Local Champions 2019_Gorontalo - IKM BMS, Gorontalo city (English)

NSLIC/NSELRED GORONTALO CHAMPIONS SME Bilal Mekar Snack (BMS), Gorontalo city Risna Thamrin Hasan (39) is a female head of household and owner of SME Bilal Mekar Snack (BMS) located in Gorontalo city who started her business back in 2012 by making Panada Tore (a fried savory empanada which stuffed with Tuna floss). Her business started off as a hobby in which Risna's fondness for cooking initiated this and led her to market her product, which at the time was limited to her family and friends and making it available at nearby stalls. In 2017, Risna still worked by herself and earned IDR 4 million per month. Thanks to her perseverance, Risna's business is now growing rapidly with nine workers and a turnover of IDR 25 million/month.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Panada Tore produced by SME Bilal Mekar Snack which Risna owns has now turned into one of the signature local snacks of Gorontalo province and has been widely marketed in the province’s major retailers such as Omart, Saronde, Qmart, Karsa Utama, etc. It all dated back to 2012 when Risna marketed chili sauce (sambal) and Tuna floss (abon) products online via Facebook. In 2018, Risna joint the Segala Sagela Community formed by NSLIC/NSELRED in Gorontalo city to unite Sagela based processing SMEs in Gorontalo city. Risna then produced other variants from Sagela (Roa) fish to diversify BMS’ products. Now, Risna and her nine workers, are capable of producing hundreds of packs of Panada Tore, Tuna floss and at least 300 bottles of Sagela sambal on a monthly basis.

Risna has participated in capacity building programs delivered by NSLIC/NSELRED. It started with a Business Talk session themed “Business Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs”, held in collaboration with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) in September 2018. She then participated in various NSLIC/NSELRED training such as on the business development; food safety; local economic development; financial management; market planning and business cooperation, etc.

Since then, it changed Risna’s mindset and she was determined to progress her business even more through networking.

Risna shared her skiills in producing the Panada Tore during NSLIC/NSELRED training in Gorontalo city.

LICENSING

NETWORKING

Risna realized the importance of licensing for ensuring the legality of her business and products so as to fulfill the main prerequisite for market expansion. “I

Thanks to the NSLIC/NSELRED’s assistance, Risna and her Sagela fish processor colleagues have now found marketing channels, such as Saronde and Omart, and established networking with fellow Sagela fish-processing SMEs by forming business groups. Within these groups, members collaborate with each other in multiple aspects, from procuring raw materials, processing Sagela fish processing waste, and promoting products to conducting joint marketing efforts. "Collaborating with fellow

frequently visited the related agencies to take care of my business and products’ licenses.

Praise be to God, all BMS products have now acquired PIRT (the Household Food Industry Licence). That’s the first thing people ask when we are about to hit the market,” she explained while recounting her experience during the licensing process a few years ago.

Sagela fish processing SMEs does not do us harm in terms of incurring loss or prompting unhealthy competition. I believe everyone has their own share of fortune. It’s just that we need to make sure we deserve it,” added Risna.

FROM MARKET OUTLOOK TO EXPORT The market outlook for Panada Tore, tuna floss (abon tuna) and Sagela sambal that BMS produces is quite promising. Market demand is even higher with the increasing popularity of the products, supported by promotional efforts carried out by Mrs. Risna in various activities such as training courses, exhibitions, competitive events, official meetings and other occasions.

For example, during the Mindanao Trade and Business Mission to Gorontalo province held on October 30, 2019 when Risna and two members of the ‘Everything Sagela’ (Segala Sagela) Community SMEs attending the event received a pre-order for exporting 3,000 packs of their products to the Philippines as a result of the Philippines Consul General's visit to Gorontalo. NSLIC/NSELRED has bridged communications between the ‘Everything Sagela’ SMEs and buyers from the Philippines, in collaboration with the Gorontalo Provincial Office of Industry and Trade, particularly the Foreign Trade section, and with the Customs Office in order to overcome obstacles in shipping out from Gorontalo to Manado city then on to Davao city of the Philippines.

CAPACITY BUILDING AND INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING A strong commitment to advancing her business has encouraged Risna to actively attend various training programs, exhibitions and competitions aimed for capacity building and institutional strengthening.

During September - November 2019 alone, Risna participated in around 10 training activities, including: 

Winner of the 2019 Gorontalo province’s Toward Brilliant SMEs held by Bank Rakyat Indonesia, ICSB and MARKPLUS Institute (Nov 5, 2019);

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Speaker at the Fish-based Food Processing Training for Housewives in Dembe Jaya village, following an invitation from the Subdistrict Government of Kota Utara, Gorontalo city (Nov 4, 2019);

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Representing Gorontalo province’s SMEs at the 34th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2019 organized by the Ministry of Trade (Oct 16-20, 2019) at Indonesia Convention Exhibition, BSD City, Tangerang;

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Technical Training on Promotion of Export Products by the Indonesian Export Training Center (PPEI), the Directorate General of National Export Development, Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia (Oct 11-14, 2019) in Jakarta;

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Attending the Gorontalo Culinary Expo at the annual Gorontalo Karawo Festival (Oct 2-6, 2019) with the All Sagela Community with support provided by the NSLIC/NSELRED;

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Training on GO ACCELERATING Indonesia's MSMEs Digital Transformation; BRI Incubator by BRI Gorontalo (Oct 3-4, 2019)

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SheMeansBusiness Masterclass Training; a Masterclass to Expand Local and Global Markets using Digital Marketing held by Facebook and Femina in Gorontalo City (Sep 19, 2019);

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Speaker and one of the local champions in Monitoring & Evaluation of NSLIC/NSELRED’s Work Progress in Gorontalo (Sep 12, 2019);

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Speaker at the Mangrove Fruit- and Fish-Processed Products Training in Lambangan and Uwedikan Villages, Banggai Regency at the invitation of the Bird Life in Indonesia Foundation and the Natural Resource Management Network (Sep 13-14, 2019);

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Speaker at the Technical Guidance for Dissemination of Added-Value Processed Fish Products, in the Gorontalo Province Fisheries and Maritime Office (Sept 3, 2019).