How did a vending machine earn this Penang guy RM16k/month?!

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A couple of days ago, we stumbled upon the story of Encik Amin from Bukit Minyak in Penang, who’s been quietly making RM10,000 to RM15,000 a month. Now, if you’re thinking he’s pulling in all that cash from some big fancy business, think again. He’s doing it from one vending machine.

Yeah, you read that right. ONE.

Doesn’t the vending machine look really cool?

We were absolutely floored. And as you can expect, we were curious to know more. So we lined up an interview with Encik Amin, packed our bags, and hopped on the train to Penang, just to answer one burning question: How the heck does a person make more money in a month than some people do in a year, all with one humble vending machine?!

Everything started when Encik Amin applied for Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat

As he was scrolling through Facebook, Encik Amin stumbled upon the government’s Belanjawan 2024 initiative, Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR). You see, he’d already been in the business game for years, first selling cosmetics and later switching to cakes. He and his wife were making just enough to get by, earning about a couple of thousand ringgit monthly. So when he came across IPR, he thought he might earn some extra pocket money.

“When we first saw the news for this program, we thought we could make it our part-time business. Like as a way to supplement our baking business,” – Encik Amin

For those who’ve never heard of it, IPR is a Ministry of Economy initiative focused on addressing poverty among the B40. Not only does it help people boost their income, but it also tackles some major economic issues like our sky-high living costs, our heavy reliance on imported food, and our ongoing dependence on foreign labour, all by encouraging locals to take up a certain set of jobs.

ipr inisiatif pendapatan rakyat — All the Belanjawan 2024 initiatives aimed at B40, including IPR. Image from Facebook @Kementerian Kewangan

The IPR program branches out into 3 main initiatives. Each targets specific sectors and groups:

Inisiatif Usahawan Tani (INTAN): Provides tech-driven agricultural training to help participants grow various crops on farms.
Inisiatif Usahawan Makanan (INSAN): Offers beneficiaries a vending machine placed at a designated location for them to operate and manage.
Inisiatif Operator Perkhidmatan (IKHSAN): Focuses on placing participants as operators in service sectors, like managing public facilities.

With his culinary background, Encik Amin applied for the INSAN program and was accepted. They provided him with a vending machine, some guidelines, and a hearty wish of good luck, hoping he’d earn around RM2,000 to RM2,500 a month. But little did they know, he’d end up making six times that amount!

And just how exactly does he make that much, you ask? Well, while tagging along on their daily routine, we found out that…

They turned their vending machine into a late-night go-to

By 9 AM, Encik Amin’s wife, Puan Yufaeza, was already bustling in the kitchen. They update their menu every two to three days and on our visit, she was making burgers, mac and cheese, saucy pasta, and maggi goreng, all ready for their 2 PM restock.

When we say Puan Yufaeza has an artist’s touch, truly!

Puan Yufaeza preparing the burgers while our intern gives her a helping hand

The focus on hearty, carb-rich meals was intentional, given that the vending machine is located in the boys’ dorm at UiTM Permatang Pauh.

“Boys will wallop anything with carbs and meat,” – Puan Yufaeza

A couple hours later, the vending machine app on Encik Amin’s phone was showing that food was running very low. So at 5PM, his kitchen was alive again for the 10 PM restock. This time, the menu featured even heartier meals, including nasi lemak, buttermilk chicken, chicken wraps, and more maggi goreng. Prices ranged from RM2 to RM8, with most items hovering around a very reasonable RM3 or RM5.

The phone app was showing only a couple of keropoks were available

Guys! They even fed us their nasi lemak and it was the most fragrant rice this writer has smelled EVER!

It was a long, long day, stretching over 12 hours from morning to night. But one thing stood out both times we visited the university: the vending machine was always nearly empty! Students frequently gathered around as it was being restocked and bought food right away.

This writer even helped to restock the vending machine. Excuse me boss, does this come with a paycheck?

Not even a minute after restocking, students were already lined up.

As one student put it, the vending machine is a lifesaver for those studying late into the night.

“It’s just what you need for those late-night study sessions because you will always feel lapar around midnight. The machine has filling meals in just the right portions. I think all universities should have vending machines like this,” – Fahrin, UiTM Permatang Pauh student

But serving delicious meals that caters to the students’ taste buds is only half the story. When really…

It was a combination of strategic thinking and pure hard work

The phrase divide and conquer perfectly sums up how Encik Amin and Puan Yufaeza run their business. While one handles the cooking, the other takes charge of the financial side of things. And trust us, there’s way more to it than just stocking food and waiting for it to sell.

From left to right, the contract for the vending machine, food and safety cert, and health cert Encik Amin obtained upon becoming a participant

From the location to the timing of their restocks, every detail was carefully considered. Encik Amin chose to place his vending machine in UiTM knowing the campus’s closed environment and constant stream of hungry students would give him an advantage. This strategy obviously paid off, with the machine now pulling in RM16,000 a month!

Just 4 months after receiving the machine they had already hit the RM16k mark

He and his wife also scheduled their restocks to avoid cafeteria hours. From the start, they didn’t see themselves as competition to the cafeteria, but rather as a complement. Offering meals that weren’t on the cafeteria’s menu and especially while the cafeteria was closed was key.

Encik Amin even got creative with his marketing. He joined UiTM’s Telegram group chat, not only to scope out the students’ schedules but also to chat with them about what kind of food they wanted. And in a clever move, he offered a couple of free nasi lemaks as a way to get the word out about his vending machine. (Because nothing gets people talking like free food, right? 😉)

But for all the success he and his wife have reaped…

Encik Amin has bigger hopes and even bigger dreams

Part of his motivation comes from the reality that when students go on semester break, his family faces 3 months of almost no income. So even though business is thriving, they’re still pretty careful with their money.

“Life is definitely better now, there’s less stress. But we still have to budget for those 3 months when the vending machine shuts down completely,” – Encik Amin

Despite these challenges, Encik Amin sees a bright future for his business. He currently has the vending machine for a total of 2 years, with the government covering the rent and electricity fees during that time. But if the opportunity arises, he wouldn’t hesitate to consider a loan or paying the rent himself to keep the business going.

So if you’ve stuck all the way to the end of this article, feeling that wave of inspiration and hoping that someone might knock on your door with those same opportunities, this is your call to action! The IPR program is currently accepting applications and trust us, the process couldn’t be simpler. Even if you don’t have a background in the field you’re applying for, don’t worry. You might still get accepted and will be guided every step of the way to learn the ropes.