The numbers are impressive. Naturals2Go has helped 2500 new operators get started since 2009, placing 40,000 machines and according to the company, they have a 14% market share. Vending is a hot business and from all indications, it is now a meaningful part of the gig economy.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, the podcast for the convenience services industry – produced by Endeavor Business Media, a Division of EndeavorB2B, host Bob Tullio talked to Natali Pupovac-Peters, senior VP of fulfillment at Naturals2Go – a company that appears to be taking an extremely responsible approach to introducing the convenience services business to people who are attracted to the business opportunity.

She takes us behind the scenes and pulls back the curtain on their fast growing operation - talking about their role as an operator, a seller of business opportunity, an equipment manufacturer and a company that is doing all they can to support new operators while keeping their expectations in check - making sure they understand that convenience services is not some magical "passive income" business.

As Tullio notes on the podcast intro,

"As a long-time operator myself, I had plenty of experience meeting people who had entered the vending business – ushered in by entities that did not have good intentions and were certainly not concerned about whether or not the operator was successful. No reflection on Naurals2Go by any means, but I started the interview – pulling no punches – it was not a surprise to Pupovac-Peters."