Venditalia 2026: EVA strengthens links with Uzbek and Kazakh vending sectors

During Venditalia 2026 in Rimini, the European Vending & Coffee Service Association (EVA) held a high-level meeting with representatives of the vending industry from Central Asia, further reinforcing the growing international dimension of the unattended retail sector.

EVA President Paolo Ghidotti, EVA Director General Erwin Wetzel and CONFIDA Director General Michele Adt met with Aziz Yuldoshkhonov, President of VendUz – the Uzbek Vending Association – together with members of his delegation and a representative of the Kazakhstan vending association.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the development of the vending and coffee service markets in Europe and Central Asia, as well as on common industry challenges and opportunities linked to digitalisation, interoperability, sustainability and international standards.

Particular attention was given to the importance of international cooperation and knowledge sharing to support the modernisation and professionalisation of the sector. The discussions also highlighted the increasing interest from emerging markets in European expertise, technical standards and connected vending solutions such as EVA SmartLink.

The meeting follows the recently established partnership framework between EVA and VendUz aimed at promoting collaboration, information exchange and support for the development of the vending industry in Uzbekistan.

Speaking after the meeting, Paolo Ghidotti welcomed the strengthening dialogue with Central Asian stakeholders, underlining that “the vending and unattended retail industry is becoming increasingly international, making cooperation and exchange between associations more important than ever.”

The meeting took place alongside a highly successful edition of Venditalia 2026, which gathered exhibitors, operators and industry professionals from across the world in Rimini.