Chef-in-Box VendCafe makes move into malls

Chef-in-Box VendCafe has make its first venture into shopping centres with a cluster of vending machines at JCube mall in Jurong East.

Vendcafe2

Run by the JR Group, the venture started out as six vending machines in Sengkang in August last year. It has since expanded into more heartland locations with a strong presence at MRT stations, hospitals, schools, offices and army camps.

Chef-in-Box Vendcafe is the culmination of eight years of research and labour from the time Jocelyn Chng started running stand-alone vending machines in hospitals and schools. The brand is a subsidiary of her business JR Foods, which she started with her late husband Richard Wong, who was key in sparking the idea in 2001 of launching ready-to-eat meals in Singapore.

To further her goal of feeding the masses with fresh, hot food, her World Chef Series for Chef-in-Box VendCafe features collaborations with chefs from India, South Korea and Thailand.

In August, she signed a memorandum of understanding with a partner in Britain to take Chef-in-Box VendCafe to London, and is still receiving inquiries from Australia and the US.

You have 7 articles remaining. Unlock 15 free articles a month, it’s free.