Welcome to Becoming a Vendpreneur—where every week I help you navigate the challenges of running a vending machine business, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your operation.

This week, I'm sharing something that made me do a double-take: The Wall Street Journal just validated what I've been building for 6 years.

Here's what's inside:

It's 3 PM in a sleek Austin startup office.

A software engineer is deep in code. Focus fading.

He walks to the kitchen, opens a mini-fridge, and grabs a nicotine pouch. Free. Company-provided.

No smoke break. No leaving the building.

Just grab and back to work.

This isn't some weird fantasy. This is happening RIGHT NOW at companies like Palantir.

Tech startups are installing nicotine-pouch fridges and vending machines in their offices. Two nicotine brands, Lucy and Sesh, built custom machines for Palantir's Washington D.C. headquarters.

Free pouches for employees and guests over 21.

Read that again: Free. Nicotine. Vending. In. Corporate. Offices.

Alex Cohen, founder of Hello Patient (an AI healthcare startup in Austin), said he first noticed ZYN tins on his software engineers' desks. His exact words? "They were very productive, so I thought maybe there's something here."

Those engineers asked him to buy it for the office. He said he initially bought the pouches as a joke for social media—posted a picture of a drawer filled with different brands with the caption "We're hiring."

"Then, I accidentally got addicted," he said.

He uses two to three pouches a day now. Says he has ADHD and the pouches help him focus. "It helps with reining in my focus because it is a stimulant."

Today, Hello Patient has a nicotine-pouch fridge in its office kitchen.

PS. Remember when I told you ZYNs were the future of nightlife vending? Some people thought I was crazy → Subscribe 🎬

The VC firm 8VC (founded by Palantir's co-founder) just led a $40 million round into Sesh, a nicotine pouch company.

Why would a firm that "normally doesn't invest in consumer packaged goods" throw $40M at nicotine pouches?

Because they watched Philip Morris pay $16 BILLION for ZYN's parent company in 2023.

But here's what caught my attention:

After Palantir posted a photo of their Lucy vending machine, dozens of tech founders reached out asking how to get one.

The demand is there. The money is there.

Think about it:

Nightlife vending works because:

Corporate offices have the SAME dynamics:

The difference? Corporate workers aren't drunk. They're making calculated decisions about focus and performance.

They're comparing nicotine's short half-life to caffeine's afternoon crash. They're citing Peter Attia and calling it "biohacking."

Same product. Different story. Potentially bigger market.

For 6 years, I've been installing ZYN vending machines in 21+ bars and nightclubs. Most people didn't take it seriously.

Now? VCs are throwing $40 million at nicotine pouch companies. Tech founders are begging for machines in their offices.

Everyone's finally catching on.

I'm seriously considering expanding into corporate office placements.

Click here to take the first step towards owning your own vending empire.

This opportunity is perfect if you have:

💵 $15K in available capital
🔥 Drive to build something real
💪 Commitment to make it work
💼 Sales experience (or willingness to learn)

Sound like you? Let's talk.

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter.

Hit reply and let me know what you found most helpful this week—I read every single reply and I’d love to hear from you!

See you next Saturday!

-Ethan