You Can Purchase A Succulent For RM15 From This Vending Machine In PJ
It's Malaysia's first succulent vending machine and it has 108 different plant types.
By Tamara Jayne — 02 Jun 2023, 04:44 PM
There are vending machines for almost anything these days: cotton candy, disposable cameras, IKEA spare tools, and even NFTs.
Now, to add to the list is a vending machine that churns out... succulents!
Cactus Boy, a local plant nursery, set up Malaysia's first succulent vending machine in CITTA Mall, Ara Damansara earlier this year.
The machine has up to 108 succulents available for purchase, with prices as low as RM15 per pot and RM50 for two pots.
The vending machine, which operates on a cashless system, lets you pay with any e-wallet
The owner and founder of Cactus Boy Nursery, Koh Kuan Meng, decided to custom-make this vending machine to cater to his customers' demands for pretty potted plants while he travels for work.
Within the first three to four months since he launched it, Koh told SAYS that they've sold over 700 pots!
Koh Kuan Meng, owner of Cactus Boy Nursery and Malaysia's first succulent vending machine.
Image via CITTA MallAs commercial vending machines are not designed for live plants, Koh had to custom-design the machine so it could carefully move the succulents from the display rack to the collection space.
"It took several trial and error, but with a few modifications, the plants can now be transported safely from all display rack levels without toppling over! My next challenge is to dispense bigger pots of plants," he said.
A few plus points about selling plants this way, he added, is that he can store them at a consistent temperature, install grow lights to ensure sufficient light, and to automate a watering system
He can also maintain the plants' condition and monitor sales through an app.
"Now, plant mums and dads can come, purchase, and leave with their new plant babies without me having to be there! That's a great victory for me," the 31-year-old added.
Koh also told SAYS that though this is currently the only succulent vending machine in Malaysia, he's working on more models to launch in future.
One of the custom-made models he might be launching in future.
Image via Cactus Boy (Provided to SAYS)"The important thing is that we are trying to educate people to love succulents, and not focus on sales," he added.
Check out the succulent vending machine located on the ground floor of CITTA Mall in front of Nando's.
Here's a video tutorial on how to use it:
Cactus Boy is a wholesale nursery, which opened in 2013, based in Pekan Nanas, Johor. They also have an outlet selling a wide variety of cacti and succulents at CITTA Mall's balcony on level three.
Address
1, Jalan PJU 1a/48, Ara Damansara,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours
10am – 10pm (Daily)
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