Hiap Joo banana cake in vending machine in Bukit Panjang sells out in 1 hour

The first vending machine selling the Johor Bahru-famous Hiap Joo Bakery banana cake appeared in Bukit Panjang over the weekend and attracted a crowd.

So much so that the cakes are sold out within an hour of restocking, with some queuing up multiple times to get their hands on a box, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Where is this?

Located in Senja Hawker Centre, the vending machines supply close to 100 cakes per day.

The cakes are delivered daily and freshly restocked at 11:30am and 4:30pm.

They are currently available for a special launch price of S$6.50 per box of 10 pieces (regular price: S$8.60 per box).

Purchases are limited to one box per person.

Here's what it's like to buy one.

Long queues, high demand

On May 18, about 50 people were seen in the queue at 4:10pm before the cakes were restocked, Shin Min reported.

Chen, a resident who lives opposite the hawker centre, told Shin Min that she started queuing at noon on the opening day, May 17.

However, the cakes were sold out so Chen returned at 4pm, managing to buy one for her sister.

The next day, Chen went to buy another cake at 11am, but as they sold out quickly, she ended up returning in the afternoon to queue a fourth time.

Hiap Joo Bakery is a popular stop for Singaporeans visiting Johor Bahru, with many buying the signature banana cake in bulk.

The main JB store sells the cakes for 13 ringgit (S$3.94) each.

The founder of Hypha Vending, surnamed Wang (transliteration), told Shin Min that by the end of May, they intend to operate a second such machine, also in Senja Hawker Centre.

Wang also explained that the price difference for the cakes here is to account for the cost of refrigerated transport.

The cakes are shipped from JB to Singapore daily via refrigerated trucks to ensure the quality and taste of the banana cakes are unaffected, added Wang.

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Top image from Shin Min Daily News