A Herefordshire dairy farming family, the Jameses, are using vending machines to sell fresh milk and locally made food such as scotch eggs, sausage rolls and brownies directly to rural communities, aiming to give farmers more control over prices and to improve food access in areas at risk of becoming "food deserts". Mark James and his sons Sam and Jacob began with milk vending as a way to become "price makers rather than price takers" amid volatile dairy prices, before expanding into a wider produce vending business, reflecting a broader shift among farmers seeking to bypass costly intermediaries and reach customers directly.

The family's herd of 130 cows produces 4,500 litres of milk daily, with about 30% sold through their 17 Whole Moo World vending machines across Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, and the rest going to a local processor. Their spin-off business, Tuckshop, now runs 22 sites selling goods from small local producers. Farmgate milk prices have fallen sharply, from 44p a litre last August to 30p since February, often below production cost, while Whole Moo World charges £1.50 a litre for unhomogenised milk in reusable glass bottles, compared with £1.20-£1.30 for supermarket two-pint bottles, with customers said to accept a premium for taste and sustainability.