Reaching 449 Million Turnover, Erick Thohir Opens North Sumatra MSME Market through Nusantara Culinary Exploration

Medan, 4 Juni 2024 - Indonesian BUMN Minister Erick Thohir continues to consistently support the progress of MSMEs in the country, this time it is the turn of MSMEs in North Sumatra to feel the impact. Through an event entitled Exploring Nusantara Culinary, BUMN invited and assisted as many as 115 BUMN-assisted MSMEs to open a culinary bazaar for 3 days starting from 31 May to 2 June 2024 at the Lotte Grosir Parking Area, Medan, North Sumatra.

Erick Thohir, through his staff, especially Arya Sinulingga, revealed that the Medan Nusantara Culinary Exploration was the second event with a culinary theme. “Actually, we have been doing this kind of activity since last year. We  every month hold an MSME exhibition at the BUMN Mall, namely Sarinah. Now we do it in various different regions with different themes. "This is in accordance with Mr. Erick Thohir's direction to expand the MSME exhibition not only in Jakarta but also other areas from Sumatra to Papua," said Arya on Sunday (2/6).

The Archipelago Culinary Exploration activity in Medan is a collaboration of the Ministry of BUMN together with  Bank Syariah Indonesia, KAI, Inalum, Bukit Asam, Perkebunan Nusantara, and Pos Indonesia as well as the Medan City government. Apart from being attended by Special Staff III of the Minister of BUMN Arya Sinulingga, Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution was present as well as representatives of BUMN management including Inalum Operations Director Raynaldi Harahap, HR Director PTPN 3 Sucipto Prayitno, EVP Pos Indonesia Regional 1 Medan Agus Aribowo, Regional CEO BSI Region 2 Medan Affan Mawardi, VP KAI North Sumatra Muhammad Ari Faturohman and Assistant Manager Micro & Small Enterprise Funding PTBA Junardi.

Furthermore, Arya Sinulingga expressed his appreciation to Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution for helping with the exhibition through collaboration with the Medan City Trade and Industry UKM Cooperative Service so that the event ran smoothly. "Earlier I checked around the MSME stand, there was one MSME whose turnover could reach IDR 36 million. "Hopefully the excitement and busy activities in Medan will also spread to other cities in the future," explained Arya.

"Thank you to the Ministry of BUMN for giving us a lot of support, the BUMNs in Medan have helped develop MSMEs. Medan, apart from being the center of North Sumatra, is also the center of the provinces in Sumatra. In fact, in Medan, we are closer to Malaysia and Singapore. So that people from neighboring countries can also see the authentic culinary delights of the city of Medan.  Don't get bored and tired of teaching and inviting MSMEs in Medan City to become partners.  "If MSMEs rise and grow, we believe that BUMN will also be more successful in the future," said Bobby.

It was recorded that the turnover of MSMEs in the Medan City Culinary Exploration event reached 449 million with a total transaction of 5,289 purchase orders. "There are minimarkets with a turnover of IDR 1 billion that takes 1 month, but in just 3 days for MSMEs they have reached a very large figure. "Thank you to the Ministry of BUMN and also the Mayor of Medan who have supported and provided facilities so that this event was a success," said Raynaldi Harahap, Inalum's Operational Director when delivering a report on the implementation of the activity.

In total, in 2024 there will be 14 MSME exhibition locations. These include Jakarta, Bandung, Medan, and 11 other cities such as Balikpapan, Bali, Makassar, Labuan Bajo, Jayapura and others. The first exhibition in Jakarta had a fashion theme,  the second and third exhibitions in Bandung and Medan had a culinary theme.