About Kristi.
Kristi was a stay-at-home mom of four when she and her husband, Troy, a high school teacher, decided to give vending machines a try in order to create a little passive income. They purchased 30 Vendstar quarter vending machines. Some assembly required. Placed them around the small city of Buckeye, AZ and thus Kristi’s business Carpe Dulce, LLC began.
The idea of the name was "to seize the sweets" because it was the reward for a quarter turn vend and a handful of candy.
Soon she was able to acquire additional vending routes with additional quarter machines in places like Bank of America call center break rooms. She also partnered with the Phoenix Suns professional basketball franchise by maintaining vending machines in the offices and workrooms of the stadium. Phoenix Children’s Hospital was also part of her service area. Eventually, Kristi moved on from strictly quarter vending.
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Currently, she partners with the food travel experts, SSP America, at Sky Harbor Airport. She manages these beverage machines in her continued partnership with Sodexo USA. These beverage machines are inside Barry M. Goldwater Terminal 4 and Phoenix Aviation Employee Buildings. She also works with Sodexo’s subsidiary InReach vending and their micro-markets, one of which can be found in the aviation administration building.
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She partners with Prepango LLC, and their Greyhound Bus Station vending.
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Through her partnership with TMG Services and Phoenix Magazine café and Market Kristi also has vending machines inside the Sky Harbor Rental Car Center.
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Recently, Kristi was awarded the Best ACDBE Business Partner award by City of Phoenix Aviation Department.
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Currently, Kristi is partnering with the Phoenix Aviation Department in a collaboration to bring in specialty and premium vending technology that will distribute a broader variety of products including food, beverages and retail.
Carpe Dulce | Meet the Owner, Kristi Kinney
In 2007, Kristi Kinney, a Tucson native, launched Carpe Dulce, initially focusing on candy quarter vending machines. The company later expanded, adding traditional bottled beverage machines at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport through a partnership with SSP America.
With ACDBE certification, Carpe Dulce secured vending contracts, including the City of Phoenix Transit Department and the Rental Car Center. In February 2024, Kristi was honored as the ACDBE Food and Beverage Champion by the City of Phoenix Aviation Department. Active in industry associations like NAMA, SSIS, AMAC, and AxN, Kristi now serves as a consultant for a specialized vending machine pilot program at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport.
