A vending machine that offers flats of shell eggs in Ireland will soon be available to U.S. consumers.
The Eggspress vending machine recently went viral with over eight million views on social media platform TikTok when one user videoed and posted his experience.
The machine reads the name of a family-owned egg farm in Ireland “Egan’s Farm Free Range” and features a card reader with 28 slots that can be opened.
After the consumer paid $7, one of the 28 slots popped open and revealed a flat of 30 unrefrigerated brown shell eggs.
The user, excited about the price, exclaimed “This would have been $1,000 in America!”
Multiple commentors on the video reference the price of the eggs and a few small farmers agreed that a vending machine would be a great way to sell their shell eggs that they do not have an outlet for currently.
More about the vending machine
Eggspress Vending owner Paddy Muckian told media outlet Agriland that he was first inspired to design a vending machine on his poultry farm to provide 24-hour sales access after he noted a gap in the market.
“I knew we were missing sales, there were people calling into the yards and we weren’t always at home, so that’s why I started it,” he stated.
According to Muckian, the vending machine allows small egg producers to save in overhead costs and offer lower prices to consumers. Additionally, selling directly to the consumer allows for producers to market locally.
Due to the popularity, the vending machine is now sold across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Additionally, Muckian is in the process of developing a refrigerated model for the U.S. market due to the increased interest from the TikTok video.
Muckian added, “We have an order coming from America now and in the states, eggs have to be chilled throughout the whole sales process. The buyer has already paid for one machine and he’s looking at purchasing more.”
I personally would purchase eggs from the Eggspress vending machine after confirming where they came from. I agree with Muckian and think it opens a sales opportunity for smaller producers to sell eggs locally. I’m not sure who is purchasing these machines in the U.S., but I will be on the lookout for them. Would you buy them?
