Desert Delight
Budding pudding magnate and Generation T awardee Eugenie Patricia Agus reveals how she started a family empire at just 19 to Karina Saphiera W
Sharp, poised, and extremely friendly, Generation T awardee Eugenie Patricia Agus is currently the talk of the town. Sat at the corner table of a tea parlour for an upclose interview, Eugenie could be easily mistaken as a normal university student. Unbeknown to passersby, the lithe girlboss is the co-founder of PUYO, a local pudding company that has taken over the nation. The recipe behind PUYO’S success? An irresistible family history and a dash of courage.
Tell us the story behind your company PUYO was launched on July 10, 2013, by my brother, Adrian, and me. My dad, who’s an avid cook, used to make silk puddings for dessert at home. So one day my brother and I thought: “Why don’t we try selling it?” We did just that, experimenting for 2-3 months with different flavours and packaging, and then we started selling it at bazaars, online, and to our friends and family.
How would you describe your role at PUYO? I focus more on the creative side of the business. There are so many occasions and celebrations in a year, such as New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and even April Fool’s Day. My job is to fill those dates with campaigns to attract more customers, whether by making new flavours or forging collaborations.
What was your most recent collaboration? We teamed up with Taman Bacaan Pelangi and Chelsea Islan to build libraries in remote areas in Indonesia, which happened to be in Labuan Bajo this year. Going there and seeing the libraries and the children gave us a plethora of emotions: joy, sadness, pride, you name it.
What’s next for PUYO? Our main goal is to go international, starting with Asia. There are so many imported brands that are heavily favoured by Indonesians, but very few Indonesian brands that go international. We believe that PUYO is the perfect fit for many Asian countries because of the snacking and dessert culture. Japan is definitely our end goal because once we enter that market, PUYO will be recognised wide.