SINGAPORE: What goes into a S$ 2 bowl of freshly squeezed orange drink? Much more than one may suppose, according to iJooz founder and CEO Bruce Zhang.  ,
Four fruits, which are proudly displayed on every iJooz vending system, are the easy solution. Large glass panels allow interested customers to observe the process in action on these machines.  ,
In a properly engineered provide chain, the peeling process is only the tip of the iceberg.  ,
It takes efficiency, development, and years of refinement to provide tens of thousands of orange juice cups every day in Singapore.  ,
Before founding iJooz, Mr. Zhang developed his skills in technology and information analysis after spending 12 years in the semiconductor sector.  ,
His goal was to address the labor and charge issues that financial frequently encounters because of this history. When it comes to juice, classic stalls face higher costs for purchasing, workers and rent.
” There’s demand for fresh juices, but it’s difficult to find and it’s not cheap”, the 42-year-old said.  ,
At the iJooz office in the Yishun technological area, he told CNA,” I thought about whether we could conquer that to make sure the orange juice we sold may be readily available, convenient, and affordable.”  ,
APPEALING PRICE POINT
Mr Zhang is convinced that iJooz is never a wine merchant, but a technologies company. The firm’s ability to keep costs low is attributed to the computers that squeeze the fruits, the data crushing that allows for the easy emptying of the machines, and even the surveillance systems that can predict when something needs to be fixed, he said.  ,
Its vending devices are powered by in-house hardware and software, and the firm is working hard to improve them, Mr. Zhang said with a hint of pleasure. Its fifth-generation models also offer an option to add glacier, a new technology available on about 20 machines out of 1, 500 islandwide.
Since iJooz’s second vending systems hit the streets in 2016, the cost per cup has stayed at S$ 2 at most sites.
Certain models charge S$ 3 a cup, usually according to demands from landowners, and there are 40 to 50 quite machines islandwide, he said.  ,
However, customers using the iJooz mobile app enjoy a consistent S$ 2 price everywhere. The app, which was launched in November 2024, already accounts for 10 % of sales.
This reporter was intrigued by how iJooz cups always seem sweet, even when most oranges sold at markets are sour during these times of year. As a juice enthusiast, According to Mr. Zhang, the company sources its oranges from all over the world and tracks which farms produce oranges that meet its standards at various times of the year, sometimes even down to specific weeks.  ,
Depending on the time of year, it uses data analytics to determine how many oranges to purchase. Also dynamic is how the machines are refilled: drivers are given instructions on how many oranges to replenish and how to navigate the most effectively between the machines.  ,
For those concerned about cleanliness, the entire machine is effectively a refrigerator, keeping an internal temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, said Mr Zhang.  ,
He continued, comparing the procedure to how a central kitchen operates, noting that the motors that come into contact with juice are changed every time the machines are refilled and sent back for cleaning.  ,
RIPENING BUSINESS
If you think you’ve noticed more iJooz machines popping up on the streets recently, you’d be right – the company is adding about 100 machines each month.  ,
They can now be found in schools, at MRT stations, below office buildings, at shopping centres, in the heartlands, at tourist attractions and so on. The business is required to register each machine with the government and is licensed by the Singapore Food Agency.  ,
Despite recent growth, success was slow in the early years. Between 2016 and 2017, the company operated just over 20 machines here, and mostly focused on research and development.  ,
Mr. Zhang observed an elderly couple effortlessly purchasing juice at the Tampines MRT station, which was early customer validation. ” Even someone who’s 90 years old can buy it. It’s not complicated, it’s simple and idiot-proof. This is what we did right”, he said.