In the world of entrepreneurship, it’s not uncommon to see founders pivoting from their field of study to starting a business in an entirely different sector. But, few startup stories are as interesting as HiBlendr’s Andrew Poh – who traded the courtroom to build a daily consumer product meant to encourage healthier lifestyles.
In 2020, while studying law in his dorm room in Manchester in the UK, Andrew struggled with an everyday problem: balancing the demands of work, studies, and life with maintaining his health.
His solution was a portable blender that came in the shape and size of the popular “Starbucks Tumbler” that many students were already carrying around everywhere they went.
Today, Hiblendr has sold tens of thousands of its portable blenders in not just Malaysia, but also Singapore, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and other regions.
At the same time, Andrew has inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs to follow their passions, even if it means you have to blend a whole new recipe from scratch.
Balancing An Everyday Personal Health Challenge
During his time in the UK studying law, Andrew faced a familiar personal health challenge. His stressful and hectic lifestyle was affecting his bowel movements, leaving him with persistent constipation.
What started out as a minor health-related inconvenience quickly became a recurring problem that affected his daily life and well-being.
The solution to his problem was not going to be revolutionary either. He knew he had to improve his diet – adding more fruits and vegetables. That’s when he turned to smoothies as an easy and nutritious solution.
However, the cramped kitchen in his university dorm room made it impractical to use a traditional blender. Setting up, blending, and cleaning up was cumbersome, messy, and time-consuming, all things a busy student could ill afford.
“I wanted something simple and fuss-free, like a Starbucks tumbler that could blend,” he shared.
This simple concept laid the foundation for what would eventually become HiBlendr – a portable, stylish, and powerful blender designed for life on the go.
Building the First Prototype Concept
Turning an idea into reality, however, was easier said than done. Andrew didn’t have any experience in entrepreneurship or background in product design and manufacturing. What he did have, though, was a relentless drive to learn and solve his own problem, and help others facing the same challenges.
He began sketching ideas, studying other bulky blender mechanisms, and reaching out to manufacturers who could help build a prototype. Early versions of his prototype looked like an assembly of ragtag parts. Battery life wasn’t poor. The motor power was not consistent. And durability left a lot to be desired.
But Andrew kept improving the design and functionality with each new iteration, learning through trial and error. “I would test them myself, break them, and fix them again,” he explained. His early goal was singular: create a blender that was powerful, portable, and visually appealing.
After countless prototypes and late nights, the first HiBlendr was born—a minimalist, lightweight, USB-rechargeable portable blender, stylish enough to fit into a handbag or gym bag.
The Steep Learning Curve Of Business-Building
Just because he had built an acceptable product did not mean he was anywhere closer to starting a successful business. Like any startup, the early days were filled with uncertainties and obstacles.
Besides drawing on his own personal savings to fund HiBlendr’s initial product launch, Andrew also adopted a pre-order model. He was able to collect funds upfront to subsidise costs for his first production run.
As fate would have it, COVID-19 hit. While the pandemic provided an initial boost in online sales, Andrew quickly saw intensified competition and counterfeit products on many of the popular online shopping platforms, like Shopee and Lazada.
He was forced to put on his marketing hat. To combat his competitors that were selling inferior quality products, Andrew invested heavily in market, content creation and collaborations. Andrew also worked with physical stores to distribute his products more widely, and today, Hiblendr can be found in as many as 50 Watsons stores across Malaysia.
Introducing The Juice Cup Ultra
The current flagship product, the Juice Cup Ultra, is a testament to HiBlendr’s commitment to innovation.
It boasts a 500ml capacity, larger than most portable blenders, and a powerful 200-watt motor that can easily crush ice and frozen fruits. Designed to look as good as it functions, the Juice Cup Ultra feels less like a kitchen appliance and more like a fashionable lifestyle accessory.
This focus on design and functionality didn’t go unnoticed. In 2025, HiBlendr’s Juice Cup Ultra was awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award, one of the world’s most respected recognitions in the field of design excellence.
Heypresso: Expanding The New Product Line
Understanding that the modern consumer’s lifestyle extends beyond health smoothies, HiBlendr expanded its product range to include coffee lovers as well.
HiBlendr designed Heypresso, its new portable espresso machine that’s compatible with both coffee capsules and ground coffee. It can even heat the water itself, allowing users to brew a fresh cup of espresso wherever they are, whether on a camping trip, at the office, or in the comfort of their car.
Heypresso perfectly complements HiBlendr’s vision: making health and convenience an accessible part of busy, urban living.
Looking to the future, HiBlendr has its sights set on new markets where health-conscious, tech-savvy, design-centric consumers are growing rapidly.
The company plans to adopt a hybrid approach, blending its strengths in online direct-to-consumer channels with strategic offline retail placements. This will allow HiBlendr to build brand visibility and trust while maintaining the agility that made it successful in the first place.
Execution Beats Ideas
For those who dream of launching their own ventures one day, Andrew has a clear piece of advice: “execution beats ideas”.
“Everyone has ideas,” he says. “But the difference lies in who actually takes action, stays disciplined, and keeps pushing even when it gets hard.”
His journey from a law student grappling with a relatively simple health issue to building an award-winning global lifestyle brand is a powerful reminder that with the right mindset, even the most unlikely ideas can blend into something extraordinary.
Subscribe To The DollarsAndSense Business Pass
Enjoy what you are reading and want more? Join The DollarsAndSense Business Pass and unlock access to valuable tools, exclusive networking opportunities, and tap into the wisdom of industry experts to fuel your business expansion!
