A bleak future for dairies, if they continue to rely on tobacco and cigarettes.

Attacks on dairy owners and workers continue to make headlines with cigarettes always being the main target.

A meeting Is been held in Hamilton after brazen robberies where dairy owners were attacked with machetes and hammers, with the culprits making off with cigarettes.

Association of Convenience Stores CEO Dave Hooker says day-to-day business has become tough, with a lot of owners having to just sit and wait until the next robbery.

Some dairies rely on tobacco for 50 to 60 per cent of their sales but it makes daily life terrifying, according to Hooker.

He says they've reached breaking point with the tobacco tax and security, and extra measures will need to take place.

"That's the big challenge for the whole convenience industry, is how to diversify into products that backfill that hole that tobacco will leave.

"It's going to be really interesting to see what develops in the way of tobacco vending facilities and what sort of investment goes into that to make it safer."

LISTEN ABOVE AS DAVE HOOKER SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING