Sprinkles Cupcakes, the Bakery That Sold From Vending Machines, Closes Suddenly

Sprinkles Cupcakes, the specialty chain that started out in a private kitchen and grew to fuel a craze for cupcakes sold in bakeries and A.T.M.-like vending machines that played a song with each sale, is no more.

Candace Nelson, a founder, announced that the treats were going away, saying on social media that the company’s final day was Dec. 31. Ms. Nelson sold the California-based business to a private equity firm, KarpReilly LLC, in 2012. Neither she nor the firm explained the reason for the chain’s closure.

“As many of you know, I started Sprinkles in 2005 with a KitchenAid mixer and a big idea,” Ms. Nelson said on Instagram. While she no longer has a role in the business, she added, “it’s surreal to see this chapter come to a close — and it’s not how I imagined the story would unfold.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/business/sprinkles-cupcakes-closed.html