Speyside's Elchies farm gets cash to install vending machines to sell produce
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A SPEYSIDE business has been awarded more than £30,000 to install open-all-hours vending machines to sell fresh farm produce.
Craigellachie-based Elchies Estates Limited is one of six Scottish businesses to have been awarded UK Government funding after coming up with entrepreneurial projects to transform COVID-19 challenges into opportunities.
Elchies received £33,117 to install the vending machines. These will offer all sizes of fresh and frozen farm produce from an open-all-hours location.
The farm managers say this will provide a safe, hygenic and low environmental impact alternative to its Speyside Producers Market which was stopped by COVID-19.
Farm manager and directors at Elchies, Julie Comins and Brian Cameron, said: "The virtual farmers market project is a response to the short and medium-term implications of COVID-19 and the change in food-buying patterns.
"The platform aims to offer all sizes of fresh and frozen farm produce from an open-all-hours location.
"Being able to sell local produce in a completely safe and local environment will be welcomed, especially by the many older customers of our farmers markets and farm events which have been cancelled for the foreseeable future.
"For customers living in rural areas, the project will allow them to continue to access great local produce with minimal food miles and, for the first time, 24/7. For us, we continue to provide for our community whilst safeguarding ourselves, our farm and our contractors."
Elchies hopes to have the machines up and running by the start of September.
Business ideas were submitted through the UK Government's Fast Start Competition, a £40 million investment to drive forward new technological advances, launched in April and managed by Innovate UK.
Moray Conservative MP Douglas Ross said: "Scotland has a well-earned reputation for world-leading tech, innovation and entrepreneurship, so it’s no surprise that six Scottish businesses have successfully won UK Government funding from Innovate UK to deliver inspiring solutions to some of the challenges that COVID-19 has brought.
"Congratulations to Elchies in Speyside for their fabulous virtual farmers’ market idea. I know this will be a success and is a great innovative way to see local produce in a novel way. I’m sure it will be very well supported by customers throughout Moray.
"The other recipients have also come up with new ideas for working as we come through the current crisis and I look forward to seeing how their work progresses."
There have been more than 8600 entries to the Fast Start Competition, which will now distribute investment to over 800 projects.
Executive chairman of Innovate UK, Dr Ian Campbell, said: "The ideas we have seen can truly make a significant impact on society, improve the lives of individuals, especially those in vulnerable groups, and enable businesses to prosper in challenging circumstances."
