What?
Known as the Orange Bot, this is a venture by OrelPay, which is a mobile app that allows smooth, reliable and secure transactions via mobile phone. In fact, it's a subsidiary of Orange Electric. You can link your debit and credit cards to your OrelPay account and carry out transactions simply by scanning a QR code at OrelPay merchants.
You can follow the same steps to grab yourselves a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice from Orange Bot vending machine.
Where?
Like we mentioned previously, we came across Orange Bot during a random visit to Arcade Independence Square. Aside from that, they have placed these juice vending machines at Dutch Hospital Colombo, Trace Expert City and Colombo International Nautical and Engineering College (CINEC).
How?
Orange Bot makes orange juice, and orange juice only. You can tap on the "Order" button on the display of the Orange Bot, and then scan the QR code that pops up – through your OrelPay app. Once the payment is done, you will receive an SMS alert from your bank. However, for this, you have to have the bank SMS alert thing activated.
Each cup of orange juice is priced at Rs. 230.
The machine will start making the juice as soon as the payment is transferred – which you will be able to observe through the glass display on the left side.
The oranges are placed inside the machine itself. Our cup of orange juice was made with four of them. We saw them getting peeled, squeezed, poured into a paper cup and came to us with a sealed top. The machine does not add any sugar or ice in this, which is another plus point.
In terms of flavour, it was excellent! Refreshing as hell, it's pure citrusy bliss freshly squeezed from oranges. All the sweetness it has, comes from the fruit itself so you actually do not need any sugar in this.
Conclusion
This is a superb concept. A much-needed move to beat the blistering Lankan heat in a healthy manner. We wish if they had a variety of juices, but given that it's done by Orange, it makes sense that they stick to one juice, and they do it well.
However, the app needs a bit more polishing. My Commercial Debit card did not get connected properly at the first couple of attempts. But aside from that, the experience was smooth. We'd go for it again.
