In New Zealand’s vibrant café scene, staying ahead means offering something special. Today’s customers are more health-conscious than ever, seeking fresh, high-quality options that taste great and offer genuine nutritional benefits. This is where freshly squeezed orange juice comes in a simple, timeless offering that can elevate your menu, delight your customers, and boost your bottom line. But to do it right, you need the right equipment.
This guide is for Kiwi café owners who are serious about quality. We’ll explore the best commercial citrus juicers on the market in 2025, drawing on our years of experience in the fresh juice industry. We’ll provide our tested picks, a practical buyer’s guide, and the insights you need to make a smart investment for your business. Because, let’s be frank, when it comes to juice, nothing beats fresh.
Why Every NZ Café Should Consider a Commercial Citrus Juicer
Offering freshly squeezed juice is more than just adding another drink to your menu; it’s a statement about your commitment to quality and freshness. It’s also a significant business opportunity. Here’s why a commercial citrus juicer is a game-changer for New Zealand cafés:
• Meet Customer Demand: The demand for healthy, natural beverages is not just a trend; it’s a long-term shift in consumer behaviour. Freshly squeezed juice is a premium product that health-conscious Kiwis are willing to pay for.
• Create a Customer Experience: The sight and sound of a commercial juicer in action transforming whole oranges into a glass of vibrant, fresh juice is a spectacle. It’s a piece of theatre that draws customers in, creates a memorable experience, and communicates freshness in a way no carton or bottle ever could.
• Boost Your Profits: Freshly squeezed orange juice commands a higher price point than pre-packaged juices. With the right equipment and a reliable supply of quality oranges, it can become a significant revenue stream for your café. The return on investment is not just in direct sales but also in the enhanced perception of your brand.
• Guarantee Quality and Flavour: When you juice on-site, you have complete control over the quality of your product. You can choose the best seasonal oranges and serve a juice that is bursting with flavour and free from preservatives, added sugars, and other artificial ingredients. This is the kind of quality that builds a loyal customer base.
Understanding Commercial Citrus Juicers
While there are many types of commercial juicers on the market, for cafés focusing on the classic appeal of fresh orange juice, the decision is simpler. You need a dedicated citrus juicer. Unlike centrifugal or masticating juicers that are designed for a wide range of fruits and vegetables, citrus juicers are purpose-built for one job: extracting the maximum amount of juice from oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits, quickly and efficiently.
Within the category of commercial citrus juicers, there are two main types to consider:
|
Juicer Type |
How it Works |
Best For |
Pros |
Cons |
|
Manual Press Juicers |
A lever is used to press a cut orange half onto a reamer. |
Low-volume cafés, or for occasional use. |
Lower initial cost, simple to operate, no electricity needed. |
Labour-intensive, slow, inconsistent pressure can affect yield. |
|
Automatic Juicers |
Whole oranges are fed into the machine, which automatically cuts and squeezes them. |
Medium to high-volume cafés, restaurants, and supermarkets. |
High speed and efficiency, consistent high yield, creates a great customer spectacle. |
Higher initial investment, requires more counter space. |
For any serious café operation in New Zealand, an automatic commercial citrus juicer is the clear winner. The speed, efficiency, and consistency it offers are essential for a busy environment, and the visual appeal is a powerful marketing tool in itself.
Our Tested Picks for 2025: The Zummo Lineup
At Frankly Fresh, we’ve not only supplied premium New Zealand oranges to businesses across the country, but we’ve also tested and worked with the best juicing equipment on the market. Our juicers are imported from Europe, and after extensive research and real-world use, we exclusively recommend and supply the Zummo range of automatic citrus juicers.
Zummo juicers are world-class commercial machines renowned for their durability, efficiency, and, most importantly, the quality of the juice they produce. Their unique squeezing system is designed to avoid contact with the bitter peel, resulting in a sweeter, cleaner-tasting juice. Here are our top picks for New Zealand cafés in 2025:
For the Bustling Café: Zummo Z14 Nature
The Z14 Nature is the perfect all-rounder for most café environments. It’s a workhorse, capable of juicing up to 16 fruits per minute, which is more than enough to keep up with the morning rush. Its 9kg basket means you can load it up and let it work, freeing up your staff to serve customers.
