Why a Soft Serve Vending Machine Suits Modern Dairy Farms

EEM Group
Dec 15, 2025
5 min read

If you already produce high quality milk, a soft serve vending machine for dairy farm use is one of the most direct ways to turn that milk into higher margin sales. Instead of relying only on wholesale prices, you can sell a finished dessert that customers are happy to pay a premium for.

Dairy farms across the UK are looking at farm diversification, visitor experiences and retail vending to stabilise income. A soft serve ice cream vending machine sits neatly alongside raw milk, fresh milk vending machines and farm shops. It lets you serve customers even when staff are busy elsewhere, and it works just as well on a quiet Monday as it does on a sunny bank holiday.

EEM Group is a specialist vending machine supplier, offering soft serve ice cream vending solutions, milk vending machines and bottle vender machines designed specifically with farms and rural retail in mind.

From raw milk to high margin soft serve

Many dairy farms now run a farm shop, vending shed or small retail cabin selling pasteurised milk, flavoured milk and other local produce. A fresh milk vending machine is often the first step. A soft serve machine is the next logical move.

How soft serve vending adds value to your milk

Soft serve lets you:

Turn your own milk into a premium dessert
Charge more per litre than bottled milk alone
Offer cones, tubs and sundaes with simple toppings
Add flavoured milk recipes or seasonal specials

Because the ice cream is produced and served within the machine, you do not need a staffed ice cream counter. The customer chooses their product on the screen, pays through integrated payment systems, and the machine dispenses a consistent, high quality portion.

This works particularly well if you already attract visitors to the farm for milk refills, farm walks, a café or events. The same customers who drive in for raw milk or fresh milk vending often bring family and friends, and a soft serve option gives them another reason to stay on site and spend more.

Real world example: £3,500 in a week from one machine

At Caverswall Creamery, one of our EEM soft serve vending machines generated nearly 1,000 vends in just one week bringing in over £3,500 in revenue from a single location. That’s the power of smart, self serve automation. No staff needed, no overheads - just consistent, high margin sales day after day.

Whether you’re a farm shop, café, hospitality venue or events organiser, our soft serve vending machines are a proven way to attract customers and drive revenue.

For a dairy farm, this kind of performance can make a real difference to cashflow, especially during the main visitor season. Even at lower volumes, a soft serve vending machine can deliver a strong return compared with selling raw milk or fresh milk alone.

What to look for in a soft serve vending machine for dairy farm use

Not all soft serve vending machines are the same. When you bring one onto a working dairy farm, you need reliability, ease of cleaning and an attractive customer experience.

Key features that make a difference

When you compare options, focus on:

Reliability and efficiency
A robust, efficient ice cream maker that can handle busy weekends without breaking down or wasting product.
Product consistency
Accurate dispense controls so every portion is the same size, protecting your margins and keeping customers happy.
Customer appeal
Features such as a translucent front, improved LED lighting and illuminated top decorations help the machine stand out and show customers that the product is fresh.
Payment systems
Modern payment systems that take contactless, chip and pin and mobile wallets, which is essential if your farm shop is unstaffed at times.
Integration with existing offers
The ability to sit alongside milk vending, bottle vending, frozen goods and other retail vending on site.

Quick checklist before you invest

Ask yourself:

How many visitors do we see on a typical weekday and weekend?
Where could a machine sit so it is visible but easy to access?
Do we already have power and drainage in that area?
Are we planning to sell cones only, or sundaes and toppings too?
Do we want to link the offer with flavoured milk or bottled milkshakes?

Having answers to these questions makes it easier for the EEM team to recommend the right specification for your site.

Fitting soft serve into your wider farm diversification plan

A soft serve vending machine should not sit in isolation. It works best as part of a joined up farm diversification strategy.

Many farms now run:

A small shop or vending cabin with fresh milk vending
Retail shelving for eggs, cheese and other local produce
Bottle vending for flavoured milk and cold drinks
Occasional events such as open days, markets and tours

Adding soft serve gives you a product that appeals to children and families, and pairs well with everything else you sell. It can also support events, from summer open days to evening gatherings, without needing to hire extra staff.

Because the machine operates on self serve automation, your team can focus on milking, field work and customer service, while the vending equipment quietly sells on your behalf.

If you grow the retail side of the business in future, you can expand the mix with additional EEM ice cream vending units, frozen goods vending or more bottle venders, depending on demand.

Simple steps to get started with EEM Group

Moving from the idea stage to a working soft serve vending machine for dairy farm use does not need to be complicated.

Step by step: from enquiry to first vend

Initial discussion
Share details of your farm, visitor numbers and existing retail setup with the EEM team. Photos and rough measurements of potential locations help.
Machine selection and layout
Together we choose the right soft serve vending machine, capacity and layout to match your goals, whether that is weekend treats, daily dessert sales or event support.
Site survey and installation plan
Power, access and siting are reviewed so the installation is smooth and disruption is minimal. Any extras, such as branding panels or signage, are agreed.
Installation and setup
The machine is delivered, installed and configured, including payment systems and product settings, so you are ready to start selling.
Launch and review
You promote the new offer on farm signage and social media, and after the first few weeks EEM can help review usage data and fine tune settings.

Throughout, you have the support of a vending machine supplier that understands dairy farms, farm shops and rural retail, not just high street locations.

Turn your milk into a reliable new income stream

A soft serve vending machine for dairy farm sites is a practical, proven way to add value to the milk you already produce. It complements fresh milk vending, bottled flavoured milk and farm shop sales, and it creates a talking point that visitors remember.

With real world results such as over £3,500 in a week from a single machine, it is clear that soft serve can be more than a nice extra. It can be a meaningful part of your farm’s income mix.

If you are thinking about your next step in farm diversification, now is a good time to explore how soft serve vending could work on your site. You can also browse more ideas and success stories on the EEM blog.