The Story of Bu Setu's Grilled Chicken, a Favourite Culinary Spot in Magetan That Successfully Expanded Its Business Thanks to BRI Empowerment

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Ayam Panggang Bu Setu is a frequent culinary destination for holidaymakers returning to their hometowns in Magetan Regency, East Java. The distinctive aroma of wood smoke from its kitchen has long been a sign of the delicious dishes that have endured across generations. Behind that plume of smoke lies a long journey of the family business that has been established for more than three decades. Today, Ayam Panggang Bu Setu remains faithful to preserving the traditional flavours that keep it as a favourite culinary spot every holiday season. Subiyanto, the second-generation manager of Ayam Panggang Bu Setu, explained that the business was founded by his parents in the 1990s. It started with street vending and has now developed into a home-based enterprise, with promotion initially relying on word-of-mouth until it became widely known as it is today. According to Subiyanto, the key attraction of Ayam Panggang Bu Setu lies in their consistency in maintaining the traditional cooking process. “The appeal of Ayam Panggang Bu Setu is our consistency in preserving the traditional cooking process using hardwood like mahogany or teak. Even though times are modern, we do not switch to gas stoves so that the chicken is perfectly cooked and our distinctive character remains intact,” he said. One of the most sought-after menu items by customers is Ayam Panggang Bumbu Rujak. The blend of spicy, sweet, and savoury flavours penetrates to the fibres of the tender free-range chicken meat, making it a dish perfect to enjoy with family. For Ayam Panggang Bu Setu, the Eid holiday season is always the busiest period of the year. Holidaymakers passing through Magetan often make time to stop by and enjoy this legendary cuisine. The development of Ayam Panggang Bu Setu cannot be separated from banking support that has accompanied this family business from the start. Subiyanto recalls how his father began partnering with BRI in 1992 with an initial capital of Rp250,000. “Before there was capital from BRI, we bought chickens from middlemen on credit, at much higher prices. After getting a loan from BRI, we could buy in cash and the selling price to consumers became more affordable,” he explained. Over time, the business continued to receive capital access from BRI for its development. Subiyanto also utilises BRI’s digital services to manage his business and hopes that these facilities will continue to be improved. This easy and quick financial support has helped the family business continue to grow, enabling it to expand land and build more comfortable restaurant facilities. BRI Corporate Secretary Dhanny stated that BRI is always consistent in providing capital support, mentoring, and digitalisation implementation for MSME players. “We are always committed to supporting government priority programmes, especially in productive sectors. The story of the Ayam Panggang Bu Setu business owner is a real example of BRI’s funding support in driving community economies and serves as an inspirational story that can be emulated by other business players,” Dhanny emphasised. By December 2025, BRI has successfully disbursed KUR worth Rp178.08 trillion to around 3.8 million debtors across Indonesia. More than 60 percent of the KUR disbursement is allocated to the production sector, with the production sector portion reaching 64.49 percent of the total disbursement.