BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Enterprise  >  Open For Business  >  From 70 to 300 Machines: Inside Otter Barista's Growth Plan

From 70 to 300 Machines: Inside Otter Barista's Growth Plan

Eeyong Ho, Founder and CEO, Otter Barista

21-Jul-25 10:00

From 70 to 300 Machines: Inside Otter Barista's Growth Plan

What if your daily coffee was served not by a person, but by a vending machine? Malaysian startup Otter Barista is deploying its "cafe in a box" vending machines across the Klang Valley, aiming to solve the demand for affordable, consistent, and convenient coffee, especially in high-traffic locations like hospitals.

Founder and CEO Eeyong Ho joins us to share her journey of building a seven-figure robotic coffee business. She discusses their strategy for overcoming the stigma of vending machine coffee through quality beans and superior service, how they use IoT to manage a growing fleet of machines, and their ambitious plans to scale to over 300 locations.

We discuss:

  • The "cafe in a box" model for reducing rental and manpower costs.

  • Their strategy for winning in high-demand locations like hospitals.

  • How they use IoT and proactive maintenance to ensure quality and hygiene.

  • The importance of branding to "humanise" an automated service.

  • Their growth plan to scale from 70 to 300 machines via strategic partnerships.

    For founders in the F&B and retail tech space, this is a dive into building an automated, hardware-based business from the ground up.

Produced by: Roshan Kanesan

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  technologyCorporatesmanagingfoodSMEentrepreneurs

Tags:  f&b techvending machinesautomationretail technologyentrepreneurship





Play / Pause

Listen now : The 6AM Stretch: Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our...

Today’s Shows



6:00 AM

The 6AM Stretch

Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our lives.

7:00 AM

World Market Watch

Tony Nash, CEO, Complete Intelligence tells us where international markets are heading.

7:15 AM

Morning Brief

We recap global and local headlines from today's papers and portals.

7:30 AM

Morning Brief

Steven Tseng, senior analyst covering technology hardware at Bloomberg Intelligence on the outlook of China's tech giants.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Independent business writer P. Gunasegaram discusses the reform of GLCs and GLICs

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

H.E. José Luis Pardo-Cuerdo, Spanish Ambassador to Malaysia discusses Spain’s growing engagement with Southeast Asia, its NATO commitments, and its stance on Palestine.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Michael Cucek of Temple University discusses Japan politics as Sanae Takaichi becomes the country’s first female Prime Minister.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

We dive into the local and international news that matters to you.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Tony Nash, CEO, Complete Intelligence tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Steven Tseng, senior analyst covering technology hardware at Bloomberg Intelligence on the outlook of China's tech giants.

9:35 AM

Ringgit & Sense

Lim Eng Ping, Head of Wealth Management Malaysia, Maybank & Nor Fazlina Mohd Ghouse, CEO, Maybank Trustees Berhad to talk about legacy planning.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Wong Wai Ken, Country Manager, Stashaway Malaysia

11:00 AM

Tech Talk

Henry O’Connell, Co-Founder & CEO, Canary Speech

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

Salim Abu Haniffa, Executive Director, Malaysian Chamber of Commerce - Southern Africa

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Our flagship show, we feature both game-changers and groundbreakers in the hot seat.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

An eclectic selection of BBC shows, curated with variety in mind.

3:05 PM

Beyond the Ballot Box

4:05 PM

Health & Living

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

6:00 PM

Talkback Thursday

8:00 PM

BBC World Service