WEST BANGKA --- Having experienced a downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Levaria (37), who is the owner of the food coloring product 'Ju & Je', is finally determined to run the business she is passionate about.
Previously, Levaria was a clothing trader in a shopping center in Jakarta. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, her business was forced to close. So she decided to return to her village in Pala Hamlet, Teluk Limau Village, Parit Tiga District, West Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province.
After returning to her hometown, she got the idea to open a food coloring product business from pandan leaves. This was inspired by the experience of her parents, who were traveling cendol traders.
Levaria finally tried her luck running a business to make food coloring products from real pandan leaves.
“My parents used to sell cendol to the villages, and the dye used was originally from pandan leaves. "From there, I started thinking about making dye from small food items. Thank God, someone bought it," she said.
Even though previously she said not many people knew about their product. However, she still did not give up her enthusiasm to introduce her product. Massive promotional efforts were carried out starting from providing testers to customers.
Slowly but surely, the efforts she has put in over the last three years are starting to show results. This can be seen by increasing their production and turnover.
"At first we only produced a few kilos, but gradually this increased to 50 kg of raw materials. Now production has doubled. "The busiest was when we entered the fasting month, we produced 300 kilos," she said.
To increase consumer confidence, their products also have halal certification from MUI and BPOM. This also has an impact on increasing turnover by around 20-30 percent.
"The turnover is around IDR 38 million per month, if it's clean it could be in the tens of millions," she said.
According to Leviri, her business was able to develop rapidly thanks to capital assistance from PT Timah Tbk. Since becoming a partner with PT Timah Tbk for two years, she has been able to build production houses according to BPOM standards.
The food coloring products they produce are also high quality and last for months if stored properly.
"Apart from that, I can also add production equipment and also increase production capital, and there are many other benefits that I get from becoming a partner with PT Timah," she said.
For the workforce, she empowers the local community so that they can help the community's economy.
"Currently I can employ four to five people in this production process," she said.
Levaria's 'Ju&Je' food coloring product is not only marketed in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province but has also been marketed to Jakarta.
"The majority of our customers in this local market are cake traders, such as martabak traders and mobile cake traders. Meanwhile, many customers from outside are from Jakarta. In one month we can sell 300 to 400 250 ml bottles," she concluded. (*)
