Got Milk Vending?

More and more schools are discovering that new state-of-the-art milk vending machines can help increase milk consumption by making milk more accessible and appealing to students in high school and middle school. As a matter of fact, more than 350 schools in Wisconsin have invested in the health of students by placing a milk vending machine in the building.

Recent research show that milk vending does compete with soft drink sales in schools. The Fluid Milk Strategic Thinking Initiative (FMSTI) study demonstrated that vended milk sells well at school. Trials show that students will eagerly buy milk once a vending machine is installed. In the FMSTI research, 68 percent of students purchased vended milk, and of those, 30 percent purchased milk at least once a week. What's more, milk sales in the school cafeteria are not affected by vending machine sales. Students purchase milk at the expense of a different vended beverage.

Schools benefit at the same time students are offered the healthier option. Most school districts in Wisconsin coordinate vending programs through either school foodservice or agriculture education/FFA programs. Each school manages the machines and the profits received from vending differently. In Wisconsin, schools have reported using milk vending profits to support scholarships, field trips, athletics and in-classroom materials. These extra funds help schools, while the extra milk provides calcium and other important nutrients for the students' health.

Calcium is especially important for adolescents. Nine out of 10 girls and 7 of 10 boys are not getting the calcium they need to build strong bones and reach maximum growth. Flavored milks, featured through milk vending machines in schools, are great alternatives to empty calorie carbonated beverages and sports drinks since they contain all the same nutrients as regular milk and have half the added sugar found in soft drinks and many juice drinks.

Please review the additional pages here on our website for tips on establishing and maintaining a successful milk vending machine in your school. You will find information you need about vending machine suppliers, tips for introducing a machine and ideas to promote milk sales though your machine to make it profitable.

If you would like further assistance with your school's vending program, our regional program managers located throughout Wisconsin are available to help you every step of the way. Phone us at 1-800-383-9662 or email us at feedback@wmmb.org.

Decisions to Make

Tips for Success

Sell More Milk

Think Your Drink

Suppliers & Resources

Wisconsin Milk Vending Promotional Allowance