Pepper entrepreneur eyes prospects in China
PADAWAN: It might have been something she hated when she was young, but Bidayuh woman entrepreneur Awaeang Kwasin, 40, is now a successful distributor of Sarawak pepper, and markets it to several major hypermarkets in the country.
She is also the first Bidayuh woman to have obtained an export licence issued by the Malaysian Pepper Board, and is now looking to market the world-renowned commodity in Hong Kong and China.
Speaking to Bernama, the woman from Kampung Bratan, Padawan said pepper held a very high sentimental value to her and her family.
“My grandfather used to produce pepper, while my parents worked on pepper farms.
“When I was young, me and my other siblings used to help them pick the pepper berries, soak them by the river and dry them.
“At times I used to get tired and bored of it, but who would have thought that pepper is now a source of income for me. I may have ‘ hated’ it before, but now I love it,” she said with a laugh.
Having lived in Selangor for the past 20 years, Awaeang was often asked by friends in the peninsula to bring back some pepper whenever she visited her hometown.
She was later persuaded by friends to market the commodity on her own rather than selling it to middlemen and thus, started her business challenge in November 2016.
Admitting that it was not easy at first, Awaeang said she then decided to change her brand to ‘ Nang Ori’ to give a more authentic Sarawakian ring to it, besides attending courses run by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs on labelling and marketing.
The mother of five said the decision paid off, as the brand now has a range of 12 products with ‘Food Safety is the Responsibility of Industry’ ( MeSTI) and halal certifications.
“Since then, the ‘ market’ or customers have come looking for me. The ‘ Nang Ori’ products are now also sold at Aeon and Mydin supermarkets, among other places,” said Awaeang. — Bernama