Farm installs fresh milk machine
A DAIRY farmer is installing raw milk vending machines at his Wolvey farm to counter a sharp fall in industry prices.
Shelford Cottage Farm, in Lutterworth Road, will be offering residents fresh, unpasteurised milk seven days a week from September 1.
The Milkbot vending machine stocks “clean, fresh, pure, full fat” milk provided by the farm’s 150 grass-grazed cows.
Farmer Robert Tilford said the new concept is to tackle a reduction in milk prices which has seen his income halve over the last six months.
The 32-year-old said: “We are very excited about our new venture and hope we can put our business back on track, as the last few months have been truly gruelling for the industry with milk prices how they have been.
“There’s a few machines dotted up and down the country. We visited one in Suffolk that’s selling 300 litres a day. If we could do that then it would be fantastic.”
Returning customers will be able to buy dishwashersafe glass bottles in one litre and 500ml sizes.
Two-litre plastic containers will be free of charge for anyone purchasing milk.
Thirsty consumers can purchase the fresh milk using coins, contactless card payment, chip and pin or Apple Pay from 7am to 7pm every day.
Mr Tilford said the “immaculately clean” milk is “triple filtered” through a cooling system before going into the vending machine.
When asked about people’s fears over non-pasteurised milk, Mr Tilford said: “The process to be able to distribute the product is very strict we have had to obtain a licence through the Food Standards Agency, who had to come out and assess our cows and milking procedures to make sure we adhere to the strict rules in place.
“They also sample the milk and run special tests periodically to make sure that everything is safe for consumption.”
For more information on the Milkbot, visit the farm’s Facebook page @shelfordrawmilk