TABLOIDSINARTANI.COM, Jakarta—Being consistent and not giving up is capital if we want to be successful in our business. This lesson can be learned from Nadia, a 38 year old woman who owns the Shamiya frozen fried banana business. Carrying the tagline "Just One Isn't Enough!" This woman from Bandar Lampung admitted that thanks to her persistence and consistent production, "Shamiya" frozen fried bananas have successfully penetrated the market in various locations in Indonesia, and have even been sold as far as Europe and Saudi Arabia. The success of "Shamiya" cannot be separated from the hard work of Nadia and her husband. By exploiting the potential of Lampung, which is a banana center, Nadia processes half-ripe fried bananas, so that the product can last a long time if stored in the freezer (refrigerator). Consumers can consume anytime and anywhere. "My husband and I started to be consistent since 2015, at first our finances were disrupted, but then we were faced with having to live our lives and met a teacher who was already in the fried banana business," said Nadia to tabloidsinartani.com during the local food MSME Business Meeting in Bandung, some time ago. Nadia said that previously she could not form a banana fan. Moreover, usually the fried bananas sold are fan-shaped. “Because we couldn't form a fan, it finally came off. But it turns out that when it was marketed, everyone liked it. So innovation is born from inability. "In fact, the market likes the innovation in loose form, because it is easier and is liked by children," he said. Nadia said that the demand for Shamiya fried bananas in Bandar Lampung is quite large. Every month he produces up to 14 tons of bananas. However, for requests outside Bandar Lampung, Nadia provides delivery notes within a day because the product is without preservatives. Because, it must be immediately stored in the freezer. The business that Nadia and her husband built was not easy, but she tried to be consistent, especially in getting banana raw materials. The bananas used by Shamiya are Kepok, Raja and Tanduk types. Sometimes getting good quality bananas is quite difficult.
Based on the experience of Nadia and her husband, stock of raw materials for horn and kepok bananas is sometimes difficult to find. Due to the lack of stock on the market, these bananas are priced at high prices. In fact, for the sake of consistency in providing his business products, he is willing to dig deeper into his pockets to get these raw materials. These three types of bananas are mostly found in areas around East Lampung, Metro and Central Lampung, and several other areas in Lampung Province. “The ups and downs I experienced were because we needed raw materials. Currently I am still very dependent on farmers. Moreover, in Lampung there is not yet a large collector specifically supplying bananas. "Currently I get it from several farmers in Lampung," he said. Currently, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic is under control, according to Nadia, the PPKM policy is hampering visitors and shipping out of town. In fact, turnover during PPKM was reduced by 30 percent. If before PPKM it could reach 100 million, now it is only around IDR 60 million. To provide an alternative to consumers, Nadia offers three types of bananas, namely kepok bananas, plantains and horn bananas. All types of bananas are native to Lampung, which is a banana producer. Nadia gives tips on getting to know bananas. For special handling of horned bananas, they have to be really ripe before they will taste good. Because, if it is not yet ripe, it will mat. However, if it is just ripe, it will be very delicious, sweet and sticky. Meanwhile, kepok bananas are more crunchy. This is because Kepok bananas have less water content. "So if we fry it, it's crunchy on the outside, but melted on the inside," he said. Meanwhile, plantains are a wetter type. However, according to Nadia, if you like it sweet and like it wet, plantains are delicious. Regarding the price, according to Nadia, it is relatively affordable. Moreover, the taste quality is comparable. However, prices differ based on the type of banana and its weight. Kepok size Medium (M) is priced at IDR 25 thousand. Kepok size Large (L) is around IDR 45 thousand. Apart from that, Premium Kepok containing 30 pieces weighing 900 grams and Premium Horn weighing 1 kg is priced at around IDR 75 thousand. To date, the business that Nadia started in 2015 has around 16 employees who are ready to help, from the production process, packaging, to sales. "My hope is that in the future I can create new products, but ones that are quality and certified. So people who consume it are safe, the producer is clear and certified. "So the point is that it is useful for many people," he said.
For those who live in Bandar Lampung and want to order Shamiya Frozen Fried Bananas, you can come directly to the outlet on Jalan Pagar Alam (PU) Number 73 A Kedaton, Bandar Lampung. If you don't want to get tired, you can order via Instagram DM @pisanggorengshamiya and you can also order via WhatsApp 0821-7547-9527.
Source: With Consistent Capital, Shamiya's Frozen Fried Banana is a Pioneer