Farmers grow food. People eat food. Getting farmer food to consumers requires creative planning.
Let's look at the pros and cons of delivering fresh food to consumers:
Farmers markets
- Advantages: Get to meet and talk with customers. Get a fairer price for the produce.
- Disadvantages: Farmers have to be salespeople or hire people to sell their produce.
Grocery stores
- Advantages: Willing to buy a lot of food.
- Disadvantages: No personal touch. Won't take "less than perfect" produce. Stores don't pay farmers too well for their produce.
In France, they are trying a different direction: fresh produce in vending machines. Farmers are using vending machines as a way to get fresh local produce to consumers at a price point they need and without the labor cost of selling the food.
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What's Tempting: Raw milk from a vending machine
We explored this topic with getting raw milk from a vending machine in Europe. These vending machines are much easier to operate. The idea of getting fresh oysters in a vending machine is the latest use of this technology. The food is replaced each day so freshness isn't an issue.
The personal touch is lost but the farmers' major requirements are met with the vending machines.
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How are the vending machines helping out the consumers?
They aren't restricted to farmers markets days and hours. They are getting fresher produce than in a supermarket. They establish a relationship with a farmer, even if there is little personal contact. If farmers pass on the savings to the consumer, they will get better produce for a good price.
The major drawback, besides the personal touch, is not being able to touch the produce to get a better sense of what you are buying.
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While I like the personal touch of farmers markets and being able to see and touch the produce, after I was stuck buying regular mushrooms earlier this summer because I couldn't access the farmer in that moment, a vending machine would have been ideal.
The vending machines are similar to the automat machines, the machines you find in Europe that sell fast food sandwiches and other snacks. The machines came over from Germany, where you can also find these vending machines. The machines also take credit cards, another advantage for consumers.
Like most solutions, farmers will have to employ a variety of options that work best for their bottom line. That also includes farmers shoppes. The vending machines offer distinct advantages, especially to farmers who are shy about selling and consumers who are shy about having to strike up a conversation to get great produce.
You can find out more about these machines from outside sources: here, here, and here.
photo credit: George Nelson/Munchies.Vice.com
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