Lick your lips for just 1 Euro!

December 26, 2009 , ,

I have simply got to share with you the most fabulous discovery that I have made since my arrival in Italy: the raw milk vending machine!

Newly arrived from a country where vending machines are the realm of empty calories and where raw milk cheeses are a delicate subject, I was absolutely stunned to see this dispenser that is as unusual as it is brilliant!

Why brilliant? Because it…

  • Supplies fresh raw milk (i.e. that has not undergone any heat treatment) to the inhabitants of the city, on a 24/7 basis
  • Encourages the consumers to bring their own glass bottle, thereby reducing significant amounts of useless packaging
  • Allows farmers to receive the entire benefits from the sale of their milk
  • Offers the consumers, ultra fresh milk that is local and without any intermediary

And do you know what the best part is? This vending machine leads to 30 to 60% savings! While a litre of fresh milk costs €1.46 (about $2.20) in the supermarket at Turin, it only costs €1.00 (about $1.50) in the vending machine!

milk dispenser

And what about hygiene and health? The refrigerated tank – obviously – is cleaned, then filled daily with the two milkings of the day.

The previous day’s milk is removed and used for making cheese (with this system, no more wastage!) The farms supplying to these vending machines are controlled by the Servizio sanitario pubblico (Public Health Service) and must be subjected to strict rules of hygiene.

Thanks to a series of tests and analyses that are carried out periodically, the consumer is assured that health standards are respected from production to marketing. Finally, a note advises the customers to boil the milk before consumption and to consume it within three days of purchase.

Take a look at the MilkMap! With 1,342 vending machines spread out all over Italy, the Italians are, like me, die-hard fans of this delicious raw milk!

milk map

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Author

Eloïse Vincent
SOSCuisine contributor since 2009, Éloïse now heads our European Paris office. Holder of the rare title of Gastronomic graduate of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra, Italy, Eloise is also a dietician.

10 comments to “Lick your lips for just 1 Euro!”

December 31, 2009 John said:

This is amazing. We should do the same here in Canada.

March 23, 2010 Ann Duncan said:

Hope to see great changes soon for your raw milk availability there, John. I just returned from Ontario. Was fortunate to have hook-up with a raw milk supply during my stay. And want to see it readily available, both here and there, to all who want it.

Yours for raw milk freedom!

March 23, 2010 Heather said:

That is TOTALLY cool! We need to do that in the US, definitely.

March 24, 2010 Catherine said:

It is just great. I really like the fact that you have to bring your own container. I like the fact that glass is used. Plastic containers to store milk are not my cup of tea.

March 20, 2012 Eunice said:

How much does the machine cost?

Cinzia Cuneo
March 21, 2012 Cinzia said:

@Eunice: Unfortunately it is not available to the general public.

January 15, 2013 Philip k.Tonde said:

How much does this machine cost.where can I buy it ,I come from kenya

January 16, 2013 Éloïse said:

@Philip k.Tonde:
I don’t know how much this machine can cost, but I recommend you contact Slow Food Kenya. You can find their contacts by clicking on this link: http://www.slowfood.com/international/4/where-we-are?-session=query_session:58B979D702d5d1EBCFlv676D5500#risultati.

Good luck with your project!

September 30, 2013 duncan said:

how much does the small machine cost please let me know.From Kenya

May 2, 2014 Ibrahim I Muchoki said:

Where can i get the machine

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