What Airvend does

Airvend is a private UK-based company headquartered in Nottingham that provides vending solutions for airport security bags, serving the aviation industry. The company operates in a specialized niche, supplying passenger security bag products through vending machines located at airport facilities. With a workforce of 11-50 employees, Airvend targets airport operators and passengers needing compliant security packaging prior to passing through screening checkpoints, where liquids, gels, and other restricted items must be decanted into approved bags before clearing security.

The business model revolves around operating or supplying vending machines that dispense security bags at airports — a function tied directly to aviation security regulations. Specific pricing structures, contract terms, and revenue mechanics are not disclosed in available sources, and the company's website (airvenduk.com) could not be fully retrieved for verification of detailed product specifications, technology stack, or operational footprint due to a verification screen. No information on funding rounds, partnerships, named customers, certifications, management team, or geographic footprint beyond the Nottingham base is available in the source data, materially limiting visibility into scale, ownership, and commercial relationships.

Name

Airvend

Website

https://airvenduk.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Airvend is a Nottingham, UK-based private company providing vending machine solutions for airport security bags, serving aviation industry passengers and airport operators with compliant security packaging at screening checkpoints.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airport Security Vending Solutions

NAICS

Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

SIC

Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673)

akta.pro primary industry

Hold Baggage & Cargo Screening Services (BPAKAMAB)

Keywords

• Airport security bags
• Vending solutions
• Passenger security products
• Aviation security supplies
• Airport retail services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel

Core offering

Airvend supplies airport security bag vending solutions and passenger security bag products for the aviation industry. The company provides consumable security bag products distributed through dedicated vending equipment placed within airport environments to serve travelers at the point of need.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Passenger Security Bags
• Airport Security Bag Vending Solutions

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Broad incumbents

• Hudson: Hudson (owned by Dufry/Avolta) is the largest travel retailer in North American airports, operating news, gift, and convenience stores that stock travel essentials including security accessories. It is comparable because it serves the same post-security passenger audience at airports and competes for the same walleted spend that Airvend addresses through vending.
• Delaware North: Delaware North is a global hospitality and food/retail concessionaire operating in airports, sports venues, and travel hubs. It is comparable as a competing travel-hub concessionaire that monetises the same passenger footfall, even though its portfolio is more diversified than Airvend's single-product focus.
• Lagardère Travel Retail: Lagardère Travel Retail operates thousands of retail, food & beverage, and specialty outlets across airports worldwide. It is comparable because it competes for the same airport concession portfolio and serves the same post-security traveller, although its product breadth is far wider than Airvend's single-category focus.
• Avolta (formerly Dufry): Avolta is the world's largest travel retailer and concession operator with thousands of duty-free, food & beverage, and convenience outlets across airports globally. It is comparable because it competes for the same airport concession space and passenger-spend wallet that Airvend targets, even though its product mix is broader.
• Areas: Areas is a global airport and motorway concession operator running food, beverage, retail and convenience outlets. It is comparable as a competing concessionaire that monetises the same airport passenger traffic Airvend depends on, but with a far broader product and service mix.
• SSP Group: SSP Group is a UK-listed operator of food and beverage outlets in airports, train stations and other travel hubs worldwide. It is comparable because it competes for the same airport concession agreements and shares the same passenger-throughput-driven revenue model that Airvend depends on.

Direct peers

• WHSmith: WHSmith operates one of the largest airport retail chains in the UK and globally, including travel accessories and security bags in its stores. It is directly comparable because it sells essentially the same passenger security bag products to the same airport traveller customer base that Airvend targets through vending.
• Paradies Lagardère: Paradies Lagardère operates hundreds of specialty retail and news/gift stores in North American airports, frequently stocking travel accessories and security bags. It is comparable because it is a directly competing airport retailer serving the same traveller need with overlapping product lines.

Emerging players

• Selecta Group: Selecta is a European unattended retail and vending operator with strong presence in transport hubs including airports and train stations. It is comparable because it shares Airvend's vending-based unattended-retail model and competes for similar high-traffic vending placements, although its product mix is broader.

Regional players

• HMSHost: HMSHost is a major North American airport F&B and retail concessionaire owned by Avolta. It is comparable because it operates the same airport concession model and depends on the same passenger traffic, though its geographic concentration in the United States makes it a regional peer relative to Airvend's UK base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airvend