iJooz, the company founded in 2016 by Bruce Zhang, has successfully installed some 1,500 vending machines islandwide in Singapore.
These orange-filled vending machines, which squeeze out fresh juice in minutes, are now commonly found on high-density traffic areas throughout Singapore.
The goal of iJooz is to eventually have 5,000 machines in Singapore, with a handful possibly planted at HDB void decks – an untapped potential area for the company.
Most of iJooz’s orange juice dispensers are located at train stations, bus interchanges and malls. It is pretty much the only vending machine selling this product left in Singapore, having eclipsed competitors such as Q Orange, which has all but exited the local market.
iJooz may be the dominant player in the vending machine market, however its success has created hope for newer juicing and smoothie entrants, all with the same strategy of targeting the health conscious segment.
Vending machines require lower manpower and cheaper rent when compared to traditional stand-alone juice shops of those found at hawker centres. According to an estimate, vending machine businesses can earn 42% net profit whereas physical stores only earn 15%.
In addition, juices sold at vending machines are also priced competitively. For example, iJooz’s orange juice retails for S$2 (US$1.50) per cup, while juices sold at hawker centres and foodcourts usually costs S$1.50 to S$2.50 (US$1.12 to US$1.87).
iJooz long term success depends heavily on its ability to deliver consistent quality and freshness, while maintaining its attractive price point. However, this might be a challenge in the future as prices of raw materials like oranges are increasing. From 2016 to 2024, price of oranges jumped by more than 50%.
