Showcasing at FHA 2026, BRI Support Helps Papua-based SME 'Japamo' Attract International Buyers in Jayapura

Efforts by PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk to elevate SMEs by promoting local potential to global markets continue to yield results. One such example is Japamo, an SME from Jayapura that has successfully processed Papua sago into modern, appealing, and internationally competitive food products. Founded by Rini Eko Setiani in 2016, Japamo emerged from a simple concern over the limited options for practical and high-quality Papua souvenirs. This concern led Rini to a major untapped potential: the abundance of Papua sago, which has not been optimally processed into value-added products. ‘From there, we saw that sago has great potential for more modern processing. So it’s not just seen as traditional food, we’re trying to present it in forms that suit current market tastes, like cookies and various trendy snacks,’ said Rini. Furthermore, Rini explained that the innovation goes beyond sago processing; it’s also about how the products can be accepted by the market. She began packaging Japamo products attractively, with a sufficiently long shelf life, and developed them as healthy snacks to appeal to consumers. These efforts by Rini are starting to show results. From initial small-scale production, Japamo now processes hundreds of kilograms of sago flour per month. With rising demand, Japamo’s marketing reach continues to expand, not only in various cities in Papua such as Jayapura, Keerom, Sentani, Wamena, Merauke, Timika, and Sorong, but also increasingly through various distribution channels, from modern retail, marketplaces, to distributor and reseller networks in major cities. Along with Japamo’s business development, Rini noted that this is inseparable from various mentoring programmes she has participated in since 2019, one of which is through BRI Jayapura’s Rumah BUMN and the BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) event, which provide tangible benefits for business growth. ‘Through these programmes, Japamo received training to face various business challenges, from HR management, operations, to marketing strategies. We realise that to keep growing, we must learn. The training programmes from Rumah BUMN and BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) from BRI help us understand how to improve product quality, strengthen branding, and utilise digital marketing,’ said Rini.