480 packages and 600 fridges: a vending franchise takes stock

By autumn 2026, the smart fridge network selling ready-made meals founded by Ilya Kravchenko had sold 480 franchise packages. Around 100 partners had started operating, servicing approximately 600 fridges, while a further 70 buyers had withdrawn from the project. The entrepreneur shared these figures in an interview with the Bolshoy Chelovek channel, excerpts from which HF.ru published on 4 November.

Packages sold and operating locations are different measures

Franchise sales began in April 2025. According to Kravchenko, the packages sold by autumn 2026 collectively covered the planned opening of around 3,500 locations. However, this figure represents the scope of the packages sold, not the number of sites already operating. Kravchenko himself stressed the need to distinguish between selling a franchise and actually launching operations.

At the time of the interview, around 100 partners were operating approximately 600 fridges. Another 70 buyers had left the project for various reasons. The remaining buyers were at different stages of preparing to launch.

For those assessing the scale of a franchise network, this distinction matters. A package sold, a partner who has started operating and an installed fridge are different units of measurement. They are not interchangeable: one package may cover several locations, and there is a separate business set-up stage between purchase and the start of servicing sites.

The stated 3,500 locations should therefore not be presented as an operating network. In this case, the appropriate measure of its actual presence is the approximately 600 operational fridges reported by the founder. All these figures reflect the project's position at the time of the interview, rather than the final outcome of the packages sold.

Packages cover several locations

The price of a franchise package depends on the number of sites. The smallest option covers three locations and costs RUB 400,000. The largest standard package covers 12 locations and costs RUB 1.5 million. The royalty rate is 7%.

According to Kravchenko, partners receive the right to operate under the network's system, along with equipment, software, instructions, training and ongoing support. The offer therefore includes not just access to the operating model, but also technical and organisational support for the launch.

However, the quoted package price should not automatically be treated as the total business budget. Before buying, prospective partners should clarify which equipment is included, the terms on which it is supplied, and the costs associated with their chosen premises, supplies and servicing. These are points to verify in the specific offer, not additional sums quoted by the founder.

The basis for calculating royalties also needs clarification: a rate of 7% alone does not explain how payments work. To compare packages, prospective partners need to see the calculation terms in the contract and understand which obligations arise immediately after purchase and which begin once the fridges are operating.

Servicing remains the franchisee's responsibility

Before establishing his own network, Kravchenko spent more than 15 years in vending and managed hundreds of micro-markets at Uvenco. In September 2024, he met an acquaintance who worked in franchising, and sales of his own franchise began the following April.

Kravchenko estimates that 95% of his franchisees had no previous experience of running a business. This describes the partners in this particular project, not the Russian franchise community as a whole. For this group, the promised training, instructions and support are particularly important.

Nevertheless, the smart fridge format does not remove the owner's operational responsibilities. According to Kravchenko's description, franchisees must register a business, find a suitable site, arrange supplies and service the fridges regularly. Buying a package does not, in itself, mean that these tasks have been completed.

For a first-time entrepreneur, it is essential to distinguish between the network's support and their own responsibilities. Equipment and software are included in the offer, but finding sites and organising day-to-day operations remain part of the partner's role. Prospective buyers should assess these tasks against their available resources before deciding how many locations to take on.

What the withdrawal of 70 buyers means

Kravchenko reported that 70 franchise buyers had withdrawn from the project for various reasons. This figure should not automatically be interpreted as the number of operating sites that closed: the information provided refers specifically to buyers withdrawing, not to the closure of 70 fridges or active businesses.

It would also be incorrect to classify all partners who had not yet launched as having left the network. According to the founder, the remaining buyers were at different stages of launching. Assessing the results requires separate information on progress towards launch, the start of operations and the reasons for withdrawal.

Practical takeaway: before buying a vending franchise, ask for separate figures on packages sold, operating partners and active sites. Then check the full start-up budget and the division of responsibilities: these details provide a more accurate basis for assessing the offer than the overall sales figure.