Vending

Kent farm shop utilizes vending machines for out-of-hours sales

Photo: Adobe Stock

April 8, 2025

The Old Tractor Shed Farm Shop in Brookland, Kent, U.K. has installed vending machines to sell local produce outside of its regular business hours, according to a BBC report. The machines offer items such as milk, pickles, meats, fruit juices and fresh vegetables sourced from the Romney Marsh area. "This enables us to extend our hours to offer local produce to a wide range of people such as dog walkers and cyclists early in the morning when the shop is not open," Deborah Ovenden, farm co-owner, told the news outlet.

Located in shipping containers in front of the farm shop, the vending machines allow customers to pay using bank cards and smartphones and are accessible daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. BST. The owners also plan to convert one of the containers into a self-service cafe. The initiative comes as many farms explore diversification strategies to boost income.