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Doing Traditional Foods Business? Why Not?
Each state has its own characteristics
that can distinguish with other countries. Start from ethnic groups, languages,
customs, national anthem, to the food. Indonesia is one of multicultural
countries that have diverse culture of the various islands.
This diversity reflects the identity of the nation as well as the
distinguishing feature with other
countries. However, these characteristics
are often contested by other countries.
Such as the case of the song Rasa Sayange
and Batik that claimed by Malaysia.
Actually, this is not entirely the fault of another country if they claim our
culture, because in reality we are not very concerned with cultural issues. That
was just a few examples of cultural issues in art. In the field of culinary,
Indonesia is a storehouse of delicious and savory culinary. A variety of food,
ranging from seafood to terrestrial food, spicy foods to sweet foods, and that
is no less interesting is the blend of appropriate and complete seasoning food
, such as foods from Padang , Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Javanese, also some
foods in other areas in Indonesia. However, the existence of traditional foods
is almost forgotten by the people of Indonesia. Many people assume that
traditional food is not the elite food, outdated and do not arouse the
appetite. Even, to established businesses of traditional food, many people who
do not look at this business opportunity. Because in fact, most producers of
traditional foods is lower class society. Therefore, there is a perception that the business of
traditional food was not suitable for elite entrepreneurs. Doing business in
traditional food field is a new challenge, but this business is an opportunity
to innovate also as the efforts of cultural preservation.
Now,
the food business increase significantly. Many food companies compete with
various ways of promotion to attract customers as much as possible. Some
traditional food companies are also doing promotion for every new product that
is produced. However, in the execution the traditional food entrepreneurs face
many challenges. It happens because most food companies operating in Indonesia
is a company that produces durable food. They prefer to produce these products
because many traditional foods are not durable, so the risk of loss is high
enough. Therefore, it appears many companies of instant noodles, instant sauce,
nuggets, and so on that cause greater competition. In addition, the existence
of fast food business, such as KFC, Mc
Donald's, Pizza Hut, etc also raise a great competition for traditional food
entrepreneurs. In terms of promotion, traditional food companies may not get
more attention from the public because the promotions done in the mass media
are dominated by the company of instant food and fast food that already has its
own brand. Moreover, most of the traditional food is not durable,if it’s
compared to foods preserved that can last for 1 year. In terms of processing,
the traditional meals need longer process than fast food because all of the
spices and other ingredients will be made if we are going to cook. Contrasts
to instant food products which are ready to be used any time without depend on
the cooking time. It means that if we do not want to cook, these instant spices
can be saved to be used in the next cooking process. In terms of packaging,
traditional food is still less interesting with instant food or fast food. For
example, if we want to package Cassava Chips which is a traditional snack, we
only use plastics. Meanwhile, Chiki which is an instant snack packed in
attractive packaging. Therefore, even though the price of Cassava Chips is more
expensive than Chiki, Cassava Chips still cannot earn maximum sales because of
the unattractive packaging. Meanwhile, Chiki can get more sales than Cassava
Chips because of the attractive packaging and the lower price.
On
the other hand, doing traditional foods business is an opportunity to innovate.
Why can we say it? Because, if we can make new idea to develop the recipe of
traditional foods, traditional foods will have
wide market and the perception that traditional foods is outdated will
be cleared. Some excellence of Indonesian traditional foods that can be
developed and profitable, among others:
1.
Low-Fat
Majority of Indonesian foods only contain about 20% of fat. For example, Gado-gado, Pecel, etc which are high in fiber and low in fat that suitable to
be consumed for everyone, especially for women who want to do diet. Based on
this excellence, we can make an innovation to these foods by make some
variation of vegetables and creating a new flavor, so the product will not be
monotone. In terms of promotion, we can promote the uniqueness of this food
also give more information about the importance of consuming vegetables for
human healthy. Therefore, the people will be more interested with Gado-gado or pecel which are produced. if this food have been accepted by
public, we can expand this product to
the areas in Indonesia. Moreover, we can
expand this food to another country.
2. More natural / non-chemical
Most of Indonesian food ingredient processed naturally. For example if we want
to fertilize the vegetables, we will use organic fertilizer; and then we use
the salt to preserve the fish; using Turmeric as food coloring to produced
yellow color; oak leaves to produce red color ; and Suji leaf to produce green
color. By using those natural ingredients that have been provided around us, it
will save on operational cost; therefore, the revenue will be got without big
operational cost. It will be different if we get the instant ingredient by
buying it from the store. It will rise
the operational cost of the business.
3. Rich in fiber
Indonesia’s food ingredient, such as tubers, both cassavas, sweet potato, and
taro has high fiber content. So far, our societies are not yet know the
advantages in consuming the tubers. Whereas, tubers contain high nutrients such
as vitamin C which is contained in yam and has a function in maintaining the
immunity. Based on this excellence, we can do product development from the
tubers, such as by making a cake made from Taro flour; then, make yam chips
with various flavor; and so on. Actually, if we can make an innovation to the
tubers, the bad perceptions about the tubers will be cleared. Therefore, we can
predict that the tubers consumption will be increasing and the product we made
will be more liked by the people.
4.
The prices are cheaper
our country has a variety of natural resources that can be utilized without the
expensive cost, like the variety of fish that available in the Indonesia's
waters. There are various types of fish that can be obtained with low prices
but have high nutrition. For example mackerel, catfish, sardines, and eel that
rich in omega 3 and almost have the same nutrition content with Salmon that
including as expensive fish. Actually, it is an opportunity for entrepreneurs
to make an innovation for traditional food by using cheap ingredients, but it has
high nutritional content. We can cultivate catfish being shredded, or developing
Pecel Lele with a new variation; we are also able to process mackerel into
sausages or fish paste, and so on. Thus, we can produce traditional food with
low operational costs because the ingredients are available in our country and
the price is not too expensive.
