Vina Khairunisa
IPMI International Business School
Amelia Naim Indrajaya
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Jamu, is the Indonesian word for herb. Jamu is known as the traditional herbal medicine in Indonesia. Decades ago, it was very popular among the Indonesian. Now the popularity is slowing down especially since coffee has become the urban drink.
Suwe Ora Jamu, a local Jamu shop in South Jakarta Indonesia, starts with a different approach to introduce Jamu. They create Jamu as mocktail drinks. Their ambition is to preserve Jamu as Indonesia's natural heritage and promote healthy lifestyle and local spices through Jamu.
Suwe Ora Jamu established on 2013 by Nova Dewi in Jalan Petogogan Jakarta. Nova herself is a Jamu fan. She started her business with a vision to preserves Jamu as Indonesia's natural heritage and bring Jamu's popularity back especially to the youngster. Her innovation in Jamu is making Jamu as mocktail beverage.
For youngster, Jamu mocktail becomes an alternative beverage beside coffee. Nova not only sell a Fusion Jamu but also educating them about the benefit of this traditional beverage and introduce them with Indonesian local spices such as Tumeric, Cinnamon, Pepper, Black pepper, Alang-Alang, Cardamom, Cumin, Sambiloto, Temulawak and other local leaves or spices.
In her store, she always displays the ingredients of Jamu that she made. For the guest who visit her store, they can select which type of spices that they need to drink and learn about the health benefit of the herbs. She also collaborates with local Jamu producer, Jamu Iboe, sold by ladies street hawker specializing in providing the original Jamu. The original Jamu has a bitter taste but also has full health benefit.
With Nova's approach, now the youngsters are aware of the healthy lifestyle of herbal. They also become interest with Indonesian local spices which they have never heard before.
Jamu previously was sold in a very small scale. People used to drink Jamu from the street hawkers. Now Jamu has reached the higher class of the society through this new business model.
Jamu is a traditional herbal medicine famous in Indonesia and its made mostly from roots, bark, flowers, seeds and leaves. The final products of Jamu can be on powder, pill or drink. Jamu is identical with the Javanese culture and associated with Javanese kingdom's heritage. As noted on Wikipedia, Jamu is originated from Mataram kingdom and have an influenced from Ayuverda medicine coming from India. The benefit of Jamu itself is not only limited to health but also for stamina and beauty.
Jamu could be found throughout all Indonesia, start from street hawker until supermarket. The most famous Jamu is Kunyit Asem made from turmeric and tamarind that being trusted to bring natural freshness and maintaining weight.
However, years by years, the phenomenal of Jamu is decreasing especially to the youngster. Now Jamu's popularity is beaten by coffee. Especially when coffee shop becomes a part of youngster life style. In their mindset Jamu is a beverage for old generation. Due to the decrease of demand, many Jamu producer closed down and employees lay-off happened
Suwe Ora Jamu established in 2013. It started in Jalan Petogogan South Jakarta Indonesia. Suwe Ora Jamu not only sold an original Jamu which has a bitter taste but they also sell a fusion Jamu. The fusion Jamu is their approach to introduce this local beverage to the youngster. Jamu that usually drink as it is, now it mix with soda so it becomes a Mocktail Jamu. The taste is more POP instead of traditional without eliminating the health benefit of it ingredients.
With the coming of Suwe Ora Jamu, the almost forgotten traditional beverage now start to popular again. The impact of this traditional drink raising not only to their business scale but also in urban healthy lifestyle.
The business benefit of Suwe Ora Jamu is not limited to the increase of Suwe Ora Jamu business scale but also impact in Local spices trade seller. As people may know, Jamu ingredients is coming from local herbs. With the increase of Fusion Jamu demand, the local spices trade seller also have a mutual benefit on it.
Now Jakarta has become a Megapolitan city. An urban lifestyle with a lot of pressure and stress is un-avoidable. Jakarta citizen easily to get tired and looking for an alternative lifestyle that can balance their work life and healthiness.
Suwe ora Jamu with their product is promoting a traditional health beverage in a fancy way. People can have Jamu in ready to go bottle or simply enjoying their weekend in a nice Jamu cafe. With this approach, the people's mindset of traditional local herbs and its benefit becomes unlocked. People starts to be aware of their local healthy life style and becomes aware of the importance of the sustainability of local spices
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Rooslina Paloepi, Learn to make Jamu in Suwe Ora Jamu
