The first vending machines.

In 1950, Joseph Jeger, a Swiss employee working in Basel, went on a business trip to the States and saw his first vending machines in factories there. Having never seen this before, he thought it would be a great idea to put them in the factory of the company he worked for. Spending all his savings, he ordered 5 machines from the US producer and was allowed to install them in the factory of his employer, who is incidentally still a client of Selecta.

Factory workers used Joseph's machines day in and day out. Unfortunately, they were produced with American fittings – electricity, parts, etc. – so, renting a garage in his hometown of Murten and hiring his first employee, Jeger went on to produce the first hand-made vending machine in Switzerland, the first ever that carried the name Selecta. It was 1957.

In 1985 Selecta joins the Group Valora and in 1997 Selecta floats on the Swiss Stock Exchange.

In 2001 Selecta shareholders approve Compass Group PLC purchase at 1.35 billion. 

To say we had humble beginnings is a grand understatement. We've grown to be Europe's leading vending company the old-fashioned way – by working hard, growing little by little – and then, once we were in the position to, by acquiring some very strong local companies like SAFA (France), Vendepac (UK), SAG (Switzerland), Canteen (Sweden), Olland (Netherlands) and GoExpress (Italy).

Selecta is now part of Allianz ACP. 

Find out more about Selecta Milestones.