Besides
being an opportunity to innovate, traditional food business is also an effort
to preserve the traditional culture of Indonesia. In fact, many people who do
not care and do not even know anything about traditional foods. Because, since
early childhood, their parents familiarize them with western food. For example,
many mothers who cook sausages or nuggets as a side dish for their children on
the grounds of practicality. Another example, many parents who provide instant
juice to their children for reasons more practical and easier. Most parents,
especially career women, feel bothered if they have to cook with complete
spices, like in traditional food. Moreover, the process in cooking traditional
foods requires a long time. So the best solution according to them is eating
fast food or instant drink. However, consciously or not, these actions will
build children mental tend to choose fast food rather than food cooked in a
longer process, such as traditional food. This mental is the main cause of the
loss of a love of traditional food. Therefore, it requires some effort to
preserve traditional food. One way is by establishing a traditional restaurant
or a traditional food company. The existence of traditional foods business is a
way to preserve traditional foods. Now, traditional foods entrepreneurs began
to appear. They succeeded in raise a traditional theme in their business whose
be the main attraction for customers. They succeeded in making innovation of
the traditional foods, either the taste or nice packaging. Even some of
traditional food restaurant are still maintaining the layout and the service in
traditional concept. For example, Sundanese restaurant that use lesehan concept where the customer sit
on the floor, then, the foods served by rattan plate coated with banana leaves
, also accompanied by traditional songs
from West Java; then, restaurant located above the pool, with bamboo floors and
thatched roofs; then, there is another concept in a traditional food restaurant
with fish as the main menu, which let visitors fishing alone and the results
submitted to the chef at the restaurant
to be cooked; and so on. In fact, with this traditional concept, many
customers are interested to eat at this restaurant. Because lately, we feel so
difficult to find restaurant with traditional concept like that.
In
essence, Indonesia traditional foods are not low quality foods that lose
competitiveness with western food.
Indonesia traditional food is a food rich in flavor with variety of
excellences and it is healthier than instant foods. Because majority of
Indonesian food ingredients are produced in a natural way, and the cooking process
don't use instant ingredients or instant spices. However, the existence of
traditional foods is less enthused by the society because many of traditional
foods that do not have a big brand. Different with western food that has been
had great brand. Some efforts to increase public interest to traditional foods
are:
a. Embedding a love of traditional
food since childhood. Parents should not often cook with instant ingredients
because it is not completely healthy. Eventually, instant ingredients containing
chemicals substance which are harmful to our health. Unlike when cooking with
fresh and natural ingredients, such as those in Indonesia. For example, if your
children ask for a meal with chicken, as a good
mother you should not only frying
the nugget or calling for KFC to deliver the fried chicken you want, but you
must cook the chicken by yourself with traditional recipes, such as Ayam Penyet
, Ayam Kremes,etc. Thus, besides the children understand about traditional
foods, they will also feel more respect to their mothers who painstakingly cook
chicken for them.
b. Promote slow food movement. This
movement was pioneered by a journalist and observer of a healthy lifestyle of
Italy, Carlo Petrini, as a form of disagreement with fast food that use supplemental
synthetic food additives are used as coloring, texture modifiers, and the
appetite. In principle, the slow food movement aims to restore the rhythm of
cooking to the original rhythm. Because consciously or not, cooking calmly is
one form of relaxation that can help eliminate fatigue of mind and soul.
c. Traditional food business. As explained earlier, the traditional food business gives huge profit. We should not
be afraid to raise traditional foods menu in the competition between Culinary
Entrepreneurs. It’s true, because in the fact, one of traditional food from
Indonesia has been nominated as the most delicious food in the world. The food is
Rendang which is a culinary from Padang, West Sumatera. This nomination is
given by CNNGo
(a website that includes CNN International topics about culture and global lifestyle, but more deeply into his local side). This achievement will be a great motivation for traditional foods entrepreneurs to always doing
innovation, in order to remain competitive with food from other countries.
Choose
for doing traditional food business is not a wrong choice. Until now, many traditional foods entrepreneur that still survive.
The existence of traditional foods
remain acceptable, even awaited by the public because Indonesian cuisine
has always been consistent in dispensing
spices, so it's not going to change from time to time. An example is
cuisine of Nasi Padang ,that until now
the taste of savory and spicy are still same. Padang cuisines have also
expanded in various regions in Indonesia. This is a proof that the traditional
cuisine always exist from time to time
and from one place to another place. Another example is Madura Satay, where its presence is still accepted by the public
until now. The existence of Sate Madura has spread to other parts of Indonesia,
especially in Java. These two examples are only a small part of the success in
doing business the traditional food. Now, a lot of traditional food
entrepreneur successful because maintaining the authenticity of the recipes and
concepts. An example is Ampera, a
Sudanese restaurant that maintains the authenticity of Sudanese cuisine
recipes, it's presence was successfully received by the general public. Even
currently has opened branches in various regions in Indonesia. The next example
is Rumah Makan Tradisional Rawon Guling
located in East Java. It has been established since 1941 and still holds out
until today. Even, based on the owner information some branches of this
restaurant are often visited by government officials who want to go to
Surabaya. Based on these facts, we can conclude that the traditional culinary
business brings big profit. Thus, doing traditional food business? Why not?
Reference
http://bisniskulinerindonesia.blogspot.com/2012/06/rumah-makan-rawon-guling-makanan.html
