Ammo vending machines may soon arrive in Florida grocery stores
ORLANDO, Fla. - Vending machines that sell ammunition could soon be appearing in Florida grocery stores. These machines are already in use in other parts of the country.
Typically, vending machines offer candy, soda, or chips. But soon, they might dispense ammunition. These ammo vending machines are more high-tech than traditional ones.
The company "American Rounds" is behind these ammo-filled vending machines installed nationwide in grocery stores.
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"You can go to your local grocery store, which is five minutes down the road, come to our machine, purchase the ammunition that you need, and you're back out shooting or hunting, whatever the case may be, in a matter of 15 to 20 minutes," said Chris Heisler, a partner at American Rounds.
Heisler says there is significant interest from grocery stores in Florida wanting to install these machines.
"We're really just excited to present something in a safe and responsible way that hasn't been done yet in this industry," Heisler added.
The machines are double steel-walled and weigh a ton. Customers must be 21 or older to purchase ammo. The process includes scanning an ID and using facial recognition software to ensure the buyer's identity.
"We wanted to add not only a deterrent but an extra layer of security that doesn't exist out there. We want to ensure that we are providing safe, accessible, and responsible access to ammunition," Heisler said.
Similar machines have been used for dietary supplements and cannabis. Retailers approached American Rounds with the idea of selling ammo, which launched the initiative.
Currently, American Rounds has machines in Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Colorado, with eight machines in operation and 200 more ordered.
"We have requests for the machine from Texas all the way up to North Dakota right now. The business has increased eightfold," Heisler noted.