A former executive in the healthcare sector, Stéphanie Dubrion made a radical career change by launching Astral Pizza, a network of automatic pizza and burger vending machines.
In the Ardennes, Aisne and Marne regions, she has built a structured, profitable and constantly evolving business in less than 2 years.
Turning an opportunity into a business strategy
In 2023, Stéphanie Dubrion decided to launch a new entrepreneurial project and took an interest in the automated food service market. After exploring the various solutions available, she selected the vending machines developed by ADIAL, convinced by the reliability of the equipment and the strength of the business model.
She started with 2 pizza vending machines in the Ardennes before rapidly expanding her network. In less than 2 years, Astral Pizza deployed no fewer than 8 pizza vending machines and 4 burger vending machines across the departments of Aisne, Ardennes and Marne. The chosen towns—Sault-lès-Rethel, Amagne, Bogny-sur-Meuse, Bazeilles, Warmeriville, Vervins, Beautor—all have one thing in common: a low density of food service options, especially after 8 p.m. “These are areas where, once the shops close, there are few options left for eating. The vending machine therefore meets a real need,” she explains.
A structured and fast-growing business
Manufacturing and logistics are entirely internalized, managed from a centralized production facility. Starting at 7 a.m., 6 employees prepare the day’s production before heading out on their rounds between 9 and 10 a.m. to stock the vending machines distributed across the 3 departments. A new production site, more spacious and strategically located near Laon (Aisne), is currently being set up and will replace the current facility.
Each team member is trained to be versatile, allowing Stéphanie to maintain an agile and responsive organization. While some recipes are required by her franchisor, she also showcases local products with her own creations, including the Rethéloise pizza with white pudding from Demoizet butcher shop, a jewel of the town of Rethel, as well as a Maroilles burger.
Her model is based on operational rigor, constant demands on the products used, and strong personal involvement. “It’s a real profession in its own right. You shouldn’t think it’s simple,” she emphasizes. Her success relies as much on the quality of her recipes as on her daily presence in the field.
