Minister of Social Affairs Helps Beneficiaries Transform Product Packaging Becomes More Attractive and Contemporary

JAKARTA (August 30, 2023) - Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini transform Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) products owned by Beneficiaries (PM) of the Pahlawan Ekonomi Nusantara (PENA) program becomes more attractive and contemporary packaging.

This was done by the Minister to strengthen the promotion of their MSME products to make them more attractive and expand market reach. "We started one month ago to help their products enter a wider market and upgrade," said the Minister in Jakarta, Tuesday (29/8).

The Minister said that to be able to penetrate a wider market and increase the selling value of products, attractive branding and packaging are needed. "Because if you want to enter the upper middle class, of course the branding and packaging must be good. That will help increase the value of the product," she said.

As a first step, 10 MSME products owned by beneficiaries in Jakarta who have had their packaging transformed through collaboration with independent graphic design organization Tata Rupa Nusantara. "Alhamdulillah, we are assisted by three studios and friends who help design brands and process packaging," said Risma.

Not stopping there, the Minister also sought to enable beneficiaries to market products digitally. "To facilitate this, we are working with Meta so that they can absorb knowledge and market their products digitally," said Risma.

Because they already have branding, she continued, they will enter a new marketing era. "In the past, maybe the way to sell was from bus to bus (intercity). Now, they will sell products with a new model," said the woman who previously successfully fostered mothers through Economic Heroes in Surabaya.

For example, a PENA program recipient from Depok, Nurmawati. The 46-year-old woman who is known as 'Nurma Jahit' because of her creativity in sewing and making works from leftover patchwork, sells craft products under the name Tartik Collection.

Previously, her craft products were only packaged in clear plastic zippers, equipped with a print out of the brand name with a simple design. Now, with the touch of the designer's magic hands, the product packaging is enhanced using a pouch, with sleeve branding and brand tags. Tartik Collection's craft products look even better.

Nurma did not expect that her readiness to graduate or move out of poverty was accompanied by the facilitation of branding and packaging for her products from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"Masha Allah, this is an extraordinary fortune because I did not expect to be helped to be designed for my craft products. I thought that after graduation it would stop there, but it turns out that the Ministry of Social Affairs still provides facilities to increase branding so that our products can go upmarket," she said.

Since the PENA Graduation kick off was held on August 2, 10 out of 1,191 beneficiaries who declared themselves ready to move out of poverty with their respective businesses and products, have held regular consultations with product designers every week for four times.

At the fourth meeting which took place at the Aneka Bhakti Building of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Tuesday (29/8), the final results of branding and product packaging design were determined, which will then be used to sell. Of the 10 MSME products, 9 of them are food MSME products and 1 craft MSME product.

On that occasion, the Minister also handed over 1,000 packages to 10 PENA MSME products that had been assisted in the process of designing logos and product packaging to increase the selling value of their products and income.