North Sumatra's Creativity Heads to International Markets

Medan (ANTARA) - The sound of a coffee grinder hums from a corner of a shopping centre in Medan, blending with the activity of baristas busy preparing drinks for visitors. The aroma of coffee from the highlands of Sumatra wafts through the rows of stalls filling the area. Occasionally, visitors stop to look, taste, and buy the various products on offer. However, the area does not only present various types of coffee. Various food products in modern packaging are also neatly arranged on the shelves. Other creative products are also on display, showcasing the diverse business potential cultivated by UMKM players from North Sumatra. Behind every stall lies a story of creativity and perseverance from business owners who are continuously striving to develop their products. Products that were previously marketed on a limited basis are now being introduced to a wider consumer base. One of the efforts to facilitate this market expansion is through Karya Kreatif Sumatera Utara (KKSU), initiated by the Bank Indonesia Representative Office for North Sumatra Province. KKSU serves as a space for business owners to introduce regional flagship products while opening up wider opportunities towards national and international markets. This was experienced by Jansen Tanuwijaya, a processed anchovy business owner from Medan. For Jansen, KKSU is not just an exhibition event, but a space to open up opportunities and expand business networks. Through this activity, his processed anchovy products have begun to engage with potential buyers from abroad, one of whom is from Malaysia. ‘There has been communication with a Malaysian party and a memorandum of understanding has been signed. Currently, it is still in the exploratory stage,’ he said. As the child of a fisherman in Belawan, Jansen has also previously collaborated with the airline Garuda Indonesia by providing processed anchovy products as a meal for passengers on the Medan-Jakarta route. He is also exploring cooperation opportunities with buyers from Japan through facilitation by Bank Indonesia and several other private partners. ‘We are ready if demand increases. Our raw materials are abundant because they come from family and a network of fishermen. They just need to be processed into various flavours,’ he said. Similar hopes were expressed by Loli Saragih, a coffee business owner from Simalungun Regency. According to her, KKSU is not just an exhibition event, but also opens up opportunities for business owners to expand their market. For her, Simalungun coffee may not yet be as famous as Gayo, Lintong, or Sidikalang coffee. However, she believes that coffee from the region has its own quality and character. ‘The characteristic of Simalungun Arabica coffee is its strong acidity level. We assess that its prospects are getting better,’ she said. As farmers’ interest in planting coffee grows, coffee production in the region also continues to develop. Currently, her marketed coffee products have reached approximately 200 kilograms per month for the Malaysian market. In the future, she is targeting market expansion to China. According to her, KKSU has great potential to expand the marketing of UMKM products, from the local level to the international stage. The activity not only showcases products but also provides training and education, assistance in packaging, and connects business owners with potential buyers.