Batusangkar (ANTARA) - "Not one way to Rome", that phrase is probably the most appropriate one pinned on the success story of Fitra Yulia with the Kacang Pias Fitra micro-business which she pioneered in Simabur, Tanah Datar District, West Sumatra.
Aspiring to become a Civil Servants after completing college, a force of 92 of the Anthropology Faculty of Andalas University in Padang, become an entrepreneur.
On this "road" finally she success got income around Rp75 million a month.
Peanut pias is a snack food product made from ground peanuts, mixed with palm sugar and then printed in flat rectangular shape. This product is suitable for morning or evening snacks with tea or coffee.
The market for local specialty food products also began in the small neighborhood of families and shops around the house. After the product began to be known, marketing was developed into other regions.
But the turning point of the business became a success as it was in 2004 when Fitra began actively participating in the exhibition and auction of products for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which were carried out several times a year by the Tanah Datar Government
. Regional MSMEs, but at the same time facilitate so that big businessmen can meet directly with producers to enable large and continuous transactions to benefit MSMEs.
Once, the manager of one of the famous souvenir shops in West Sumatra, Cristine Hakim visited the product auction. Trying Fitra's peanut products and giving suggestion so that the peanut mixture is no longer palm sugar like the original recipe, but uses sugar.
Kacang Pias with palm sugar are already widely produced. It's hard to distinguish between one MSME product and another. Using sugar will be a differentiator for Fitra's peanut products.
Then start trying to concoct the exact composition for the Kacang Pias and sugar . It's rarely even possible to have never tried before. Maybe because the cost of production with sugar is higher than using palm sugar. After several attempts, it turns out that the sugar used cannot be arbitrary, it must be white sugar. That's the most expensive type of sugar.
The use of white sugar to make the product which produced can be more brightly colored, different from the color if using palm sugar so that it arouses consumer tastes
Even though the product has been recognized by the manager of the gift shop Cristine Hakim, cooperation is not automatically established. The main factor that becomes an obstacle is the cleanliness of the production space.
"This is one of the biggest lessons we learned from Cristine Hakim. The production room must be absolutely clean. Can be simple, but clean. "Workers must also have hygiene standards at work," said Fitra.
The hygiene standards were then truly held and maintained until they gained the trust of a number of large gift shops in West Sumatra to establish cooperation.
"Now her income reached Rp75 million per month. The products that are made are no longer just pias, but are developed with peanut kipang, dakak-dakak and other processed nuts, "she said.
The business also opens employment opportunities for the surrounding community. Everyday there are eight permanent workers who work to make pias and other products. On certain days when demand increases, labor increases.
The success in selling the products, Fitra often invited to provide motivation to prospective young entrepreneurs. Her efforts also received the government's attention and won many district, provincial and national awards.
At present she continues to strive to develop the market outside of West Sumatra. The network is built in various ways, one of which is by continuing to participate in exhibitions by regional governments, especially outside the province.
Editor: Mutiara Ramadhani
Translated by: Internship Student of ANTARA 2019
Pias Fitra's business become success because the product exhibition
The business owner of Pias nut Fitra Yulia and her husband, Is received a visit from the West Sumatra Cooperative and SME Office. (ANTARA SUMBAR / Miko Elfisha)
