99 Spoons tops 350 kiosk sales and expands to 200+ operators

99 Spoons says it has sold more than 350 automated frozen-dessert machines and now supports more than 200 operators in the U.S. and abroad, a milestone the company says makes it the largest soft serve and frozen yogurt vending business in the country. The Pasadena-based company is expanding without franchise fees or royalties, while pushing into new markets including Saudi Arabia, Japan and Puerto Rico.

Why it matters: - 99 Spoons says its growth shows there is demand for an equipment-sale model in frozen desserts, not just a traditional franchise model. - The company’s expansion signals more operator control, lower recurring fees and a faster path to unit economics for buyers. - The footprint now includes the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Japan and Puerto Rico, with more international placements in progress.

What happened: - 99 Spoons announced it has surpassed 350 machines sold. - The company says it now supports more than 200 independent operators nationwide and internationally. - 99 Spoons describes itself as the largest soft serve and frozen yogurt vending company in the United States by unit volume and operator count. - The company is based in Pasadena, California.

The details: - 99 Spoons is a manufacturer and distributor of automated frozen-dessert kiosks. - Operators buy machines outright, own their locations and keep 100% of revenue. - The only ongoing payment is a flat $49 monthly software fee for sales tracking, temperature monitoring, menu management and technical support. - Delivery, installation, setup and in-person training are handled by third-party service partners. - Supplies are available through multiple wholesale distributors and are not mandatory through 99 Spoons. - Machine prices start around $17,000 to $18,499 depending on quantity. - Typical all-in startup costs run $21,000 to $23,000, including delivery, installation, training and initial supply. - On an average $6.50 transaction, operators paying a typical 20% location commission net about $3.75 per cup after supplies and commission. - Operators who own their own locations net about $5.00 per cup on the same transaction. - Typical payback periods are measured in months rather than years. - Traditional soft-serve and frozen-yogurt franchises often charge $30,000 to $50,000 in upfront franchise fees plus 6% to 8% royalties on gross sales. - Operators can resell the equipment at any time. - Many operators brand the machines under their own name and run their own marketing and social media. - 99 Spoons says it receives daily inbound location inquiries and shares them with existing operators at no cost. - The company also runs a Direct to Business program for owners who want to place a kiosk in facilities they already own, including restaurants, hotels, gas stations, convenience stores, mini markets and family fun centers. - Direct to Business customers pay no location commissions, no revenue share, no franchise fees and no royalties. - Kiosks require about 30 minutes per week of restocking and cleaning. - The machines are Intertek-certified and have passed health-department inspection in jurisdictions across the country. - The most productive deployment categories, based on cups-per-day performance across the fleet, are hospitals, hotels, malls, military bases, universities, family fun centers and tourist attractions. - Each machine serves soft serve, frozen yogurt, açaí and gelato. - Each kiosk offers three toppings and three syrups, with no hardware change needed between location types.

Between the lines: - 99 Spoons is positioning itself as a lower-friction alternative to franchising, with fewer restrictions and more operator autonomy. - The company is also trying to make the business easier to scale by separating the machine sale from location ownership and ongoing supply choices. - The market backdrop appears favorable, with smart vending and frozen dessert categories both projected to grow over the next several years. - The growth narrative leans on margins, labor savings and premium on-demand consumption rather than on a traditional retail footprint.

What's next: - 99 Spoons says additional international placements are underway. - The company is likely to keep pushing its Direct to Business channel as a way to place more kiosks in owner-controlled locations. - Continued growth will depend on operator adoption, location quality and execution across new markets.

The bottom line: - 99 Spoons is betting that a no-franchise, equipment-only model can scale faster than a traditional dessert franchise while giving operators more control and better unit economics.