• Best for: Cafés, bars, bakeries, and restaurants with a steady demand for fresh juice.
• Key Features: Patented EVS system for maximum yield, automatic filter, and a compact footprint for its capacity.
For High-Volume and Self-Service: Zummo Z40 One Self-Service
If you’re a high-volume operation or looking to offer a self-service option, the Z40 One Self-Service is the ultimate machine. This powerhouse can juice up to 40 fruits per minute, producing up to 3 litres of juice in that time. It’s the same type of machine you might see in a busy supermarket, and it’s perfect for businesses that want to make fresh juice a cornerstone of their offering.
• Best for: Busy supermarkets, large restaurants, and high-traffic cafés wanting to offer a unique self-service experience.
• Key Features: Incredible speed and capacity, robust stainless-steel construction, and an intuitive self-service tap.
To learn more about our journey and the equipment we trust, you can read our story on our About Us page.
A Kiwi Café Owner’s Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the right juicer is a significant investment, so it’s important to get it right. Here are the key factors to consider from a New Zealand perspective:
1 Your Volume Needs: Be realistic about how much juice you expect to sell. For most cafés, a machine like the Z14 Nature is a perfect starting point. If you’re unsure, it’s often better to start with a smaller model and upgrade as demand grows.
2 Counter Space and Workflow: Where will the juicer live in your café? Measure your space and consider how the machine will fit into your existing workflow. An automatic juicer is a showpiece, so place it where customers can see it in action.
3 Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance: This is critical in a busy café. Look for a machine that is easy to disassemble and clean. Zummo juicers are designed for quick and easy cleaning, which is one of the reasons we recommend them. Daily cleaning is essential for hygiene and for keeping your machine in top condition.
4 Supplier and Support: Don’t just buy a machine; buy into a partnership. Who are you buying from? Do they offer installation, training, and ongoing support? At Frankly Fresh, we don’t just sell you a juicer; we provide the training and support you need to get the most out of it. And, of course, we can supply you with the best juicing oranges New Zealand has to offer.
5 The Quality of the Squeeze: Not all juicers are created equal. The final taste of the juice is what matters most. Zummo’s EVS (Efficient Vertical System) technology is a game-changer because it presses the fruit vertically, without the juice coming into contact with the peel’s oils. This prevents any bitterness from tainting the final product, giving you a consistently sweet and delicious juice.
The Business Case: Calculating Your Return on Investment
A commercial juicer is not an expense but an investment in a new, high-margin revenue stream. Let’s break down the potential return for a New Zealand café.
While the initial outlay for a quality machine like a Zummo Z14 Nature might be several thousand dollars, the return can be surprisingly quick. Consider this:
• A standard 250ml serving of fresh orange juice can retail for $7-$9 in a typical NZ café.
• The cost of oranges to produce that juice is significantly lower, especially when you source them efficiently.
By selling just 10-15 juices a day, a café can cover the cost of the machine in a matter of months. From then on, it’s a pure profit-generating asset. Furthermore, the appeal of fresh juice can lead to increased foot traffic and higher overall sales.
Maintaining Your Juicer for a Long and Productive Life
Your commercial juicer is a valuable piece of equipment, and looking after it is key to its longevity and performance. Here are some simple maintenance tips:
• Daily Cleaning: This is non-negotiable. At the end of each day, the machine should be disassembled and all parts that come into contact with the juice should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
• Regular Checks: Keep an eye on the squeezing mechanism and blades. Any build-up of pulp or peel should be removed.
• Professional Servicing: Just like your coffee machine, your juicer will benefit from an annual professional service to ensure it’s running optimally.
Where to Start Your Fresh Juice Journey
Bringing the magic of freshly squeezed orange juice to your café is easier than you might think. At Frankly Fresh, we’ve designed our business to be a one-stop-shop for cafés in New Zealand. We can provide you with:
• A world-class Zummo commercial citrus juicer tailored to your needs.
• A reliable, year-round supply of premium, NZ-grown oranges.
• The training and support you need to get started.
If you’re ready to take the next step, we’d love to chat. You can get in touch with us through our Contact page