The quick answer
A hot drinks vending machine runs on four or five powders: instant coffee, milk powder or topping, hot chocolate, sugar and, on some machines, tea or chai. Each sits in its own canister and the machine doses a set weight into every cup.
What each canister holds
| Ingredient | What it does | In the trade range |
|---|---|---|
| Instant coffee | The base of every coffee drink on the menu | Freeze-dried Colombian, Colombian microground 300g and a decaffeinated 300g |
| Milk powder or topping | Whitens coffee and makes the milk for cappuccino, latte and chocolate | Skimmed milk powder 500g and cappuccino topping 750g |
| Hot chocolate | Hot chocolate and mocha | 1kg bags and a 2kg tin, including vegan powders |
| Sugar | Sweetens on request | Granulated vending sugar 1kg |
| Tea and chai | Extra menu choices where the machine has a spare canister or a leaf-tea brewer | Spiced chai powder 1kg and loose leaf tea |
Everything is together in vending ingredients, with the coffees in vending instant coffee and the milks in vending milk and topping.
How many cups does a bag make?
Divide the bag weight by the dose your machine drops per cup. The dose is a setting, so the same bag can make very different numbers of drinks in two machines.
| Ingredient and pack | Example dose per cup | Cups per pack |
|---|---|---|
| Instant coffee, 300g | 1.5g to 2g | 200 to 150 |
| Milk powder, 500g | 4g to 5g | 125 to 100 |
| Cappuccino topping, 750g | 5g | 150 |
| Hot chocolate, 1kg | 20g to 25g | 50 to 40 |
| Sugar, 1kg | 4g | 250 |
The doses are examples to show the sum, not recommendations. Your machine's real settings are in its programming menu — ask whoever services it. Milk-heavy drinks such as latte use more milk powder per cup.
Once you know your doses, the cost-per-cup calculator turns pack prices into a price per drink.
Instant, bean to cup, or both?
An instant ingredient machine makes every drink from powders. A bean-to-cup vending machine grinds whole beans for the coffee but usually still draws milk and chocolate from powder canisters, so it needs the same milk powder, chocolate and sugar — plus coffee beans in place of instant.
If you are choosing a machine as well as stocking one, compare the coffee and hot drinks vending machines.
Keeping the canisters running
- Buy powders sold for vending. They are made to run freely through a canister.
- Top up little and often, and keep opened bags sealed and dry.
- Clean the mixing bowls and whippers as the machine's manual sets out. Cleaning products are in the same order.
- Hold one spare pack of each ingredient so a busy week does not empty the machine.
Stock the whole machine
Vending ingredients — instant coffee, milk, chocolate, sugar, tea and chai
Order online with free delivery on trade orders over £40.
Vending ingredients FAQs
What powders does a coffee vending machine use?
Instant coffee, milk powder or cappuccino topping, hot chocolate and sugar. Some machines add tea, chai or a second coffee.
How many cups do you get from 300g of instant coffee?
Between about 150 and 200, depending on the dose: 150 cups at 2g and 200 at 1.5g.
Do bean-to-cup vending machines still need powders?
Usually, yes. The coffee comes from whole beans, but milk and chocolate normally come from powder canisters.
Is there a dairy-free hot chocolate for vending?
Yes. The vending hot chocolate range includes vegan powders.
Is delivery free on vending ingredients?
Trade orders over £40 are delivered free. See Delivery & Returns for the detail.
About the author
John, Business Manager
John helps businesses set up equipment, consumables and ongoing support at Redber Coffee Roasters.
Not sure which powders suit your machine?
Tell us the make and model and the trade team will match the ingredients. Call 01483 808580 or email contact@redber-wholesale.co.uk.