Hot sauce vending machine debuts at Cincinnati's Oakley Kitchen

The Cincinnati company that created the multi award-winning "Dude, Seriously Hot Sauce" now claims to have the world's first hot sauce vending machine. 

Dude, Seriously LLC said it plans to roll out more than 100 of its hot sauce vending machines in major cities across the country. The first vending machine has been placed at the Oakley Kitchen, a new Cincinnati food and drink destination designed by the Campfire Foods Group.

Dude, Seriously vending machines offer a variety of hot sauces at all heat levels and flavor profiles, according to Dude, Seriously chief executive Kai Schneider. Five-ounce glass hot sauce bottles are vended through a "soft touch delivery process."

"I was considering opening my own store, but when the pandemic hit, I began to rethink retail," said Schneider, who came up with the vending concept in 2020. "People deserve a hassle-free experience with minimal risk of exposure and the vending machine supplies that and so much more."