How soft serve ice cream became a farm vending success story

Milk vending has become a familiar sight on farms across the country, giving producers a direct route to consumers and a way to capture more value from every litre.

For a growing number of farm businesses, vending infrastructure is changing – and so is consumer demand.

From flavoured milks to milkshakes, and even soft serve, farm vending businesses are expected to offer more, and those that do are reaping the benefits.

In just 4 weeks, Cool Cow Co, have served over 3,500 soft serve ice creams and counting, but the journey to building a customer base, online audience and having the right equipment in place to achieve this wasn’t easy.

Based at More House Farm in Wivelsfield, East Sussex on a former dairy farm, Cool Cow Co has gone from strength to strength since opening in 2025.

Run by brother and sister duo, Freddie and Imy, the business grew out of Freddie’s time working on a farm in Leicestershire after finishing university in 2020, where he discovered milk vending through the farming community and saw first-hand what other producers were achieving with it.

But replicating a successful business in a new area comes with its challenges, as Freddie Burgoyne comments:

“We are in a densely populated part of the country, but footfall doesn’t equal success. You do really need the right audience. 

I felt inspired by the farm vending businesses in Leicestershire, and in particular, farmers having more control over the entire milk process, and more control over pricing of our produce.

The dairy industry is under a lot of pressure and so it seemed like a good idea to start my own business here on the farm, and to work with local dairy farmers.”

Imy Burgoyne, who brings strong social media and marketing expertise – including in start-up businesses – was just as clear that the brand needed a personality of its own if it was going to stand out from the crowd.

“Many farm vending businesses are named after the farm they’re situated on, but we wanted something a little more approachable, funky and cool.

“Our logo couldn’t be more apt for our business – bold, memorable and an identity in its own right. Our branding has played a huge part in our growth, especially on social media.”

Initially offering milk and flavoured milks, Cool Cow Co’s offering soon grew to include coffees and sweet treats, including soft serve. Freddie explains:

“Soft serve fell in line with our existing product range, and we were fortunate enough to have the space to add soft serve to our menu. In part, it was influenced by our customer suggestions, who were keen to see an ice cream option available at our farm-stop.

So, in the summer of 2025, we invested in a soft serve vending machine, much to our customers delight!”

It wasn’t without its challenges, however. Freddie and Imy faced a number of issues with their machine, which ultimately affected the customer experience. Imy comments:

“It wasn’t an easy or particularly smooth ride. The machine was low-quality and produced an average product, it cost us a lot of time in breakdowns, and there was very little service support. Innovation is important to us, but product quality is paramount. We ended up sending the machine back.”

Within a matter of weeks, Cool Cow Co was constantly being asked whether soft serve would be making a comeback. The demand was clearly there, and after recommendations and plenty of research, Freddie and Imy turned to Carpigiani UK, the world’s leading manufacturer of gelato and ice cream equipment.

Investing in any piece of equipment comes with its risks, but Carpigiani’s reputation played a significant part in the decision to invest, with Freddie being reassured by suppliers who called Carpigiani machines the “Rolls Royce of ice cream machines”.

Carpigiani’s Magica E-PAY – a self-pasteurising, contactless card payment soft serve machine built for unattended, on-site vending – was by Freddie’s own description “a very big investment”, but with customer demand already proven, and Carpigiani’s machines and service support globally renowned, it was a decision Freddie and Imy felt confident making.

“We’re 4 weeks in and have served 3,500 ice creams – and the machine hasn’t skipped a beat! It is foolproof. You open the lid, put the mix in, and out comes the ice cream.

“The self-pasteurisation technology is a game changer too, meaning we only need to run the cleaning cycle up to every 42 days.

Every single aspect of the machine is quality. Everything is thought through and considered. It’s a cracking bit of kit and we are very happy we bit the bullet. It’s paying dividends now.”

The epitome of convenience – for both operators and consumers – the Magica E-PAY range features a 10” touch screen display and is completely self-service, with portion dispensing activated only after a contactless payment is made with a credit card, smart watch, or digital wallet.

Being able to offer customisation is a key part of Cool Cow Co’s success, and thanks to a unique pressurised syrup dispensing system, the machine can offer customers two different flavours of variegated soft serve (chocolate or strawberry) or simply as it comes.

“The ‘wow’ factor behind the soft serve machine is a huge part of its success. It’s a showstopper. It’s been amazing to see it in action this summer, and we know it’ll be a year-round winner for us too. It’s the easiest machine to use and run and customers love the taste.”

With Carpigiani’s independent Iced Insight* revealing that 87% of consumers buy ice cream all year round, and the success of the Magica E-PAY machine at More House Farm, Freddie and Imy have set their sights on the future.

“It’s going really well for us, and we would absolutely recommend the Carpigiani Magica E-PAY machine. So much so, we’ve actually just invested in a second one!

The second machine will be installed at Tastes of Sussex, Paradise Park Garden Centre.

It’s testament to the machine that we’ve got the confidence to purchase it and install it at a site that’s 40 minutes away – something we’d never do with a milk vending machine, and certainly not with our previous soft serve machine.

We’re really excited about our future plans, especially with Carpigiani on board.”

Cool Cow Co’s success is a strong example of how the right vending technology can enhance a farm’s offering.

With plans already underway for their second Magica E-PAY installation, and ongoing conversations with Carpigiani about their next 2-3 years, Freddie and Imy’s journey shows that with the right equipment, support, and creativity, soft serve can be a fantastic addition to any farm vending set up.

Cool Cow Co’s top tips for getting started

• If you’re a full-time farmer, you must have help. It’s doable without it, but it’s not easy. There is some work involved such as topping up the machine, cleaning up to every 42 days, spot cleaning in between, and being available if a customer needs support.
• Don’t underestimate the importance of your branding and marketing. You can have the most brilliant products but it no one knows you’re there, there’s no point.
• Get support and advice early on. There are some fantastic milk vendor Facebook pages that you can join. Also, you might be surprised by who you already have in your network that might be able to point you in the right direction.
• Invest in quality equipment. A cheap machine with no service support will cost you more in downtime and lost sales than it saves upfront.

Carpigiani’s top tips for getting started

• Research is key. Before spending anything, speak to people who have already done what you’re hoping to do, and learn as much as you can about the local area, customer demand and the product you’ll be selling. Our Soft Serve Consultancy course is a great place to start.
• Use the support that’s available to you. From business modelling and ROI planning to recipe consultancy. You’ve got to start with the right scale and right machine for your business.
• If you’re keen to add soft serve as a vending option, choose a machine that is built to be used unattended. Self-pasteurisation technology, contactless card payments and robust, high-quality components are what make a soft serve offering lower-maintenance for a busy farm business.
• Make sure your equipment provider offers exceptional service support. A 24-hour support service with a UK service network is non-negotiable at Carpigiani.

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Carpigiani UK Ltd supplies gelato and soft-serve equipment to farm businesses across the UK. For more information about on-farm gelato production and soft serve equipment, visit carpigiani.co.uk or contact the UK team directly on 01432 346018.