Martabak in Manila: Jokowi’s son to expand business in PH

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The eldest son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced that his food business will soon serve Manila with martabak or Indonesian-style pancakes. 

“Targetnya tahun ini, sekarang sedang pengurusan izin usaha,” Gibran Rakabuming Raka told reporters in Jakarta on Sunday, March 11. (The target is this year. Right now we’re taking care of the business permit.)

This will be his brand Markobar’s first international expansion target for 2018, although Gibran has participated in trade fairs in the Philippines and in other parts of the world. In 2017, for instance, Markobar participated in the World Street Food Congress Dialogue in the Philippines.

Markobar’s main product is the sweet martabak, the Indonesian-style pancake, reworked to add different toppings, such as chocolate shavings, green tea macha, among others.

“Markobar sering ikut pameran di Manila dan orang Filipina sangat antusias,” he said, as quoted in a Republika.co.id report. (Markobar always participates in Manila exhibits and Filipinos are always enthusiastic of it.)

Markobar is a portamanteau of martabak (Indonesian-style pancake) and Kota Barat, a culinary spot in the Central Java city of Solo, the hometown of the President Widodo.

It began as a food cart business in Solo in 1996 and eventually branched out across cities in Java, as well as in Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

Gibran did not disclose more details of his business’ Manila expansion, but said the outlet would be found “inside a mall.”

The expansion of Markobar’s outlets is driven by its franchising model, with a fee of 300 million rupiahs or around P1.09 million.

Gibran, now 30, is the eldest of Jokowi’s 3 children and is married to 2009 Miss Surakarta, Selvi Ananda.

His other businesses include Chili Pari, a catering service established in 2010 through a bank loan. –  Rappler.com