The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Selling fresh produce and milk directly to the public can see farmers earn a higher profit than via big chain supermarkets
Direct selling of agricultural produce is a growing market in the UK.
Traditionally, farmers and growers sold a range of fresh produce at the farm gate to locals and passers-by as a means to add value to their outputs. The farm vending concept began when producers, selling produce via an honesty box system, were often left out of pocket as customers would walk off without paying and its popularity has grown in Scotland following successful examples in continental Europe.
Farmers in France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany have been selling fresh produce and fresh milk to consumers for many years, providing them with significantly higher returns than the going market rate.
Farm vending cuts out the middle man and ensures that profits are retained at the farm gate. Although farm vending has lower volume sales than mainstream markets, the concept allows customers to purchase fresh local produce such as vegetables, soft fruit, jams, preserves, and eggs, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Vending by JSR Services, based in Blairgowrie, is the UK’s sole distributor for both the Roesler and Automaten Centrale vending machines, with the Roesler first installed in Scotland on a farm owned by John Gordon of Highland Feather Fresh in Tain. Machines are custom-built with various locker sizes and can house anything from eggs to a 25kg bag of potatoes.
Vending machines can be ambient or refrigerated depending on the produce and are fitted with cash, chip and pin, and contactless payment methods for ease of customer use. A 28-locker ambient machine costs around £9,000 to install, with the refrigerated model coming in at £11,500. The payback period is around 9-12 months, depending on location and produce sold.
JSR sales director Stuart Retson said: “I started the business over four years ago to sell our own eggs produced on the farm. Since then, it has taken off and we have installed 64 machines on farms, at farm shops, caravan parks and even shopping centres.”
Perthshire farmers and wholesale contractors Pete and Euan Grewar now have four vending machines selling fresh produce throughout Tayside. They stock vegetables, seasonal fruit, and salad boxes and are located on-farm and in city centre shopping centres.
Lower Thorneybank Farm, near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, which has been selling home-grown produce for almost 40 years, ventured into farm vending in December 2018, and the Stephen family opened a refurbished farm shop installing JSR’s new Lock Blox vending machine.
“The machine is convenient, easy to use and provides customers with a novel shopping experience,” said Stuart Stephen, farmer and owner of Lower Thorneybank farm shop.
“We sell potatoes, vegetables, other local produce, and home-made shortbread, toffee, fruit loaf and oatcakes. The machine has a touchscreen system and takes cash, coins or contactless payments. Since opening in December we have, on average, 250-300 customers per week, many of whom are repeat customers.”
Farm vending is not restricted to fruit and vegetables. There are more than 3,000 milk vending machines across Europe.
Aberdeenshire-based Forest Farm Dairy was the first Scottish dairy farm to invest in milk vending technology and it has been a huge success, with the awardwinning dairy selling an average 300 litres per day via their 200l and 400l vending machines made by Italian firm DF Italia and marketed by the Milk Station Company, based in Somerset.
Brunimat machines combine
adispensing system, milk tanks, agitator, control system and chilled milk compartment in one freestanding unit. Prices range from £5,890 to £8,290. DF Italia machines come in various sizes and dimensions ranging from £7,650 to £16,375 excluding VAT and installation.
Ambient or chilled vending machines do not need to be solely owned and run by one business. A group of producers could collaborate to sell their produce. Funding can be obtained from the Connect Local Regional Food Fund which supports collaborative projects promoting local food and drink.
Given consumer trends for local, traceable food and drink with low food miles, farm vending may be a relatively low-cost diversification option for farmers to add value to their outputs.