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20 Agustus 2024 17:45

Previously opposed because it didn't sell, the story of Ridho Al Rahman, the pioneer of warmindo, serves typical Kalimantan menus

Ridho tells how hobbies can be a promising source of income~ Ferra Listianti

A gentle breeze blew when Brilio.net visited a warmindo in the Seturan branch, right across from the UPN Yogyakarta campus. When entering the warmindo with a red and black building, there was a different atmosphere than most warmindo around the campus. On the walls, there were decorations and various photos showing the beauty of South Kalimantan's art and culture . Starting from traditional houses to various animals that live there.

This stall also has a signature menu of Soto Banjar and typical yellow rice. I then ordered Soto Banjar, and a bowl of fruit soup with prices starting from IDR 13 thousand. All orders were immediately recorded by the waiters who appeared to be wearing red shirts with the words 'Burjo Burneo'. Without waiting long, they immediately made my order quickly.

Once served, the portion is quite good to fill a stomach that has been empty all day. Not too much and not too little. The savory taste of the broth and spices that blend together are so pronounced when enjoying Soto Banjar. Plus, the fresh taste when tasting fruit soup with various fruits. It suits my tongue because it is not too sweet.

After all the menus I ordered were finished, I was immediately invited to the office located on the second floor. I was greeted by Ridho Al Rahman, the owner of Warmindo who was busy with his laptop screen. The man who had studied for his Masters in Management at UII (Islamic University of Indonesia) said that he had opened the Warmindo stall since 2013. After previously, he opened a tour and travel service business.

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"So initially I opened a burjo in 2013, I wanted to create a business that had nothing to do with technology because I had a business in tour and travel services," said Ridho with a smile, as reported by brilio.net on Tuesday (8/20). Considering that his tour and travel services business was stagnant, Ridho devoted his time to pioneering a burjo or warmindo stall. He initially managed this business with three other friends. Until now, he has finally employed 150 employees in several branches.

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"It started with 3 people. I also joined. It grew, and now there are almost 150 employees," he added. Ridho said that he started building a burjo or warmindo stall business because of his hobby of hanging out. At that time, he often spent his time with friends just hanging out at stalls or cafes. That habit made him interested in building a culinary business, a burjo or warmindo stall. "My passion is hanging out, having fun, drinking coffee, chatting with friends, jamming, playing music, and watching movies together," he said. Pioneer of a modern burjo stall Ridho admitted that he was a pioneer in creating a warmindo with a modern concept. This concept is characterized by the presence of entertainment and facilities that are usually provided in cafes, such as live music and free wifi. In fact, sometimes Warmindo Burneo also holds events to watch football matches together. "That's why I created a burjo concept that is different from other burjos, if it were the same, maybe we would never have been noticed and would never have become the market leader until now," said Ridho. Groups of young people came and went into Warung Burjo Burneo. At that time, the atmosphere was quite lively. There were visitors who were busy eating food, while others were busy chatting. The noise of the chatter was heard accompanied by the latest songs, both from local and foreign musicians.

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That night there were no musicians performing. However, the accompaniment of songs coming out of the loudspeakers was enough to add to the lively atmosphere of the stall that was crowded with customers. The cafe-style concept presented by Warmindo Burneo was also shown from the stall's decoration. Different from other Warmindo, there were hanging plants and the words 'Burjo Burneo' decorated with colorful lights on one of the walls. Of course, also with typical Kalimantan carvings that were in line with the menu served. "I'm not an artist, but more what creates a different image is definitely from the front with the carvings," he said. The stall had opened and closed. However, Ridho explained that the stall that he had pioneered for 11 years did not immediately become crowded. There was a moment that made him almost give up when his business was quiet. In fact, he had opened and closed because he could not compete with the burjo stalls that had opened earlier. Over time, he changed the concept and name for his burjo stall. He also changed the name 'Burneo', after previously in the beginning he did not think too much about the name for his burjo stall. He did not choose the name carelessly, but to show his original identity.

 brilio.net

"Before opening here, we opened and closed three times, then opened in Jakal. Closed again, opened again in the same location. The third time we closed again. So when we opened here, the name changed to Burjo Burneo. That's where the name was probably influenced," said Ridho, a former student who was a migrant worker in DIY. Unlike most warmindo owners who are migrants from Kuningan, Ridho is actually an entrepreneur from Balikpapan. This is what made Ridho explore various food menus at his warmindo or burjo stall. Of course, instant noodles are still maintained because there are still many fans. Then, he added several typical Kalimantan menus that are rarely found in other places. In addition to differentiating, this menu is a consolation for his longing for hometown cuisine. "Well, Borneo is actually another name for the island of Kalimantan. I do come from Kalimantan and that is also a strategy for brand positioning," he said.

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Got opposition. Now, the burjo stall business that he manages is running quite well, although there are several branches that have been forced to close since the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, there are 16 branches that are managed with a franchise system. He also targets the number of Warung Burjo Burneo to increase by expanding to other areas, one of which is Malang, East Java. This place was chosen because there are many students from other regions. "We have 16 branches. There are several that we make sponsorship cooperation in the form of requests to accelerate a development or scale up," he explained. Even so, Ridho admitted that it was not easy to build a burjo stall business amidst its quite tight competition. Changing the cafe-style concept by expanding the building was not immediately accepted by the community. He experienced a lot of opposition, none other than because it was considered too luxurious. "Initially, yes, there was a lot of opposition like this, it was too luxurious," Ridho explained. Ridho added that at first his burjo stall was not open 24 hours. At that time, he only opened until 9 pm. However, burjo enthusiasts, especially students, actually come more at night. The man who had studied for a bachelor's degree at the 'Veteran' National Development University in Yogyakarta finally decided to open for 24 hours with a shift employee system. "At that time I was still feeling my way around, still wanted to know what the system was like. So it used to open from 9 to 12 at night," he said further. I also had the chance to chat with one of the customers who often visited Warmindo Burneo. Rai (27), said he had been a regular at Ridho's warmindo more than 5 times. This place is his mainstay for dinner and doing assignments.

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"A lot, more than 5 times I think, sis. Actually, sometimes I go to other burjos too, but Burjo Burneo is the most frequent because its location is on the main road, especially in Seturan and Jalan Kaliurang. So, if I come home late at night I'm not afraid of muggers," he said. As a migrant from Kalimantan, Rai admitted that it is difficult to find a place to eat that suits his taste. Warmindo Burneo is the solution when he misses his hometown by enjoying a bowl of Banjar soto at a price that fits his pocket. In addition, the mainstay menu that is a favorite and often ordered is fruit soup. "My favorite drink is fruit soup because it's fresh and you can't find it anywhere else," he explained. Doesn't employ people from Kuningan Unlike other places, Warmindo Burneo does not specifically employ people from Kuningan, West Java. All prospective workers must go through an official recruitment process. In addition, workers must also undergo regular training to maintain the quality of the food and service. "Every employee has training. There is a motivation session with Mr. Ridho. Every two weeks. First, discuss the evaluation a week before, then discuss the one-week program that will run, then there is motivation," explained one employee who has worked for 6 months at Burjo Burneo. In addition, Ridho also makes special uniforms for his employees. The uniform is expressed as the identity of his warmindo which is different from other places. Also so that customers can recognize the employees at his stall better. "Yes, it's a uniform, so it creates an attractive brand identity compared to other burjo stalls," he concluded.

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