Tea, or what we call Chai, is a commodity that cannot miss in any Kenyan homestead. The main item on a shared local breakfast table is tea, and then the rest come as accompaniments. As you already know, tea’s main ingredients are water, milk, tea leaves or coffee, and a sweetener of choice. So, if you start a milk ATM business in Kenya today, you will, without a doubt have plenty of customers. But of course, you gotta play your cards smart. 

What is a milk ATM?

Let us discuss this new baby in town: the milk ATM. The milk ATM is a vending machine, like a bank or ticket vending machine. There are many vending machines available in the Kenyan market. These vary from snacks, cooking oil ATMs, and soft drinks vending machines. 

The supermarket chains, wholesalers, and shopkeepers in Kenya have invested in these milk ATMs. They place them at the most convenient place near the fresh produce section of the outlet. This is easy for the customer to access it as they are purchasing other commodities.

How a Milk ATM Works

The milk ATM comes installed with an operating system. This allows you to indicate cash and, or, show the amount of milk you want. The milk ATM dispenses the milk through a nozzle where you had put your container before making the transaction. As milk is an essential commodity consumed across Kenyan homes, setting up a milk ATM business helps reach low-income earners.

Is Setting Up a Milk ATM in Kenya a Viable Business Idea?

A big YES for this. We consume milk; in our places of work, we have tea breaks, meaning milk is necessary to make the tea. In the hospitality industry, drinks with milk are on the menu. 

Toddlers and young children consume milk in large quantities. Therefore, the gap in the market for milk consumption against milk production needs addressing. Dairy farmers in Kenya are always crying from the fluctuating milk prices due to the intermediaries who con them of their hard-earned money.

Setting up a milk ATM in a busy residential area will guarantee you a return on investment and help farmers get rid of intermediaries. You can lease space in your supermarket and agree on a shared profit with the lessee. Or, you can purchase a milk ATM machine and employ an attendant to run it. 

Before setting up, get all the documents and clearances needed to run the business from the local authorities such as KEBS, KDB, and the health authorities. Ensure that you run your business legitimately to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. It also creates trust with your customers. They know that the milk they are getting is pure and uncontaminated.  

Where to Source a Good Milk ATM in Kenya

Having proven that setting up a milk vending machine business in Kenya is an excellent way to make profits, let’s go in search of a good quality machine. Depending on the traffic flow of the business area, you can do a rough estimate of how many litres of milk the locality consumes in a day.  

You have to be careful in purchasing a milk ATM to get the best to guarantee investment returns. The marketplace is flooding with many merchants looking to sell milk ATMs. The cost depends on the size or the capacity the vending machine can hold. Datep’s milk ATMs cost between Ksh 90,000 to 250,000 for 50 litres to 300 litres of milk ATMs.

Datep Technical Services offers quality milk ATMs that will guarantee you a smooth start and running of your business. Depending on which part of Kenya your business is situated, we deliver it to your business location and install the machine for you upon buying. At Datep technical Services we guarantee you a one-year warranty if the device has a technical problem. Our milk ATMs are all in compliance with KRA, KDB, and KBS standards and regulations.

Advantages of A Quality Milk ATM

Cost Friendly

Milk from the milk ATM is much cheaper, as you acquire it directly from the farmers. A customer comes with their packing material or purchases on-site at a lower price. A litre of processed milk goes for around 105 Kenya Shillings, while a litre from the ATM goes for about 60 Kenya Shillings. It is way cheaper, making it very affordable.

Safe Pasteurized Milk

The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) requires all milk ATMs to sell pasteurized milk. A regulatory measure that ensures consumers get clean, uncontaminated milk. A milk ATM gives you an upper hand over competitors who source their milk direct from farmers and sell without pasteurizing it. 

Accountability

The milk ATM comes readily installed with an operating system that stores data on the milk sold versus the opening stock. It ensures the smooth running of the accounting books, which helps keep the business records for audit purposes.

Durability

Manufacturers make milk ATMs hard aluminium steel, which does not rust or wear off. An advantage to the buyer and consumer is that the milk is safe as the metal doesn’t collide, and the machine is long-lasting.

Zero Waste

Little or no wastage occurs as the dispensing pipe is inside the container.

Eco-friendly

Milk ATMs are environmentally friendly since you can recycle your packaging container. This is unlike the plastic pouches from most milk processing companies that end up being an environmental hazard. 

Milk ATM Business Idea

This is one business idea that we recommend starting in Kenya. Do proper market research to identify where there is plenty of footfall within to set up the business in your locality. Once done, find an appropriate space. Milk is a consumable and daily basic need in our homes. Beginning this business will guarantee you steady profits throughout the year.