About Robotic Confections

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

My name is Matt Eaton, I am a husband to Kristin, a dad of 3 active kids, and have a career in aviation. I also made a decision that robotic cotton candy machines were the answer to a question I'd been asking myself for years: How do I build something that creates a little flexibility for my family, teaches my kids about entrepreneurship, gives back to the community, and can make a difference for kids who need it most?

It started as a search for passive income - the large vending machines that could run at military bases and retail locations while I was flying. Something that didn't require me to be everywhere at once. But it quickly became so much more than that when we added the community component: smaller robotic machines we could bring directly to schools, churches, and events where my kids and I could get involved face-to-face.

How We Got Here

The robotics angle? That was partly practical - automated vending fits our times - but mostly it was just cool. Kids love watching the machine work through the clear windows, and frankly, so do adults. It turned out to be the perfect bridge between running a scalable business and creating memorable experiences.

But here's what really sets our smaller event machines apart: no mess. Unlike traditional rental cotton candy machines that spray sugar everywhere and leave kids sticky from head to toe, our robotic machines contain everything. No sugar on the floors. No sugar on the walls. No sticky cleanup 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.

My friend David Bean, a guy 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.

The Evolution

We started with retail locations. Then I discovered the military market - Fort Leavenworth Exchange and Fort Riley Exchange became our proving ground. The reliability requirements were demanding, but the partnerships worked. We're now in discussions with Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, and Fort Leonard Wood.

But here's where the business took an unexpected turn: I kept wanting to just give it away.

Seriously. I'd see a school fundraiser struggling, or a church youth program trying to raise money for kids who couldn't afford camp, and I'd think, "Just take the cotton candy. Take the machine. Make it work for your kids."

My business partner had to remind me that going broke doesn't help anyone. We needed to find the balance between generosity and sustainability. That's when we developed our model: partner with nonprofits, work with schools and churches on fundraising, and build in charitable giving that actually works long-term.

Why We Do This

I have a heart for kids in stressful situations. Whether it's military families dealing with deployments, students whose schools can't afford field trips, or youth programs trying to send kids to camp - that's where cotton candy becomes more than just sugar on a stick.

It's a fundraising tool. It's a morale boost. It's something simple that brings joy.

And for my own kids? They're learning what it means to build something, to serve others, to think like entrepreneurs. They see their dad running a business that doesn't just make money - it makes a difference.

Where We're Going

Robotic Confections has morphed from retail vending to military partnerships to nonprofit collaboration to school and church fundraising support. We've landed on a model that works: we provide full-service automated vending solutions that generate revenue for facilities with zero operational burden, and we build 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.