DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - Thanks to Grewar Farm Vending, Scotland is the latest home to the veggie vending format which has been raising eyebrows in produce circles. Given the success Farmer's Fridge has enjoyed with this format in Los Angeles and Chicago, it is worth wondering if this could be the beginnings of the next big trend in produce.
The new vending machine lets customers purchase bags of potatoes or trays of fresh vegetables the same way one might buy a Snickers bar or a bag of chips.
“It is a new venture but an exciting one,” shared Grewar's Pete Grewar in the Courier. “We’ve had a vending machine out at the bottom of the farm road for two months and it has been very popular but it is a quiet road so we thought we would try it somewhere with a bit more footfall and the Overgate were very keen.”
In addition to the Dundee operation, Grewar also operates vending machines in:
- East Ardler Farm, Scotland
- Dronley Farm, Scotland
- Lamb & Gardiner, Scotland
As the Courier notes, all produce stocked in the Grewar Vending Machine is locally sourced or grown on the company's own farming operations.
“We grow all the potatoes ourselves and if we don’t grow the other vegetables they will be sourced from Tayside or north east Fife,” Pete explained. “It’s great quality and has to be in season.”
Reaction from local residents has already been strong. For example, Dundee community member Jill Darling remarked, “I think it might work out very well because there is nothing else nearby where people can buy vegetables other than Lidl. It’s a definite start and you know you are getting good products.”
In addition to convenience, part of the appeal of this format is its competitive pricing. £5 (roughly $7.81) will purchase a full tray of vegetables and eggs, complete with six free-range eggs, six baking potatoes, a swede, 1.25kg of onions and 1.25kg of carrots.
There are even plans to expand the format into two additional towns if it performs well.
With companies on both sides of the Atlantic working to expand this intriguing produce format, I know this is one trend I'll be keeping my eye on closely.
