PANGKALPINANG -- Bangka special food is always appetizing, it's no wonder the culinary business opportunities for typical Bangka dishes are quite promising. Even now mushrooming typical Bangka restaurant business.
One of PT Timah Tbk's fostered partners who took part in this opportunity is Pansul, a resident of Kampung Melayu, Pangkalpinang City, who has been running a typical Bangka restaurant business known as 'Warung Makan Ibu Sol', located on Jalan Kampung Melayu, Bukit Merapin for 20 years.
Pansul said he started a home business at his residence in 2003. They provide a variety of typical Bangka food menus, especially side dishes. This business has even been passed down from generation to generation to their children.
"In the past, there were not many food stalls selling Bangka specialties. We saw this as an opportunity, especially since there used to be many Timah ship employees who were Bangka people and liked to eat here. Incidentally, my wife and I are also Bangka people," he said when met, Friday (2/6 /2023).
It's not easy, he said, to be able to maintain this business, but with a distinctive taste, customers don't leave them. In addition, there are more and more types of Bangka specialties available.
In one day, he said, they at least serve about 40 types of food that customers can choose from. The types of food also vary, such as taro ground beef, katis beef, yellow fish and chicken beef, and vegetables such as eggplant.
"Thank God, the business can still survive and now the children are running it. My children have also opened several food stalls, apart from here there is one in Lubuk, in Air Itam, and not far from here. So this is a kind of family business too," he said.
To develop this business, he also took advantage of PT Timah Tbk's Micro Small Business Funding (PUMK) program. So that his business is growing.
According to him, they used the funds obtained from the PUMK program to buy business equipment such as stoves, basins, cauldrons, and others.
"I used this capital loan from PT Timah Tbk to buy equipment because if you use the stove, the basin will break if you use it continuously. So I used the funds to buy this equipment. Part of it was used to develop a new business selling chickens," he said.
Currently, they also accept orders for catering and rice boxes. They also provide a place for customers who want to eat on the spot. But generally, many customers choose to have it wrapped.
Even though they still prioritize the quality of food taste, the prices offered at their food stalls are also fairly affordable.
"The food that is being sold is the food we cook so it's fresh, it starts cooking here at dawn. So the food is new and still fresh. There are three people who help work at this food stall," he said.
For him, PT Timah Tbk's PUMK program is beneficial for business people like them. So that they can continue to maintain and develop their business.
"This program is very helpful because the administrative services are light. There are also many conveniences if we want to borrow. Hopefully, this program will continue so that many other business actors can take advantage of this program," he said.
