Describing itself as a “cave-themed” cafe due to its rugged stone wall and dim lighting, Gua. Juicery is a Muslim-owned fruit-centric cafe established in the tail end of 2023.
Fresh fruit juice and grab-and-go pastries might not sound like novel offerings, but its location provides something unique compared to the usual juice spot. Tucked away in the Putrajaya Botanical Garden, Gua. Juicery actually inhabits a space that was once a rain shelter.
The team shared with Vulcan Post that it was through an initiative with the Perbadanan Putrajaya (PPJ) that they were able to turn this simple facility into an attraction.
“Our business proposal was warmly received by PPJ due to the good reputation of our initial establishment,” Adriana, Gua. Juicery’s business development manager, told Vulcan Post.
That initial establishment is also located in Putrajaya, and goes by the name of Ekues Cabin Cafe.
Not horsing around
Sharing the parent company of Tekadia Sdn Bhd, Ekues Cabin Cafe serves local delights, sandwiches, desserts, coffee, tea, and more.
Once again, though, it’s the location that really makes it so special. Nestled in an equestrian park, visitors of Ekues Cabin Cafe can dine to the sound of hoofbeats and a backdrop of galloping horses.
“The idea came when the founder, Iqbal, was having a horse-riding session at Putrajaya Equestrian Park,” Adriana shared. “He realised it was difficult for him to find any restaurant nearby to eat after the session.”
Thus, Ekues Cabin Cafe was formed in 2022 to cater to riders like himself, as well as trainers or polo players.
The cafe unexpectedly went viral on social media, the team shared, and it has now become a main attraction at the equestrian park. Not only does it serve riders, but also people who want to visit a cafe with a unique view.
This wouldn’t be Tekadia’s first encounter with virality, as they managed to emulate it again with Gua. Juicery.
A juicy start
Gua. Juicery quickly gained attention with its own Instagram content amassing over 100K views, further bolstered by coverage from other media publications.
The establishment focuses on offering fresh juices made using locally sourced fruits. For example, they get their dragon fruits from a farm in Sepang and their pineapples from a Kuala Linggi orchard.
They serve simple juices like Watermelon (RM7), as well as blends such as the Cocopine (RM11) which mixes pineapple and coconut water. Smoothies are also available starting at RM12.
A big issue with fruit drinks is that maintaining consistency can be difficult, as flavours may change from fruit to fruit depending on a myriad of reasons such as temperature and humidity.
To ensure consistency, the team doesn’t just follow standardised recipes but also regularly performs quality control to see whether tweaks in proportions will be necessary depending on the batch of fruits.
For those who want some caffeine, Gua. Juicery also offers coffees—but with a twist. Using fruit flavours to sweeten up their beverages, they offer drinks like Orange Americano and Honey Lemon Americano.
Aside from drinks, Gua. Juicery serves hot foods, namely bagels and paninis, which are outsourced from suppliers.
The Rasa Malaysia Panini is one of the signature items here. At RM15.90, it showcases local herbs found in the surrounding botanical garden such as ulam raja and daun selom, as well as tender beef salami and homemade masak lemak cili api paste.
With its offerings, Gua. Juicery hopes to not only welcome parkgoers but any family, friend groups, or students who may want to relax with some healthy food and drinks while taking in the scenic nature view.
Making their mark on Putrajaya?
Only two months into their journey, Gua. Juicery might appear to be a very young brand, but it’s supported by the Tekadia team as well as the founder Iqbal, who has had five years of experience in the F&B realm.
To further grow Gua. Juicery, the team hopes to start selling ready-to-drink juice products instore as well as online.
While it might still be too soon to say whether Gua. Juicery is a success story for sure, the fact is that the team has been able to achieve relative success with Ekues Cabin Cafe.
After all, because of Ekues Cabin Cafe, they managed to work with PPJ to open up Gua. Juicery in the botanical garden.
“This recognition not only enhances foot traffic to the area, but also positions our cafe as a premier destination within Putrajaya,” Adriana expressed.
With that in mind, perhaps the Tekadia team, who now has two F&B brands under their belt, will be one to watch in the Putrajaya region.
Featured Image Credit: Gua. Juicery