About Robotic Confections

A Family Business Built on Service, Community, and Cotton Candy

The Story Behind the Robot

I'd been thinking about passive income for decades. But in August 2024, I finally got clarity: make it passive, teach my kids about work and entrepreneurship.

My answer was robotic vending machines. Cotton candy. It's ok to laugh, I often do.

Starting the business was the hardest decision I've ever made. Not because of what I wanted to do, but because of what I didn't know. Some friends thought it was genius. Some thought I was nuts.

I thought it would be passive income. Something that could run itself while I was flying. Turns out, it's not passive at all.

First came months of cold calls and rejection. Nobody wanted cotton candy machines.

Then we got our first yes at Club Run & Jump - a kids space themed indoor tube park. Then we expanded to a local mall with 2 more machines. Things were looking great until the mall wanted to increase our rent by 500%, we couldn't do that. We were let go and it stung. There was a lesson there I needed to learn and sometimes lessons suck.

That's when everything changed.

After more grinding an opportunity opened up on military bases - Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley. Seeing the military kids watching the robot arm make cotton candy, their faces lighting up, jumping up and down. I had seen the same excitement before at Club Run & Jump and at the mall. Kids love watching the robot work. But this was different.

These kids live on base. They're normal kids 99% of the time, until mom or dad gets deployed. I started thinking about the sadness, the weight of a parent leaving. I realized this machine brings a moment of joy. A smile. Even if it's just for a minute.

That's when it hit me. It's not just military kids. All kids deserve this. The troubled kids at school. The kids at youth group going through hard times. The kids who are safer when they're not at home. The kids whose parents can't or don't care for them.

So I started reaching out to the community. My angle - this is science - this isn't just cotton candy - well sometimes it is - but every time it's robotics and food science. And it brings a moment of joy to a kid who needs it.

We did our first big fundraiser with Kids and Car Safety in October 2025. Now we're working with schools, churches, and nonprofits across Kansas City.

Every kid deserves sweet childhood memories, no matter the cost. That's what drives me.

I'm not a businessman. I'm still trying to figure it out. The balance between giving it away and being profitable enough to keep giving it away.

Who We Are

My name is Matt Eaton. I'm a husband to Kristin, a dad of 3 active kids, and I have a career in aviation. Robotic Confections is our family business, built on service, community, and yes - cotton candy.

My friend David Bean, a Vietnam-era Purple Heart recipient with decades of business wisdom, saw what I was trying to build and gave me the push I needed. He provided the encouragement to actually do it instead of just thinking and talking about it. That partnership turned an idea into Robotic Confections.

What Makes Us Different

No Mess Cotton Candy
Unlike traditional cotton candy machines where volunteers end up covered in sugar and create a sticky mess everywhere, our robotic machines contain everything. The volunteers don't get sticky. No sugar on the floors. No sugar on the walls. No cleanup nightmare afterward. Schools and churches can run them indoors without worrying about the aftermath. It's the same great cotton candy experience, just actually manageable for volunteers.

Large Automated Vending Machines
Currently operating at Fort Leavenworth Exchange, Fort Riley Exchange, and Club Run & Jump. These machines generate consistent revenue for facilities with zero operational burden - we handle all installation, maintenance, restocking, and daily operations.

Smaller Event Machines
Perfect for schools, churches, fundraisers, and community events. We bring the machines directly to you, and my kids and I get involved face-to-face. It's robotics, food science, and a moment of joy - all in one experience.

Where We're Going

We're in discussions with Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, and Fort Leonard Wood for military expansion. We're building partnerships with schools and churches across Kansas City for fundraising and STEM education programs.

Robotic Confections has evolved from retail vending to military partnerships to nonprofit collaboration. We've landed on a model that works: we provide solutions that generate revenue while building in giving back to the community as a core part of how we operate.

We're not the biggest vending company. We're not trying to be. We're a family business in Olathe, Kansas, working with organizations that share our values: service, community, and making things better for kids.

If that sounds like a partnership that makes sense for your facility, school, church, or military installation - let's talk.