From a Home Veranda, Eko's Pempek Business Expands to 7 Branches

The kitchen at the residence of Eko Saputra and Lina has been active since early morning, filled with the distinct aroma of Spanish mackerel. From this corner of their home, Eko has built a business named Pempek Raffelse, which continues to thrive.

Eko shared that the business was established in mid-2017. Today, it operates seven branches spread across West Jakarta, a significant feat for a venture that began on a home veranda. “When we first started on 27 May 2017, during the early part of Ramadan, we operated as a street vendor. The business was initially run by my mother from our veranda,” Eko explained.

Recognising the high demand and market potential, Eko decided to take over the business after leaving his previous job. The first permanent stall was located on Jl Haji Lengkong, near a hospital in Cengkareng. Due to high customer interest, he opened a second branch in the Daan Mogot area in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pempek Raffael offers a variety of signature dishes, including pempek kapal selam, telur kecil, adaan, kulit, lenjer, keriting, and tekwan. Beyond its seven physical locations—which include Hj. Lengkong, Daan Mogot culinary centre, Jl. Jimbaran, Jelambar, behind the CNI building, Kosambi, and Taman Kota—the business also handles large orders for offices, weddings, and religious holidays.

Having operated the business for over nine years, this MSME now generates a gross monthly turnover of approximately 110 to 140 million Rupiah. The success has allowed Eko to employ nine staff members and invest in operational vehicles. Looking ahead, Eko aims to establish a larger central outlet for Pempek Raffael as soon as sufficient funds are available.

Lina, who co-runs the business, noted that Pempek Raffael became a member of the Rumah BUMN BRI programme in 2023. This initiative has helped the MSME ‘scale up’ by providing access to training, capital, and markets. Lina highlighted that the training in financial management was particularly crucial, as it helped separate personal expenses from business production costs through proper financial reporting.

Furthermore, the programme assisted the business in navigating e-commerce platforms by bringing in partners to explain how to register correctly as a merchant. Jajang Rohmana, the Coordinator of Rumah BUMN Jakarta, stated that the programme is committed to helping MSMEs expand their market reach through entrepreneurship skills, digital assistance, and access to capital networks.