BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Gourmet cupcake chain Sprinkles has opened its first 24-hour cupcake vending machine or "ATM" at its original store in Beverly Hills, Calif., reported the LAist.com.
Candace Nelson, who founded Sprinkles, told the New York Daily News that the idea for a 24-hour Sprinkles came to her when cravings struck at strange times during one of her pregnancies.
Company spokesperson Nicole Schwartz said that there will be 10 of the machines in operation by this summer, and even more by the end of the year, according to a CNNMoney report.
To see the unit in action, watch the Huffington Post video below or click here.
At first, the Cupcake ATMs will all be within Sprinkles stores, but accessible from outside so that customers can indulge even when stores are closed. Eventually, Schwartz said the machines will be at remote locations apart from the stores.
Sprinkles opened in 2005 and remains privately held, said the report. It has locations in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Palo Alto and La Jolla, California, as well as New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston, and Scottsdale, Ariz.
The New York, Washington and Chicago locations are next in line for the cupcake ATM, the report said.
The company had intended to call the machines "24-Hour Sprinkles," but Schwartz said the name Cupcake ATM just kind of suggested itself.
The units will dispense freshly baked cupcakes, cupcake mixes, apparel and even cupcakes for pets, the company said on Facebook.
There won't be an ATM fee, but cupcakes in the machine will cost $4, compared to $3.50 inside the store. The machines will only take credit or debit cards, no cash.
Schwartz said the selection in the machine will be rotated daily, although a few of the company's most popular selections, such as red velvet, will always be in the machine.
The machines will be able to hold 600 cupcakes at a time, said the report.
"It's going to be a lot bigger than a typical vending machine, let alone an ATM machine," she said.
The LAist report added that Sprinkles is also planning to get into the ice cream business: "Our ice cream will be hand-crafted American ice cream using only the finest ingredients, staying in line with the Sprinkles philosophy. Scooped into crisp waffle cones, pressed between fluffy cupcake tops or piled high into sundaes topped with 'housemade' sauces and toppings, Sprinkles Ice Cream shop is a back to basics creamery with a Sprinkles twist. Sprinkles Ice Cream will also serve up freshly baked cookies and brownies."
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