BANGKA — Behind the crunch of the crispy chicken skin snack Tukenia lies the inspiring story of a resilient woman named Kurnia Ningsih, affectionately known as Nia.
This small-scale entrepreneur from Bangka has proven that perseverance and the ability to adapt can help a business not only survive but also grow despite limitations.
Nia started her Tukenia business in 2017. Initially, she opened a modest food stall serving fried chicken skin as the main dish. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she was forced to close temporarily due to restricted operating hours.
“Our stall used to be open until late at night. During the pandemic, we couldn’t operate as usual because of activity restrictions. Our income dropped drastically,” Nia recalled.
Refusing to give up, Nia looked for ways to keep her business running. After discussing with her husband, they came up with the idea to transform the chicken skin dish into a ready-to-eat dry snack that could be sold without needing a physical food stall.
“I thought about how to keep the business going. We eventually tried processing chicken skin into a long-lasting crispy snack that we could sell door-to-door,” she explained.
The year 2019 marked a turning point for Nia. She and her husband began seriously producing crispy chicken skin chips under the brand name Tukenia. The product is made from fresh chicken skin, thoroughly cleaned, seasoned with natural local spices, preservative-free, and hygienically packaged.
“We want to preserve the savory and aromatic flavors of Indonesian spices. We mix all the seasonings ourselves, with no preservatives,” Nia said.
Nia’s dedication to her business led her to the Micro and Small Business Funding Partnership Program (PUMK) of PT TIMAH Tbk, which she learned about through training organized by the Office of Cooperatives and SMEs. It was through this training that she discovered the ease of access to funding and guidance provided by the company for small entrepreneurs.
“The process of partnering with PT TIMAH Tbk’s CSR program was very easy. The requirements were simple, and the loan installments were manageable,” she said.
In addition to receiving working capital, Nia also benefited greatly from the various trainings and SME exhibitions initiated by PT Timah Tbk. These activities helped her gain new insights into marketing and product development.
“We didn’t just receive funding; we also received guidance. PT TIMAH Tbk often includes us in national exhibitions and company events. This really helps promote our products,” Nia said.
As a fostered partner, Nia hopes that the funding system can return to its previous form—directly managed by PT TIMAH Tbk without bank intermediaries.
“Our hope is that the system can go back to the way it was—direct from PT TIMAH Tbk—because this support is incredibly helpful for small businesses like ours,” she stated.
Now, in addition to selling crispy chicken skin snacks, Nia has expanded her business by opening a modern tea drink stall, offering various options such as rosella tea, green tea, and traditional Solo-style black tea.
“Thank you to PT TIMAH Tbk for always supporting and motivating SMEs. We hope there will be even more training sessions, exhibitions, and bazaars to help us continue to grow,” Nia concluded with hope. (*)
