In a city where convenience is king, Nicole Lee is betting that vending machines can offer more than chips and soda. Her Henderson-based company, BRB Vending, uses sleek touchscreen kiosks to deliver fresh high-quality favorites from trusted local brands. There’s boba tea from Brew Tea Bar, cakes from Freed’s Bakery, and other goods she’s working on from neighborhood vendors. It’s a local driven alternative to the generic fare found in most machines.
“Everything in here has a local story behind it,” said Nicole. “We are passionate about convenience without compromise.”
BRB Vending is the brainchild of Lee and her cousin, Brianna “Bre” Lee. Their company is rethinking what a vending machine can be in a city famous for its round-the-clock appetite.
From Corporate Burnout to Startup Gamble
Nicole spent 20 years in the food and beverage industry before landing a high-powered corporate dining role overseeing staffing for more than 200 East Coast locations. The six-figure salary came with constant travel and little time at home with her two children.
“When pandemic travel restrictions were lifted, they wanted me back on that schedule,” she said. “That’s when I realized, if I can do all of this for them, I can do it for myself.”
Bre brought 15 years in casino and resort operations to the table. The cousins pooled experience, personal savings, and support from family and angel investors to launch BRB Vending in 2024.
Breaking Into a Crowded, Regulated Market
What sounds like a simple idea, is anything but. Machines carrying fresh, perishable items require refrigeration, health department approval, a business license, liability insurance, and regular inspections.
Beyond regulation, the Las Vegas vending industry is dominated by national players focused on soda and snack foods. Securing prime locations meant pitching the concept to venue operators who weren’t used to seeing small, local brands in vending.
Nicole encountered skepticism early on. “I was told I’d never make it, that it’s too competitive,” she said. “That doubt drove me.”
Nicole credits Clark County’s support for small businesses. The County Clerk’s office helped her acquire the proper licenses which opened doors, including partnerships with the airport and Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.
“If we were doing this in another city, it would’ve taken months just to get a meeting,” Nicole said. “In Clark County, people called us back.”
A 24/7 Commitment
Nicole says the job’s demands rival any corporate position she’s ever held. When supplies run low, or a circuit is tripped, an alert pings her phone, sometimes at 2:00 a.m., requiring late-night dashes to the airport.
“It’s like running a food establishment,” Nicole said. “It’s non-stop, but at least now, I’m the one deciding where my time goes.”
Looking Ahead
The certified minority-women-owned business started with two machines at Harry Reid International Airport in March. Today BRB Vending has eight units in multiple terminals and at the Rio, with negotiations underway for other spots. The start-up, which Nicole runs from her Henderson home, has already sold more than 10,000 products.
Nicole sees the model as a way to connect travelers and locals to homegrown businesses in spaces they might otherwise never reach.
“The goal,” says Nicole, “is locals helping locals, while reinventing the way people experience food on the go.”
“Everything in here has a local story behind it. We are passionate about convenience without compromise."