MARHABAN ya Ramadhan, Welcome to the month of Ramadan. Alhamdullillah, this year is the second year that Muslims have experienced freedom, after two years of refraining from celebrating the joy of worship in a month full of blessings. In 2021 and 2022, Muslims during Ramadan, apart from fasting, must also refrain from carrying out worship by having to distance themselves, aka not gathering.
This certainly makes the excitement of the holy month that has been found to be absent. For example, tarawih prayers in congregation at the mosque, attendance at the takjil market, breaking the fast together, and going home must also be arranged in such a way. Even celebrating the Eid al-Fitr victory day in our hometown had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The month of Ramadan is a momentum for some people who have an entrepreneurial spirit. This is very reasonable, especially in the culinary business, considering the very high market demand. Certainly a promising market opportunity. Business people also take advantage of it. So, competition will definitely be high.
If so, how can you utilize the Ramadan momentum appropriately, so that the culinary business you run can reap profits?
Apart from product discussion, there is a time zone factor which also plays an important role in supporting the success of a culinary business.
During the holy month of Ramadan, the culinary products that consumers are looking for are generally fried foods, ready-to-eat foods, pastries, frozen foods that are ready to be served when breaking the fast, and eating sahur. Don't forget fresh drinks to quench your thirst after 12 hours of fasting such as banana compote, cendol ice, fruit ice and fruit-based drinks (such as juice).
However, selling culinary products in the month of Ramadan must also pay attention to time zones. Ramadan fasting consists of 29 days, so it is divided into zones of the first 10 days, 10 middle days, and the last 9 days or before Eid al-Fitr. Adjusting the types of culinary products sold to this time zone will also help in terms of using business capital.
The first 10 days are a period of adjustment to fasting. People tend to be "a little" generous when it comes to meeting their culinary needs. The products sought are various drinks, fried foods, food for breaking the fast. Business opportunities are open for frozen food producers who target housewives, students or employees who live in boarding houses. They often prioritize practicality in providing iftar and sahur dishes.
Also pay attention to consumers who have children who are learning to fast. During this period, parents will motivate their children to learn to fast. Therefore, food products are also prepared for the children's market segment.
What about business start-ups or "impromptu" entrepreneurs? Can you take advantage of this momentum? Of course it's very open.
No need to make it yourself, the frozen food reseller business is wide open. Apart from direct consumers, the offer of special Ramadhan edition hamper packages containing dishes for breaking the fast is wide open, targeting individuals or companies who want to send them to families or corporate clients.
In the middle 10 day zone, people generally start to get used to it. This week is marked by the desire to break the fast together with relatives and family outside the home. So, the number of takjil buyers will generally start to decrease. Demand for "hampers" containing fast-breaking dishes has increased.
For those who produce pastries, now is the right moment to offer products. Offers can be in the form of pre-orders or direct offers because the product is ready, just send it.
In the last 10 days or before Eid al-Fitr, usually at that time seasonal culinary producers who live in areas near campuses, schools or offices, have started to reduce the amount of stock. This is because the potential for sales will decrease as many buyers return to their hometowns. The number of restaurants or food stalls that are closed will encourage demand for culinary products such as packaged drinks, pastries, fast food or frozen food to increase.
For catering entrepreneurs, the last 10 days are the moment to offer meal packages that can be enjoyed by large families when welcoming Eid al-Fitr.
However, are there potential culinary business opportunities in these three zones? There is. For example, providing takjil or packaged rice which is offered to benefactors for breaking the fast or sahur. The offer will be welcomed by consumers if it is accompanied by a delivery service to the destination (of course also including terms and conditions such as minimum order and delivery distance).
The entire explanation regarding potential culinary business opportunities by taking advantage of the Ramadan fasting moment will bring maximum satisfaction to consumers, if supported by knowledge and typical consumer behavior during Ramadan. Not only that, product quality (starting from raw materials, processing, to packaging) and timeliness of delivery also determine.
Therefore, the quality of the ecosystem in business really needs to be maintained. Starting from suppliers of raw and complementary materials, quality and quantity, production workers, speed in responding to orders from consumers, clarity in providing information, payment methods to availability, and arranging delivery schedules by couriers to consumers.
Happy business in the month of Ramadan, may you be blessed.
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*) Tri Siwi Agustina, chairman of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Industrial Relations, lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Airlangga
