Gone are the times where vending machines only sold canned drinks. 

These days, customers can purchase items like ready-to-eat meals, freshly squeezed orange juice, and even gold from such dispensers. 

And to add to the list, we can now get whole cakes because Uncle Lee Confectionary has jumped onto the vending machine bandwagon. 

In an Instagram Reel on Feb 15, the popular traditional bakery announced that they have set up a machine at Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre. 

"Big news, Uncle Lee lovers! We are proud to finally launch our first-ever vending machine, in partnership with Hypha!" it shared. 

The cakes are baked fresh every morning and restocked at 11am and 5pm on weekdays and 12pm and 5pm on weekends. Customers have to bring their own carriers. 

There are four cake flavours available — kaya, peanut with vanilla sponge, choco rice with chocolate sponge and rainbow chocolate with vanilla sponge. All cakes are six inches.

Do note that stocks are on a first-come-first-serve basis and once the cakes are sold out, they will not be restocked again for the day. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, Jiayi from Uncle Lee Confectionery said that the bakery had set up a vending machine because of cost control.

"Having more retail shops is out of the question for us due to high rental costs these days," she shared.

Through the vending machines, Uncle Lee Confectionery hopes that its regular customers can get their hands on its bakes "more conveniently without jeopardising quality".

Jiayi shared that the decision to set up the bakery's first vending machine at Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre was because of the many regulars that stay around the area.

Founder of Hypha Vending Retail Serene Ong also told AsiaOne that it helped to customise the interior space of the vending machine to "ensure maximum capacity".

"The vending machine is versatile and the uniqueness is in the elevator system which allows delicate handling of the cake."

She added that the upcoming vending machine for Uncle Lee Confectionery will be stationed at Bukit Batok West.

Instagram stories on Wednesday (Feb 19) showed customers waiting in line as a staff member restocked the vending machine. 

The owner of the bakery, fondly known as Uncle Lee, also paid a visit. 

Uncle Lee Confectionery isn't the only one that has set up a vending machine at Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre. 

Earlier in January, hawker bakery Buttertown, known for its shio pans (Japanese salted butter rolls) launched its own machine, too. 

The buns are available in sets of two or three pieces, and there are six flavours available — Original, Au Chocolat, Garlic Cheese, Pineapple, Apple Cinnamon and Pistachio.

Similarly, the vending machine by Buttertown saw snaking queues after it launched, with the shio pans selling out within a few hours. 

Another new vending machine in Singapore is by Kaki Kaki and it dispenses durians. It was also launched in January this year. 

This machine is available at Tampines MRT and sells boxes of Mao Shan Wang. 

Address: 202C Woodleigh Link, Singapore 363202

melissateo@asiaone.com

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