Video Wawancara 2

Summary

This transcript captures an interview with Anton Agustomo, the founder of a unique durian business in Indonesia. The business, originally starting with a small soto restaurant, pivoted to selling durian after experimenting with a local variety known as durian bawor. Anton shares the journey of building the brand 'Tom Durian' and his commitment to supporting local farmers. He highlights the company's mission to become a top supplier of premium durian, while fostering sustainable growth for both the industry and the local community through collaboration and a dedicated durian lovers' network.

Takeaways

• 😀 The interview is a project for a media relations class aiming to publicize a business that is not well-known.
• 😀 The team is conducting an interview with an entrepreneur who runs a durian business, which has potential and uniqueness.
• 😀 The entrepreneur, Anton Agustomo, initially ran a small Soto restaurant franchise but switched to selling durian after the restaurant faced challenges.
• 😀 In 2016, Anton's business began experimenting with durians, especially Durian Bawor, which became popular in Indonesia due to its unique taste and characteristics.
• 😀 Durian Bawor, a crossbreed of Thai durian and local durian, became the foundation of the business after customers started showing strong interest in it.
• 😀 After one year, the Soto business was closed, and the focus shifted entirely to selling durian under the brand name 'Tom Durian,' named after Anton's grandfather.
• 😀 The vision of Tom Durian is to become a leading supplier of high-quality durians in Indonesia.
• 😀 The mission is to improve the welfare of employees and support local durian farmers who lack access to markets for their products.
• 😀 Tom Durian differentiates itself by maintaining strong relationships with local durian farmers, ensuring high-quality durian supply for customers.
• 😀 The business operates within a community called Durian Travel Indonesia, which connects durian lovers, farmers, and businesses to help promote and improve the durian industry in Indonesia and beyond.

Q & A

What is the background of the business, and how did it start?

The business started in 2016 with a small Soto restaurant called 'Soto Gebrak' in Surabaya. However, the business was not very successful, so the owners decided to experiment with durian, inspired by their love for visiting durian farms. They began selling durian alongside Soto, which gradually gained popularity, leading them to close the Soto restaurant and focus solely on durian.

Why did the business choose durian as its primary product?

The decision to focus on durian came about accidentally after they tried selling it alongside Soto. They discovered that durian, especially the Bawor variety, gained a significant amount of interest from customers, which prompted them to dedicate their business fully to durian.

What is the unique characteristic of the Bawor durian?

The Bawor durian has a distinct characteristic; it is a hybrid of Thai durian and local Indonesian durian. It has a medium sweetness level, an orange color, and a unique flavor profile that sets it apart from other durians, whether imported or local.

What is the meaning behind the name 'Tom Durian'?

'Tom Durian' was chosen as the business name in 2017. 'Tom' comes from the owner's nickname, which was given to him by his grandfather (Eyang Tom). The name signifies a personal connection to the business and reflects the owner’s family roots.

What is the company's vision and mission?

The company's vision is to become a leading supplier of premium durian in Indonesia. The mission is to improve the well-being of their employees and support Indonesian durian farmers by providing them with market access and fair opportunities.

How does the business support Indonesian durian farmers?

The business works closely with Indonesian durian farmers, ensuring they have a reliable market for their products. They also help farmers by offering guidance on how to improve the quality of their durians and ensure that farmers get a fair price for their produce.

What sets Tom Durian apart from other durian businesses?

What sets Tom Durian apart is its focus on building strong relationships with farmers and its commitment to ensuring the quality of durians. Their unique approach involves being part of a community called 'Durian Travel Indonesia,' which connects durian lovers, farmers, and businesses to improve the durian industry in Indonesia.

What is the 'Durian Travel Indonesia' community?

'Durian Travel Indonesia' is a community formed in 2017 that brings together durian enthusiasts, farmers, and businesses. The community’s goal is to support local durian farmers by providing them with exposure to new markets and helping them improve their production quality.

What role does Tom Durian play in the franchise business?

Tom Durian also plays a role in franchising, where they partner with other stores to expand their reach. They offer a consistent quality of durian and maintain a good relationship with their franchise partners to ensure the success of their business model.

How does the company maintain the quality of its durians?

The company ensures the quality of its durians by maintaining close communication with their network of farmers. They monitor the quality of durians from harvest to delivery, and if the quality is not up to standard, they work with farmers to improve the following year’s harvest.