Electronic Payments and Lifelong Launch Integrated Payments Platform for Kava Bars Nationwide
New partnership gives kava bar operators access to integrated point of sale, merchant services, and marketing through a
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ATLANTA and BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lifelong, an Atlanta-based fintech company delivering an all-in-one point of sale, merchant services, and marketing platform, and Electronic Payments, Inc. (EPI), the processor behind the Cygma® authorization and clearing platform, today announced a joint partnership that brings integrated payment processing and business management tools to kava bars nationwide. The program follows EPI’s decision to begin underwriting the rapidly growing kava industry.
Kava bars have moved from a Florida-centric niche to a national category, with new locations opening across Florida, Oregon, New York, Utah, Texas, and dozens of other states as consumer demand for alcohol alternatives accelerates. Historically, kava bar operators have struggled to secure reliable payment processing, often relying on high-risk providers that charge higher fees, impose restrictive contracts, and provide inconsistent support. With EPI now supporting the vertical, Lifelong can offer kava bar operators the same caliber of processing, technology, and rate structures available to traditional bars and restaurants.
“Kava bar operators have been telling us the same thing for years: they’re being treated like a problem by their current providers, and they’re paying three or four different vendors to get an experience that still doesn’t work,” said Kermit Lowry, CEO of Lifelong. “With EPI opening up processing for this vertical, we can finally give kava bars a true all-in-one solution. One platform backed by a processor that’s committed to serving this industry.”
“The rapid growth of the kava market underscores the need for reliable payments infrastructure, not workarounds,” said Michael Nardy, founder and CEO of EPI. “Partnering with Lifelong allows us to pair processing with the technology, support, and stability kava bar operators have been missing.”
One Platform for POS, Payments, and Marketing
Lifelong consolidates the three systems most kava bars run separately (point of sale, merchant services, and marketing) into a single integrated platform. Customer data captured at the register flows directly into marketing campaigns, loyalty programs, and reporting dashboards, giving operators a unified view of the business without exporting between vendors.
Built-In Bar Tabs and Pre-Authorization
Lifelong natively supports pre-authorized bar tabs, allowing operators to capture payment information when a tab is opened and close it out at the end of the night without walked tabs or chargebacks. The system handles split checks, gratuity adjustments, and tab transfers between bartenders without requiring third-party workarounds.
20 Hours of Live Support, 365 Days a Year
Lifelong provides live customer support from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. Eastern Time, every day of the year. The coverage aligns with standard kava bar operations, ensuring help is available during peak business hours. When a terminal goes down at 1 a.m. on a Saturday, operators reach a human, not a voicemail. The company cites its support model as the single most common reason new customers switch from incumbent providers.
Multi-Location Inventory and Reporting
For kava bar groups operating multiple locations, Lifelong consolidates inventory tracking, sales reporting, and labor data into a single dashboard. Operators can compare performance across venues, track botanical product supply and costs in real time, and identify margin trends without exporting data.
The Lifelong kava bar program, powered by EPI, is available nationwide. Interested operators can schedule a consultation and rate review at llmerchantservices.com or lifelongpos.com.
About Lifelong
Lifelong is an Atlanta-based fintech company providing an all-in-one point-of-sale, merchant services, and marketing platform to bars, restaurants, general retail, and high-risk specialty retailers across the United States. The company is recognized for its bar-tab functionality, multi-location reporting tools, and 20 hours of daily live customer support. Learn more at llmerchantservices.com and lifelongpos.com.
About Electronic Payments
Founded in 2000, Electronic Payments, Inc. (EPI) is a direct payment processor powering Cygma®, Exatouch®, TableTurn®, and eGiftSolutions®. The company supports more than 60,000 merchants and 1,500 sales partners worldwide with integrated payment processing, software, and business management solutions.
Media Contacts:
Kermit Lowry
CEO, Lifelong
marketing@llmerchantservices.com
llmerchantservices.com | lifelongpos.com
Amber R. Josi
VP of Marketing Communications, Electronic Payments
press@electronicpayments.com
electronicpayments.com
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/728ec2cb-8dc4-45f8-b127-5e35ca5fb711
