Salak products level up, BRI brings SALAKU to penetrate global markets at FHA 2026 in Singapore
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Products based on local commodities are now demonstrating significant potential for growth and reaching international markets, one of which is the initiative by PT Salaku Cara Enak Makan Salak (SALAKU) participating in the Food & Hospitality Asia (FHA) 2026 in Singapore.
SALAKU’s participation in the event is inseparable from the support of PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BRI through the BRI UMKM EXPORT empowerment programme. SALAKU is an SME from Bekasi that has been operating since 2016 and develops innovations based on salak with a zero-waste concept, offering healthy snacks such as gluten-free sago cookies while adding value to local commodities.
Through BRI’s empowerment programme, SALAKU became part of the curation and mentoring process that strengthens business foundations, from product quality, packaging development, to production readiness for reaching wider markets. This process is then continued through export training covering understanding of international standards and market penetration strategies.
SALAKU owner Shelly revealed that this business was built through a long process full of challenges, from production limitations to building market understanding of salak-based products.
“This journey started from zero, with all the existing limitations. Production was done simply, experiments were repeated many times, and failure became an inseparable part. But it was precisely from that process that we found our main strength, namely consistent innovation and the courage to be different. We don’t just want to make tasty products, but also create good value from quality, sustainability, and social impact for farmers and surrounding communities,” she said.
Along with its development, SALAKU can now produce thousands of products every month with flagship products like Browker Ori and Cheese Sagu. These products are marketed through various channels, from modern retail, souvenir shops, marketplaces, social media, to reseller networks, and supported by the utilisation of BRI’s digital transaction services such as EDC, QRIS, and BRImo to facilitate transactions.
At the FHA 2026 event, SALAKU utilises the momentum to introduce products through sampling activities, education, and seeking partnerships. Direct interactions with buyers and industry players from various countries provide insights into consumer preferences while opening expansion opportunities to various countries.
“During the exhibition, we directly felt how salak processed products, which were previously considered niche, actually have strong appeal in foreign markets, especially because of the unique taste and zero-waste concept we promote. Interactions with various buyers, distributors, and F&B industry players from various countries also enrich our insights into global market trends and needs,” added Shelly.
BRI’s Director of Commercial Banking, Alexander Dippo Paris Y.S., stated that SALAKU’s step to penetrate international markets through the FHA 2026 event reflects the great potential of SMEs in creating value-added products and competing in the global market.
“SALAKU is an example of how SMEs can develop through consistent and relevant innovation with market needs. Through curation and empowerment processes, BRI ensures that business actors are not only ready in terms of products but also have business readiness to enter international markets. In the future, BRI will continue to strengthen SME empowerment so they can level up and have competitiveness in the global market,” he concluded.