Hi, we are looking at setting up a milk vending machine and just want some advice if anyone has done it before. We want to know where to begin and any hurdles that people have come across or anything that they didn't expect. We have thought of a couple of locations, one of these is a large layby on a main road, in anyone's experience is this a good idea?
Milk Vending Machine
- Thread starter jermanpa
- Start date
- Location
- Acton Scott, South Shropshire
These guys have started up about 6 months ago and may be able to offer some advice
- Location
- Northumberland
Layby - Security, power supply ?
Lots about. Someone like Becky at https://twitter.com/CherryViewMilk would advise
Bryce at https://twitter.com/MossgielFarm has 4 operating in various locations
https://themilkstationcompany.co.uk/ supply 2 different makes of machine - worth a chat
Lots about. Someone like Becky at https://twitter.com/CherryViewMilk would advise
Bryce at https://twitter.com/MossgielFarm has 4 operating in various locations
https://themilkstationcompany.co.uk/ supply 2 different makes of machine - worth a chat
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
3 gone in round here in the last 3 yrs, only one still going.
2 run out of milk?
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
Nope, didn't sell enough so sold the machines
- Location
- Northumberland
Location is the key. If you are selling raw milk then the machine has to be "on farm". So you need an easy to get to site clean & tidy & secure.
Pastuerised milk can be sold more widely. Bryce mentioned above has 3 in urban locations. We are involved with one in the suberbs of Newcastle, within a shop. This one is selling circa 350 litres / week
Rough price guide is £5k - £10K The lower price machine dispencses a set amount of milk at the push of a button. then "pay at the till"
The dearer ones have cash / card reader & SMS warning systems for high temp, low milk level power cut etc.
Running costs are modest, they work on a 13a plug. Then some hot water & dairy chemicals for a daily cleaning regime.
You can sell screw top glass bottles. In Newcastle our customer is frustrated at the punters inability to bring back their bottles ! (So thy make a margin selling another )
Some folks in North Yorshire have a good idea, They put a vending machine in a horse box & park it in rural villages. Think they have 4 regular spots https://twitter.com/thehomefarmer
This is the Brunimat machine in Newcastle
Pastuerised milk can be sold more widely. Bryce mentioned above has 3 in urban locations. We are involved with one in the suberbs of Newcastle, within a shop. This one is selling circa 350 litres / week
Rough price guide is £5k - £10K The lower price machine dispencses a set amount of milk at the push of a button. then "pay at the till"
The dearer ones have cash / card reader & SMS warning systems for high temp, low milk level power cut etc.
Running costs are modest, they work on a 13a plug. Then some hot water & dairy chemicals for a daily cleaning regime.
You can sell screw top glass bottles. In Newcastle our customer is frustrated at the punters inability to bring back their bottles ! (So thy make a margin selling another )
Some folks in North Yorshire have a good idea, They put a vending machine in a horse box & park it in rural villages. Think they have 4 regular spots https://twitter.com/thehomefarmer
This is the Brunimat machine in Newcastle
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
Only seen one near me and that's a 20 minute drive ,it set up on a nice wooden cabin at the farm entrance ,,I've used twice as I was passing ,,I would think that's the only trade it gets .
My sister is setting up a mobile vending machine here in mid Devon, its nearly ready to go.....
There's one at Crediton mole Avon that sells a fair bit I'm told.
I'm not sure what she's spent and she/dad have done most of the setting up, but budget a fair bit over the cost of the machines!
There's one at Crediton mole Avon that sells a fair bit I'm told.
I'm not sure what she's spent and she/dad have done most of the setting up, but budget a fair bit over the cost of the machines!
Headless chicken
Member
- Location
- West Wales
Do these machine pasteurise or are they needing it do be done separately then delivered into it.
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
What TB area are you in? Bearing in mind it’s heading your way where ever you are, pretty sure your not allowed to sell via a vending machine if your closed down with TB.
- Location
- Northumberland
No they don`t pasteurise
They store it a 2 -3 C in churns We use 50 litre ones.
I find it a bit bizare, in 1975 I stopped selling milk in churns. Now 44 years on I`m back to selling some milk in churns.
Nowt new,
Headless chicken
Member
- Location
- West Wales
Very interesting Thankyou
ollie989898
Member
You need to be located on a busy-ish road and near some affluent villages and towns.
It also helps if at least one member of the family is not a grumpy-kins who can deal with the public. A tidy farm yard and house also helps.
It also helps if at least one member of the family is not a grumpy-kins who can deal with the public. A tidy farm yard and house also helps.
ollie989898
Member
To be fair, given the cost of one of these machines is not ridiculous, not much more than the cost of a higher end fertiliser spreader, there can't be any harm in at least trying.
One farm I know of sells a fair bit this way, all cash of course. Gives away free eggs alongside it from their chickens which are basically only kept as pets anyway.
One farm I know of sells a fair bit this way, all cash of course. Gives away free eggs alongside it from their chickens which are basically only kept as pets anyway.
- Location
- Shropshire
It's ok if you pasteurise.
sheepwise
Member
- Location
- SW Scotland
The Kerr family who run the award winning "Cooshed" on farm coffee shop outside Ayr have one They sell 200 litres per day to customers who appreciate how milk should taste.
- Location
- Northumberland
Map on this link of milk vending machines in the UK
themilkstationcompany.co.uk
Milk Stations in the UK – The Milk Station Company
themilkstationcompany.co.uk
Mr Mackay
Member
- Location
- HMP Slade , Shropshire
Thats right . There are several around here that have had to stop selling until they go clear , and one that ran into opposition from their milk buyer .
2 of them were on farm and the other in an old railway hut at the end of the drive