“In one day I can sell 18 to 20 bags of grapefruit juice. One bag contains the juice of 40 grapefruits.”

Small roadside stalls selling coconut juice, green tea and fresh orange juice have become an everyday sight over the past few years. But during the last few months grapefruit juice has gained ground and is suddenly being sold all over Phnom Penh.

Lyly, a 24-year-old fresh grapefruit juice seller in Tuol Kork, says that most of her customers are young people who seem to understand the advantages that grapefruit juice has over its sapless relative, the common orange.

“Most of my customers are young people. They like to drink fresh juice because it makes them more beautiful and healthy. Sometimes they come to buy juice for their parents, since it also helps older people’s health,” Lyly says.

Lyly started selling grapefruit juice after she got some advice from a neighbour, who told her about the advantage drinking it can have.

“My neighbor said that after she started drinking grapefruit juice she noticed her belly got smaller every day. But she complained that the place she bought the juice from was far from her home so she encouraged me to sell it.”

After selling grapefruit juice for two months Lyly found her business was going well. “In one day I can sell 18 to 20 bags of grapefruit juice. One bag contains the juice of 40 grapefruits. I’m selling well and some guests who buy a pack come back to buy more,” she says.

Lyly believes in the beneficial effects of grapefruit juice on blood vessels, the heart and body fat.

She plans to open another location in the future to fill the vast and growing demand.