For many years, vending machines were primarily associated with quick snacks like fizzy drinks, crisps, and chocolates. However, one farming family is seeking to transform this perception by introducing vending machines that offer fresh milk and locally sourced goods, including scotch eggs, sausage rolls, and brownies, to rural communities.
Mark James, who is 70 years old, along with his sons Sam, 39, and Jacob, 36, initially experimented with vending machines as a method to sell their milk directly to customers. This shift has allowed them to gain more control over pricing. Mark states, “For the first time ever, we’re price makers rather than price takers. If we weren’t doing this [the vending machine business], we’d have to consider stopping milk production.”
Currently, approximately 30% of the 4,500 liters of milk produced daily by their herd of 130 dairy cows in Bodenham, Herefordshire, is sold through their 17 Whole Moo World vending machines, which are distributed across Herefordshire and nearby counties, including Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire. The remaining 70% is supplied to a local milk processing company.
As the Whole Moo World venture gained traction, Jacob and Sam expanded their offerings to include cakes, sandwiches, and other snacks created by local artisans through their business, Tuckshop. This operation now includes 22 locations, primarily in conjunction with the milk vending machines, and also offers empty glass bottles for milk purchases.
Jacob believes that farmers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of direct sales to consumers, even if they lack the ideal location or financial resources to establish their own farm shop. He argues that vending machines could serve as a solution for small villages and rural areas that risk becoming “food deserts,” where low-income families find it challenging to access fresh, nutritious food due to the closure of local stores and inadequate public transport.
This approach also provides a more lucrative means for farmers facing economic pressures to connect directly with customers, bypassing costly intermediaries.
Dairy producers in the UK and elsewhere have faced significant challenges in recent years due to a fluctuating price cycle for milk, a commodity that is traded globally. Increased demand for dairy products has often led farmers to expand their herds and production, only to face oversupply and subsequent price drops.
Mark notes that farmgate milk prices have begun to decline again this year. “In August last year, we were receiving 44p per liter, but since early February, it has dropped to 30p per liter,” he explains. For many dairy farmers, including the James family, this price does not cover production costs. Margins in the dairy sector have always been narrow, and UK supermarkets often use low milk prices to attract customers, with the processing industry being largely dominated by three major companies: Arla, Müller, and First Milk.
At present, British supermarkets are retailing a two-pint (1.1-liter) bottle of milk for between £1.20 and £1.30. In contrast, customers at Whole Moo World pay £1.50 for a liter of the family’s unhomogenised milk, which is delivered in refillable glass bottles that customers can purchase, clean, and reuse. A liter of flavored milkshake, available in varieties such as chocolate, strawberry, and mint chocolate, is priced at £2.90.
Mark emphasizes that customers are willing to pay a slight premium for milk that is creamier and more environmentally sustainable due to the use of glass bottles.
This venture marks the James family’s second attempt at dairy farming. Mark initially took over the family farm but exited milk production during a crisis in 2015 when low wholesale prices rendered it unviable. Following this, the family diversified their operations by raising beef cattle and offering holiday rentals, but the nature of their land was not conducive to growing crops.
The younger James family members were only interested in returning to milk production if they could manage the business differently. “It is only through doing this [the vending machines] that I have any interest in being a dairy farmer,” Sam remarks.
Beyond the machines, the family’s mixed herd of dairy cows is milked using robotic technology, allowing each cow to choose when to be milked, which alleviates the need for early morning labor associated with traditional dairy farming.
During a visit from The Guardian to one vending machine situated near the Primrose Vale pick-your-own farm shop on the outskirts of Cheltenham, a steady stream of customers was observed filling their glass bottles from the machines. Mark notes, “Our major challenge is breaking the habit of customers picking up milk at supermarkets, as this necessitates a special trip to our location.”
Strategically placing the vending machines near a farm shop creates benefits for both enterprises, according to Jon Henley, a manager at Primrose Vale. “The machines appear to attract customers around the clock, who then discover our strawberries and return for pick-your-own or our electric vehicle charging points. This is especially advantageous in winter when seasonal picking is limited.”
The vending machines also serve as an attraction for children. Emma Coulter, who was purchasing milk with her three-year-old daughter Bonnie, noted, “We come to pick berries and then get milk. The machine is fun for little ones.”
Another customer, Sam Carter-Campbell, who indulges in a strawberry milkshake while working as an electrician in Gloucestershire, shared his enthusiasm: “I feel like I’m their best customer as I’m at the machine every day. Occasionally, I treat myself to a brownie, but sometimes I think, ‘I’d better not.’” A customer named Vicky described the machines as a delightful addition to the shopping experience.
