Liquid meals: a new consumption opportunity for vending

The ready-to-drink complete meal is no longer a product aimed solely at athletes, nutrition-conscious consumers or enthusiasts of emerging food trends. The figures achieved by leading European brands, and above all the growing interest from major food multinationals, show just how far the category has come.

Acquisitions in the food market

In June 2026, Nestlé announced the full acquisition of Yfood, the German company in which it had already held a 49% stake since 2023. The brand closed 2025 with around €150 million in sales, up by double digits compared with the previous year. Its products are available in 30 countries and sold in more than 50,000 retail outlets across 18 markets. These figures have turned a start-up founded in Munich in 2017 into one of the leading European players in the so-called “complete nutrition” category.

Yfood’s acquisition is not an isolated move. Just a few months earlier, Danone has reached an agreement to acquire Huel, the British company specialising in nutritionally complete meals in the form of drinks, powders, bars and instant preparations. Huel had already reached £214 million in revenue in 2024, with a presence in more than 25,000 retail outlets worldwide.

The two acquisitions point in a clear direction. The boundaries between food, snacks and beverages are becoming increasingly blurred. Alongside traditional protein drinks, products are emerging that are designed to provide energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals in a single format. They are not necessarily positioned as substitutes for conventional meals, but as practical solutions for moments when there is not enough time or the opportunity to sit down for a traditional meal.

A format suited to vending

This is precisely where vending can find an important opportunity. A chilled, ready-to-drink bottle with a complete nutritional profile can sit somewhere between an enhanced snack, a functional beverage and a mini meal. Offices, universities, gyms, transit areas, healthcare facilities and 24-hour locations are all environments where speed, immediate availability and the possibility of eating outside traditional mealtimes can make a difference.

For operators, this also means an opportunity to introduce products with a higher unit value than conventional cold drinks. Added to this is a shelf life particularly suited to the channel: these beverages can be stored for up to 12 months from production and do not require refrigeration before opening. A clear positioning, communication that explains the product and careful selection of the most suitable locations will nevertheless be essential.

Liquid meals will not replace the traditional lunch, but they could create a new automated consumption occasion, reaching consumers looking for a quick yet more substantial option than a drink or snack. Recent moves by major food companies show that “Complete Nutrition” is a new and rapidly growing market space.

For vending, now is the time to monitor its evolution, experiment with the offer and understand its potential, particularly ahead of Venditalia 2028. The event can bring food producers, machine manufacturers and operators together to explore formats, assortments, storage requirements, communication and pricing models.

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