Sunday, February 23, 2025, 11:10AM |  26°
MENU
Advertisement
Vendor Bender in Squirrel Hill serves up snacks from around the world via 13 vending machines.
4
MORE

Vendor Bender in Squirrel Hill brings a world of snack foods under one roof

Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette

Vendor Bender in Squirrel Hill brings a world of snack foods under one roof

Can't make it to Mexico for salty-sweet tamarind candy or India for roasted foxnuts dusted in masala spice? This new Squirrel Hill automat has you covered.

Want to crunch, sip and chew your way around the world this autumn but don’t have the time or money to take off for a few months to see which of the more than 200 varieties of Lay’s potato chips you like best? Pittsburghers now have access to a planet of treats at the just-opened Vendor Bender in Squirrel Hill.

Savory snack lovers can munch on Zetov Super Snacks Falafel Bits, a packet of crunchy wheat sticks from Israel with a strong cumin flavor and a little back heat. Or go to Indonesia for the grilled beef flavor of TicTac cassava snacks; those crisp pearl-sized balls have a yeasty, garlicky flavor with a whisper of a classic barbecue potato chip. There are a handful of healthier options, too, such as Haldiram’s Magic Makhana, roasted foxnuts (water lily seeds) dusted with a slightly tangy, slightly fiery masala spice, imported from India.

If you have a sweet tooth, you could visit Mexico for Pulparindo, a tangy, salty tamarind candy, or the Philippines for Fibisco Hi-Ro, a chocolate cookie sandwich similar to an Oreo. Classic candy lovers (and vegans) will appreciate J. Luehders German-made, melt-in-your-mouth and gelatin-free fruit-flavored soft candies.

Advertisement

Wash it all down with a soothing coconut soda, Coco Rico, from Puerto Rico, a peachy sweet-tart Mr. Tea from Colombia or a pleasantly bitter Ito En cold brew matcha from Japan.

Local Provisions' cafe serves cocktails and food, including, from left, a maitake mushroom tartine, three-grain salad and roast pork sandwich.
Hal B. Klein/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Local Provisions brings a combination restaurant-marketplace to O'Hara

The international snack shop is curated by Derek Green, an investment advisor and former real estate developer. He’s stocked a dizzying array of 550 snacks and candies, 220 beverages, 40 cold produce and prepared food items, and 16 ice cream treats from across the globe in 13 machines on Murray Avenue.

“VendorVendor Bender owner Derek Green makes adjustments to the ice cream novelty machine, which holds 16 treats. (Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)

Green says he was inspired by the scope and technology of vending machines after visiting family in Japan.

“They have entire streets where there are essentially no stores. The machines are pretty technologically advanced there, too. They can cook pizza, ramen, everything,” he says. “Then, I went down a YouTube rabbit hole watching how people start vending cafes and all the things people can buy at them.”

Advertisement

He thought the concept, albeit on a smaller scale, might be a big hit in Pittsburgh, and he chose Squirrel Hill for his first location because of the neighborhood’s international diversity.

Green spent the last five months traveling across the country seeking inspiration for his business. He hit big cities such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles and smaller cities like Cincinnati, Baltimore and Columbus. Everywhere he went, he visited international markets and connected with importers to see what he could purchase by the case.

“Now that I have those contacts, hopefully I’ll be able to get more of it shipped directly here instead of traveling around everywhere,” he says.

“AmongAmong the 13 appliances are 6 snack and candy machines and one for frozen treats.(Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)

Right now, Green’s 13 machines are in an otherwise bare-bones storefront, and he says he hopes to add more dispensers if the enterprise proves popular. On Tuesday, approximately 40 countries were represented, though that number will vary since Green plans to rotate his selection every week or two.

Brothmonger Sarah McAlee's gnocolloni soup is on the menu for the inaugural Monday pop-up collaboration with The Thyme Machine.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Enter the Broth Machine popup: New Brothmonger-Thyme Machine collaboration serves up soup and a sandwich

“I’m trying to get as much variety as possible. We’re going to always have at least 25 countries,” he says. “People are really intrigued by some of the wilder flavors, such as squid-chili chips and pickled onion chips. We’ve already sold out of a couple of items like salty egg Lay’s potato chips [from Thailand], and the prawn cocktail chips from Ireland are almost gone.”

The machines range from the old-school kind you’d find in a bowling alley or bus station to newer ones with a little more flair. Green retrofitted all of them to take electronic payments, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as credit cards and cash. Most items range from $1 to $3, with the country of origin listed next to the price.

There’s a real element of fun and exploration at Vendor Bender, and it’s not just the international components that make the market intriguing. Green is seeking out some hard-to-find American products, too: Bob Ross Positive Energy Drink is in stock (there also is a “The Joy of Calm” variety in the case), and he plans to add even more to his ever-increasing roster of treats. However, if you’re just craving an old reliable bag of Doritos or salt and vinegar potato chips, he has those in the machines, too.

“Mexico,Mexico, The Philippines, Colombia, Israel, Japan, Puerto Rico, India and Indonesia are some of the destinations represented in the Vendor Bender machines. (Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)

“Sometimes people are going to come in and just want to grab something that they already know they love.”

Green is still figuring out what hours work best for foot traffic and suggests checking out the Vendor Bender Facebook page to stay current on when the space is open.

Vendor Bender: 2301 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill

Hal B. Klein: hklein@post-gazette.com, Twitter @halbklein and IG @halbklein.

First Published: October 27, 2022, 3:00 p.m.

RELATED
Alihan's Coffee and Breakfast, a new restaurant Downtown, serves Turkish breakfast items including menemen (eggs with sauteed tomatoes and green peppers).
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
New restaurants: Alihan’s Coffee and Breakfast, The Hungry Cowgirl & more
SHOW COMMENTS (5)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning
1
business
Amid funding uncertainty, Pitt pauses doctoral admissions
A new report advises retirees in 2025 to aim for just 3.7% when withdrawing from savings -- down from 4%. Over a 30-year retirement, that could mean the difference between financial security or outliving your cash in your 80s or 90s, financial experts say.
2
business
How much can retirees safely withdraw from their nest eggs? Financial experts weigh in.
Pirates outfielder DJ Stewart gets congratulations from teammates after his home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of the Grapefruit League season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
3
sports
5 takeaways from Pirates' spring training victory over Orioles
York County District Attorney Timothy J. Barker reacts during a news conference regarding the shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pa. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
4
news
Police officer killed, gunman dead in shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York
Preston Coleman, 52, was beaten and strangled inside an Aliquippa VFW on Jan. 5, 2025, in what police described as a vicious, unprovoked attack.
5
news
Bartender working at Aliquippa VFW during beating that left man unconscious facing charges
Vendor Bender in Squirrel Hill serves up snacks from around the world via 13 vending machines.  (Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)
Mexico, The Philippines, Colombia, Israel, Japan, Puerto Rico, India and Indonesia are some of the destinations represented in the Vendor Bender machines.  (Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)
Among the 13 appliances at Vendor Bender are 6 snack and candy machines and one for frozen treats.  (Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)
Vendor Bender owner Derek Green makes adjustments to the ice cream novelty machine, which holds 16 treats.  (Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette)
Hal B. Klein/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST life
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story