Milk vending machine opens in Poole shopping centre

Following the success of The Milk Hut in Ashley Cross, husband and wife duo Rob and Sarah Coombes have opened a brand-new milk vending machine in the Dolphin Centre.

“I think it’s the first milk vending machine in the country to open in a shopping centre and it’s been received incredibly well, it’s been really really busy,” said Sarah.

The milk is supplied by Allen Valley Farm on the Kingston Lacy Estate, just seven-miles from the shopping centre. Sarah said: “It’s a wonderful farm, they care for the animals incredibly well and it’s only seven-miles away and it’s as fresh as you like - it doesn’t get any better really.

“It’s making people realise that they’re getting a premium product.

“One customer’s feedback was ‘I didn’t realise milk could taste so good - you’ve ruined supermarket milk for me’.

“It’s lovely and people are experiencing things they never would have experienced before. The feedback’s been amazing, it’s been super positive.”

The vending machine is on the ground floor of the Dolphin Centre and has the capacity to provide 400 litres of a milk a day, with new stock delivered daily by Rob and Sarah. There are also eight flavours of milkshake to choose from.

Sarah said: “Offering it to the community, some of the older folk have said it’s really improved their lives.

“There’s one chap who said ‘thank you for improving my life and offering this amazing product to the community’ and it doesn’t get much better than that really.”

Allen Valley Milk is fresh, free-range, pasteurised and non-homogenised. The hut in the Dolphin Centre has a vending machine for reusable glass milk bottles at £2 each, a selection of milkshake syrups for 30p each and the milk machine which costs £1.20 per litre.

John Grinnell, centre manager of the Dolphin Centre, said: “We’re extremely pleased to introduce this addition to the centre, offering more plastic-free options for everyday essentials and supporting a brilliant local business.

“We are always looking for new ways that the Dolphin Centre can operate more sustainably, while bringing our shoppers along on the journey too. This planet-friendly option is also helping customers reduce their food miles, by purchasing milk just six miles from where it is locally sourced in Wimborne.”

Looking ahead, ensuring the success of their latest venture at the Dolphin Centre, Rob and Sarah would like to open another milk hut potentially out towards Hamworthy.