Bennetts Farm Shop, located just outside the Cotswold village of Leighterton, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, is another Farm shop run fully remotely and entirely self-service using Vending by JSR’s locker vending technology. Bennetts Farm Shop is run by couple Simon (who has been growing his own Aberdeen Angus herd and producing top quality, grass-fed beef) and Tara Best (who has her own marketing company and business coaching company). The pair combined Simon’s farming and food production skills with Tara’s marketing skills to open up their Farm Shop, which has been a massive success in the short months it has been open.
Simon and Tara First saw us at the Farm Business Innovation Show in 2019, where Tara had her own stand. At the time, Simon and Tara had plans to sell directly to the consumer in some way but were not in a position to open up their own shop as of yet. Once they saw our stand and our locker vending technology, they decided there and then that this is what they would use to sell directly to the consumer, and they were going to use Vending by JSR to do it. I spoke with Tara to learn more about how they are getting on with their farm shop and how our vending technology is providing value to their business.
I was curious to hear why Tara and Simon opted to invest in Locker Vending Machines as opposed to going down the traditional Farm Shop Route – “We wanted to sell our beef products direct to the consumer; however, we are both busy with other businesses, so did not want to sit in the farm shop ourselves selling products 9am-5pm. We also know of several farm shops that tried to do it the traditional way and struggled to survive, as you have a couple of quiet days where you do not take enough to cover the wages. It seemed like an absolute no-brainer to us; the vending machine gives us so much flexibility, plus we can be open for longer and aren’t restricted by Sunday or bank holiday hours, so there was no doubt in our minds as to whether we opted for a self service option or the traditional staffing route”.
What products are sold inside Bennets Farm Shop? – “In the refrigerated machine, we have our own beef products (beef burgers, steaks, roasting joints). We have also got dairy products like butter and cheeses. We have a great pork supplier, so things like sausages, bacon, ham, sausage rolls, and scotch eggs and have started offering seasonal fruits and salads. In the ambient machine, we have eggs, brownies, blondies, dog treats, dog chews, and kitchen staples (chutney, honey, jams, crackers), so a really nice mix, all of which is local and from small independent producersd. I love that we can change the products inside lockers so easily, so it’s works well for us to offer such a variety.
What other Vending technologies do Bennetts use to offer additional services to their customers? – “A neighbouring dairy farm has put their own milk vending machine into our farm shop and their own bottle machine. We also have a self-service coffee machine so our entire shop is self service and accepts card payments only.
How did Tara market Bennetts Farm Shop to get customers through the door and shopping at Bennetts? – “We launched the social media in February and started telling people we are having an open day on the 26th of March and started inviting people. These social media accounts have grown quite quickly. We have about 2,000 followers between the accounts in under 6 months. Then we did a big PR campaign about the launch and have done a number of follow up pieces since. We contacted all the local publications, invited journalists to the open day and got so much attraction as all the local publications were interested in, and published what the news of our opening. People were really intrigued as what we are doing is so different. People are coming from quite far to see our self-service farm shop”.
What is their favourite/ most used aspect of the Vending Web? – “I love how easy it is to change the products in the lockers. I can not believe how easy it is to move products around in the vending machine; it is a straightforward user system. I love how you can put in a nice description about the products (where It comes from, ingredients, allergens). Reporting is excellent as well, being able to break it down by product and time period. This is really good to find out when our products are selling and how many of each product we are selling”.
How difficult was it for Tara and her customers to operate their LockBlox vending machine? – “Really easy from both aspects. Once you’ve used it once, you have a really good understanding and it’s so easy to use again, unlike some forms of technology. We have had customers use it ranging from 5 years old to 85 years old. Some of the older generations are apprehensive about using it; however, once they are shown once how to use it, they get it. I think it is a really easy system to use, it’s intuitive, and people now understand how to use touch screens. It is nice that the technology is already advanced as I think things will become more self-service, and we are already ahead of the game”.
Do Bennetts have any plans to extend their vending machines? – We have our 3rd vending machine on order and want to purchase Vending by JSR’s Freezer Machine. That will enable us to offer frozen, high-end convenience meals, prepared meats, and ice creams. We want to offer a slightly larger product range with a nice variety of price points”.
How helpful has Vending by JSR been in the set-up of Bennetts Farm Shop? – “Fabulous! Whenever any tech glitches happen, which are very few and far between, Stuart is always straight on the phone, doing video calls and is always super supportive”.
What tips would Tara have for anyone who has invested in Locker Vending Technology or thinking about doing so? – “If you are thinking about it, do it! I’d say think longer term, it is a decent (significant) investment, but I genuinely think you get what you pay for. We already know that ours will pay for itself so quickly. The user experience is so important and these innovative products really support that. It is just such a seamless, intuitive, easy-to-use piece of equipment. So if you are on the fence, I’d say do it, even if it is a bit scary”.
“If you have just invested in one, I’d say take your time to get to know how the back end of it works, play with different features, try different things. One thing that helped us in the first month was we were present in the farm shop, assisting people on how to use it. People then figure it out”. “When I am marketing it, I talk about it so much that I am sick of talking about it. But that’s not even enough to be talking about it! People need to keep seeing things, so keep being consistent in telling people how it works, and keep sharing any amazing feedback you get. Spread the message far and wide, invite the press, and be really consistent with marketing it”.
