the company experimented with improving operational efficiencies, including pre-packing as early as 2002. And by adopting telemetry and cashless payments long before the industry norm, Revive Vending positioned itself as an operator ahead of the curve.
Vendmanager brought transformative efficiencies to the company, particularly through pre-packing and route optimisation. By 2018, Revive Vending had fully integrated pre-packing into its operations, reducing wasted journeys and ensuring that service routes were more streamlined. The adoption of label integration and tablet-based picking further enhanced warehouse efficiency, allowing staff to manage stock and deliveries with greater accuracy and speed.
According to Tim Varney, “Vendmanager changed the way we operate. Before, our vans were like rolling warehouses, filled with excess stock and inefficiencies. Now, we have a system that ensures every visit to a machine is optimised. We wouldn’t go back to the old way.”
Improved Warehouse Management
One of the most recent changes has been the introduction of label printing through the Vendmanager Warehouse mobile app, which has eliminated the inefficiencies of handwritten labels.
“One of the things we used to really struggle with was handwriting the labels for every box. Every time we packed a new box, we had to write out fresh labels and then discard them. When you’re packing five or six boxes for one machine, that adds up to a lot of wasted time. The printer integration was a game-changer—I had no doubt it would work for us, and it has made our process significantly more efficient,” says Tim.
Additionally, warehouse operations are now entirely streamlined through the Vendmanager system. As Tim noted, “From stock being picked, to labels being printed, to boxes going onto the van and being tracked throughout the process, it’s all managed within the system. This level of automation has saved us countless hours and improved accuracy across the board.”
A Trusted Partnership with Vendmanager
A key element in Revive Vending’s success has been its close working relationship with the Vendmanager team. Tim has always wanted a partnership with suppliers that not only keep their promise but who consistently deliver on commitments, fostering trust and long-term collaboration. He emphasised the importance of reliability in service providers, noting that a dependable system is crucial in an industry where logistics and operations are inherently complex.
“One of the biggest frustrations in this industry is providers making promises they can’t keep,” said Tim. “With the team behind Vendmanager, I was clear from the start—I wanted honesty and realistic timelines. They’ve always delivered on their commitments, and that’s invaluable in our line of work.”
Looking to the Future
Revive Vending remains committed to staying ahead of industry trends. The company’s emphasis on quality service, efficiency, and unique offerings keeps Revive Vending positioned for sustained success.
As the vending industry continues to evolve, Revive Vending stands as a testament to the power of innovation, resilience, and a commitment to doing things differently. Through strategic technology adoption and a focus on excellence, Tim Varney and his team continue to set the standard for vending operations in the UK.