Kava OS · the platform
One operating system for every shelf nobody staffs.
Kava OS is the unattended retail software behind every 8Kava cooler, vending machine, kiosk, locker and micro-store, and behind the legacy machines you retrofit. Ten modules share one data model, so telemetry, forecasts, prices, payments and service work the same way at every point.
- connected retail points
- 3,400+connected retail points
- operators and location hosts
- 190+operators and location hosts
- transactions in the last 12 months
- 11.8Mtransactions in the last 12 months
Ten modules of unattended retail software, one set of records
Every module reads and writes the same records: devices, items, sales, prices, visits and tickets. That is why a forecast can move a price, and a price change can show up on tomorrow's pick list without anyone exporting a spreadsheet.
Fleet Command
Real-time telemetry, DEX/MDB data, alerts and remote price changes for every device, on web and mobile.
Vision AI
Camera and per-shelf weight fusion at checkout, restock reconciliation and shrink detection.
Forecasting & Replenishment
Item-level forecasts that become pre-kitted pick lists and routes that skip full machines.
Dynamic Pricing
Expiry-aware markdowns, time-of-day prices and subsidies, inside guardrails you set.
Payments & Loyalty
Tap, wallets, app, badge and payroll deduct, on your own processor or Kava Pay.
Shopper Analytics
Anonymous traffic, dwell, conversion and basket patterns for planogram decisions.
Retail Media
Door and screen campaigns measured against purchases on the same device.
Kava Agent
An operations agent that drafts, proposes and acts within the guardrails you write.
Maintenance & Energy
Compressor health, door-seal and temperature alerts, and scheduling that cuts kWh by 19%.
Integrations & API
REST API, webhooks, CSV/Parquet export and connectors for ERP, payroll, SSO and warehouses.
Closed platforms look tidy right up until you try to leave.
The industry is consolidating into bundles where the telemetry, the card reader, the processor and the kiosk all come from one vendor. It works until you want a different reader, a better processing rate, or your own sales history in your own warehouse.
Kava OS is built the other way around. It runs on MDB-compliant machines and readers you already own, reads DEX/UCS audit data, and connects legacy machines through a $349 Kava Link module in a median 22 minutes. Bring your own processor at no markup, or use Kava Pay at interchange-plus 0.35% + $0.05. Your data exports as CSV or Parquet whenever you ask.
- No setup fee for software and no long-term contract on monthly plans.
- Open REST API and webhooks on Autopilot and Enterprise.
- No cashless convenience fee is ever imposed on shoppers.
One sale, followed through the system
Here is what a single $4.25 cold brew does inside Kava OS between the tap at 2:14 p.m. and the van leaving the next morning.
Tap
A card, phone, app QR or employee badge is authorized and the cooler door releases.
Receipt
Cameras and ±2 g shelf load cells agree on what left. The receipt is final within 10 seconds of the door closing.
Record
The sale updates the item count against par, cashless reporting and the device's health record in Fleet Command.
Forecast and price
Forecasting re-scores tomorrow's demand for that item at that site. Dynamic Pricing checks sell-by dates against your guardrails.
Pick list and route
The cold brew lands on a pre-kitted pick list for that stop, and the route is re-sequenced around what actually sold.
Which modules come with which plan
| Module | Core · $19 | Pro · $39 | Autopilot · $69 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fleet Command, sales and cashless reporting | |||
| Planograms | Basic | Basic | Basic |
| Forecasting, pre-kitting and dynamic routing | |||
| Dynamic Pricing | |||
| Payments & Loyalty programs | |||
| Shopper Analytics | |||
| Kava Agent | |||
| Vision AI analytics and shrink detection | |||
| Predictive Maintenance & Energy | |||
| Retail Media and API access | |||
| Support | 24/7 phone | 24/7 phone |
Prices are per connected device per month, 15% off with annual billing. Enterprise adds volume pricing from 250 devices, SSO/SAML, custom data residency, a 99.95% uptime SLA, a named success manager and custom integrations. All other plans carry a 99.9% SLA.
What the modules do when they work together
The boring parts, done carefully
Offline is a state, not an outage
Every 8Kava device buffers 72 hours of transactions. A dead cell tower at a trailhead doesn't stop a sale.
Encrypted both ways
Data is hosted in US regions, encrypted in transit with TLS 1.2+ and at rest with AES-256.
Roles that match real jobs
Owner, manager, driver/restocker, technician, finance and a read-only brand partner view. Each sees what their job needs.
Uptime with a number on it
99.9% platform uptime SLA on every plan, 99.95% on Enterprise. Support and the NOC run 24/7/365.
Speaks the old protocols
MDB for vend and cashless events, DEX/UCS for audit data. Legacy machines aren't second-class citizens.
Three apps, one record
A web console for planning, an iOS/Android operator app for alerts, and a driver app for the route.
Every format, the same console
Kava Link retrofit
Put a legacy machine on Kava OS for $349, in a median 22 minutes.
Smart coolers
Tap, open, take. Vision and weight sensing on 5 adjustable shelves.
Smart lockers
Hot, cold and ambient pickup with per-compartment door sensors.
Autonomous micro-stores
Up to 700 SKUs in a 160 sq ft walk-in that fits a parking space.
The agent drafts tomorrow's pick lists before my drivers wake up. I approve them over coffee.
How many logins does it take to answer one question about one machine?
If finding out why site 14 ran out of cold brew means opening a telemetry portal, a processor portal and a spreadsheet someone emails on Fridays, the problem isn't the cold brew. Every handoff between systems is a place where data stops and a person starts copying. Count the tools your team touches before 8 a.m. That number is your real integration cost.
Questions about Kava OS
Does Kava OS work with machines that aren't 8Kava hardware?
Yes. Kava OS works with MDB-compliant machines and readers and reads DEX/UCS audit data. A Kava Link L2 module connects to the MDB bus and DEX port of a legacy machine in a median 22 minutes and adds real-time sales, remote pricing and temperature input. See Kava Link.
Can I try it before I commit?
Yes. There is a 30-day free trial of Pro on up to 10 devices. Legacy machines need a Kava Link module to connect. Monthly plans have no setup fee and no long-term contract.
Do I have to process payments through 8Kava?
No. Bring your own processor at no markup, or use Kava Pay at interchange-plus 0.35% + $0.05 per transaction. Either way, shoppers never pay a cashless convenience fee. Details are on Payments & Loyalty.
Where is my data, and can I take it with me?
Data is hosted in US regions and encrypted in transit and at rest. You can export it as CSV or Parquet, and Autopilot adds the REST API and webhooks. Enterprise customers can set custom data residency.
What happens when a device loses its connection?
It keeps selling. Every 8Kava device buffers 72 hours of transactions offline and syncs them when the connection returns. Fleet Command flags the device so you know it's running on its buffer.
Where to go next
Start with the machine that bothers you most.
Book a demo and we'll map Kava OS to your formats, your readers and your processor. Or start a 30-day Pro trial on up to 10 devices.