Foodservice

Singapore's Chef-in-Box revolutionizes vending with hot meals

Photo: Adobe Stock

September 3, 2025

Singapore-based company Chef-in-Box has transformed the country's vending machine landscape by introducing hot, ready-to-eat meals, according to a Vulcan Post report. Founded by entrepreneur Jocelyn Chng, the company launched its first hot meal vending solution in 2008 and now operates over 500 machines nationwide, including 50 "vendcafe" clusters that also offer snacks and coffee. The business was created to address the growing need for convenient, round-the-clock dining options for dual-income families and late-night workers. Chef-in-Box leverages technology from its parent company, JR Group, to ensure meal quality, freshness and to remotely monitor inventory and customer preferences.

The company's data-driven approach is a key part of its strategy. "We need to know what our customers prefer in various places," Chng told the news outlet. "It's only through the data that we can churn so that we can do it better and better each day."