Operators React to the Industry-Shaking 365 Cantaloupe Merger

Image Source: Created by Vending Connection

Big news just dropped in the world of vending and unattended retail: 365 Retail Markets has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cantaloupe, Inc. in an all-cash deal valued at $848 million. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025.

The acquisition brings together two of the sector’s major technology providers. In a recent press release, both companies claim the merger will result in a more unified offering spanning payments, software, kiosks, and data analytics — potentially unlocking operational efficiencies and expanding global reach.

But is this good news or bad news? Already, the news has sparked debate among operators and insiders, particularly around competition, pricing, and long-term support. Here’s how key voices across the industry are reacting:

Hot Takes from Industry Experts

“As someone who has long supported both Cantaloupe and 365 Retail Markets, I see this merger as a pivotal moment for the convenience services and unattended retail industry. 365 offers a strong technology stack across micro markets, enterprise management, and international reach, while Cantaloupe leads in vending with deep telemetry, market penetration, and payment infrastructure.

Together, they can deliver significant value to operators by unifying the consumer experience, enhancing data visibility, streamlining distribution, and improving cost efficiencies. There are strong synergies across route management, payments, inventory, and point-of-sale engagement.

However, success will require time and strategic execution. With different platform architectures, full integration may take years. Operators will look for clear roadmaps, pricing, and support structures.

This merger signals our industry’s maturation and demand for scalable solutions. If the vision is realized, it could become a powerful platform for innovation and growth in global unattended retail.”

— Josh Rosenberg, Industry Advisor, Former Chairman for NAMA, and Former CEO of Accent Food Services

“What a day, right? The buzz is real, and the questions are fair.

Yes, it’s a bold move that surprised many, and the monopoly concerns aren’t unfounded. Anytime the competitive landscape shifts this drastically, the ripple effects are real—pricing, innovation, service levels—all in question.

That said, I’m thinking: two minds can be better than one. If the integration is done right, this could accelerate development and bring improvements to the industry.

And let’s not forget—Televend is entering the U.S., Nayax is active, and Gimme’s doing great things. Competition isn’t gone; it’s evolving. The pressure is on for everyone to step up.

Let’s stay close to the developments over the next 12–18 months and circle back. The next chapter could be game-changing, one way or the other.”

– Orrin Huebner, Mergers and Acquisitions Expert at Orrin Huebner LLC

“The merger between Cantaloupe and 365 Retail Markets surprised the entire industry today. While I’m hopeful it sparks great innovation and operator benefits, I can’t shake the unease of seeing one dominant player emerge.”

— Matthew Rainey, Owner of Surpass Refreshments

“As a coffee/pantry service provider Metropolitan coffee house does not operate in the micro market/unattended retail space. We literally do not have any POS within our book of business. However we work with Cantaloupe to manage our backend product management and invoicing. I’m curious to see if 365 can bring any innovation to the Cantaloupe/Seed platform for us. We also use LightSpeed for our warehouse picking which is already integrated for us. Will there be more advantages? What this merger does for the OCS, pantry service space is unclear to me but we can always use better technology and innovation, especially for our office clients to directly utilize.”

— Max Goldsmith, President & Chief Revenue Officer at Metropolitan Coffee House

“At Foodture, we’ve partnered with Cantaloupe to power the rollout of our food vending program, and their payment and telemetry infrastructure has been instrumental in ensuring reliability, speed, and visibility across locations. This merger with 365 Retail Markets represents a major step forward—not just for operators, but for food suppliers like us who depend on a seamless, integrated ecosystem to deliver fresh, high-quality meals at scale.

365 brings proven strength in micro markets, global operations, and enterprise platform design. Combined with Cantaloupe’s footprint in vending and payment systems, we see tremendous potential to streamline deployments, optimize replenishment, and enhance the end-user experience.

It’s a pivotal moment in the evolution of unattended retail—and if executed thoughtfully, this merger could set a new standard for how food and technology come together to meet the needs of modern consumers.”

— Ryan Morningstar, Head of Growth at Foodture

“Exciting to see strong tech companies like 365 and Cantaloupe join forces — big credit to both teams. Operators should be thoughtful about how this could impact innovation, flexibility, and pricing. Having options matters. We all need to stay focused on building great products for operators by listening to feedback, driving innovation, and delivering excellent support.”

— Evan Jarecki, Gimme Vending

“Whoa. I didn’t see this coming.

After working with Cantaloupe my entire vending career and with 365 for the past three years this merger truly stopped me in my tracks.

But here’s what it unlocks for me: synergy, innovation, and confidence.

I’m deploying smart markets, smart coolers, and hopefully Smart Aisles which are pricey but when done right, they print value. With this move, I feel a stronger backbone of support from install teams to sales reps to phone support. That’s a big deal when you’re building real vending real estate empires that must perform and deliver ROI.

I know a lot of the smaller guys might feel surprised, and some of the larger vendors may hesitate to reinvest at this moment. But I see this as a bold signal. It tells me we’re heading into a more efficient, better supported, and more inspired era. As a matter of fact, I’m ordering a Cantaloupe smart store and 365 smart cooler with an ambient cabinet this week. It’s not stopping me 👊🚂 NAMA 2025 featured “Imagination Way.” Well, this merger just lit the match and poured gas on our imagination for the future of the industry.

Yes, AI is powering the next generation of vending. But let’s not forget: the real magic starts with people. The human touch, relationships, and shared learning that’s how I built most every vending deal I’ve ever done. And that won’t change.

This moment inspires me. The future just got a little more real and I feel confident.”

— Brandon Brooks, Vending Industry Leader

“This is a blockbuster deal, bringing together two great enterprises. It’s exciting for our industry and the merger will create a global leader in unattended retail technology.

With the combined strength of Cantaloupes frictionless payments, telemetry, and software services and 365’s expertise in self-checkout and enterprise-focused foodservice solutions, this will accelerate the overall benefits to many, especially the end user.”

— Tom Bauer, Industry Executive and Former CCO/COO of Farmer Brothers

With Providence Equity’s continued investment, this acquisition clearly marks a new chapter of growth, consolidation, and ambition for unattended retail. It’s a bold play that could redefine the tools operators use every day.

As always, operators will be watching closely. Whether this merger leads to greater efficiencies, better support, or new challenges, time will tell how this plays out.