SUKSES, bagi Ririn, adalah gabungan dari kerja keras dan kesabaran. Semua sudah dirasakan dan dibuktikan sendiri ketika melahirkan dan membesarkan UD Family Food. Perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang makanan olahan hasil laut (Indonesia Dim Sum) ini menjelma menjadi mesin uang bagi Ririn bersama suami dan tiga anaknya. Dalam setahun, usaha rumahan ini mampu membukukan omzet Rp 1 miliar lebih.
Jalan panjang dilalui Ririn sehingga bisa membe- sarkan usaha sampai seperti sekarang. Cerita ber- mula saat dia diprotes sang suami akibat terlalu sibuk di perusahaan tempatnya bekerja.
Waktu itu, di awal tahun 2000-an, Ririn dipercaya penuh mengelola pabrik pe- ngolah makanan hasil laut di kawasan Pasuruan. Pasar ekspor yang dibidik membuatnya harus mencurahkan waktu dan pikiran ke perusahaan. Setiap hari, dari rumahnya di Tenaru, Driyorejo, Gresik, Ririn harus menem- puh perjalan darat puluhan kilometer. Berangkat sebelum subuh dan pulang paling cepat pukul 22.00 WIB malam. “Lama kelamaan, suami saya protes. Soalnya waktu buat keluarga hampir tak ada. Padahal, dua buah hati kami waktu itu juga butuh perhatian penuh dari saya selaku ibunya,” kisahnya.
Sang suami, Ali Usman, tegas meminta dia keluar dari perusahaan. Tak mudah bagi Ririn untuk meluluskan permintaan tersebut. Apalagi kondisi keuangan keluarga saat itu belum stabil. Tabungan masih sedikit, sementara gaji suami sebagai guru juga ke- cil. Per bulan, sang suami hanya membawa uang Rp 50 ribu. “Kami diskusi agak lama. Suami tetap minta saya mencurahkan waktu sepe- nuhnya untuk keluarga. Sisi lain, dia ingin terus mengabdi menjadi guru guna meneruskan amanat dari orangtua,” cerita Ririn.
Di tengah kebimbangan itu sang suami terus memberinya keyakinan. Ririn akhirnya benar-benar resign, kendati perusahaan berusaha mati-matian menahannya. Setelah itu, bersama suami,
SUCCESS, for Ririn, is a combination of hard work and pa- tience. She has proven it by herself when founding and raising UD Family Food. The seafood processing company (Indonesia Dim Sum) is transformed into money machine for Ririn, her hus- band Ali Usman, and her three children. Within a year, this home- based business is able to make turnover of Rp 1 billion.
It takes a long and dificult road for Ririn to rise up such the business. The story began when she
was protested by her husband due to too busy working at the company.
At that time, in the early 2000s, Ririn fully managed seafood pro-
cessing plant in Pasuruan. Targeted export markets make it a must for
her to devote time and thought for the company. Every day, from her home in Tenaru, Driyorejo, Gresik, Ririn should take a road trip tens of kilometers. Leaving home before dawn, she will be home at 22:00. “Eventually, my husband protested me. My time for family was almost zero. In fact, my two kids also need the full attention of mother,” said Ririn.
Her husband, Ali Usman, expressly requested her to quit from the company. For Ririn, it was not easy. Moreover, the family’s inancial situation was not yet stable. Their savings was small. Her husband’s salary as a teacher was also small. Per month, her husband just got Rp 50 thousand. “We had a long discussion. My husband kept asking me to devote my time fully to families. The other hand, he wants to serve as a teacher to continue his parent’s mandate,” said Ririn.
In the midst of the uncertainties, Ali Usman continued to give her conidence. So, Ririn eventually resigned from the company. Then, Ririn and her husband agreed to open their processed
foods business likes what Ririn does over the years. With an initial capital of Rp 3 million, plus refrigerator and blender, Ririn started the business. During the day, she tried to ind buyers. In the afternoon until evening, she carried out production. Adjust- ing with Indonesian tongue, Ririn made some innovation with new process.
Market response was quite good. Ririn’s products were wel- comed by many circles. So, she was able to add a freezer for production and recruit some manpower to make dough. “We also changed dining room into place of production,” said Ririn, who was born in Gresik, October 29, 1978.
mereka sepakat untuk merintis usaha makanan olahan, seperti yang menjadi keahlian Ririn selama ini. Menyesuaikan dengan lidah orang Indonesia, Ririn pun berinovasi dengan olahan baru. Dengan modal awal Rp 3 juta, lemari pendingin plus blender, Ririn memulai perjuangannya. Siang hari digunakan untuk mencari pembeli, sore sampai malam dipakai untuk produksi.
Respons pasar ternyata cukup bagus. Produk Ririn diterima banyak kalangan. Ujung-ujungnya ia mampu menambah mesin pembeku dan merekrut tenaga kerja untuk membuat adonan. “Kami juga sulap ruang makan jadi tempat produksi,” ungkap perempuan kelahiran Gresik, 29 Oktober 1978 ini.
Along the way, Ririn’s business was not necessarily smooth. She also experienced some ordeal. In 2008, she suffered a loss up to Rp 15 million. It was big enough for Family Food. At that time, the products were rejected by market. As a result, she had to lay off some employees. Ririn also sold all her jewelry to cover the debt. “Even, I could not buy milk to my little son,” she said.
Dispirited? No. The bad situation just whipped up and strengthened up Ririn and Ali Usman’s mental. Slowly but surely, they rebuild their business. Orders began to increase, so did the number of employees. In a month, Family Food sales turnover could reach Rp 100 million or more than Rp 1 billion per year.
The product was targeted to urban areas. In Surabaya, pro- cessed food products with Laras Food trademark can be found in Carrefour and some other famous supermarkets. Nevertheless, Ririn also builds a network of individual stores and traditional markets. “We serve all. It is also for introducing our brand,” she explained.
In contrast to other home-based business, since the beginning Ririn understands the importance of having own brand. Therefore, she never sends her products into market without brand. Every sin- gle product has stamped brand, while UD Family Food as producer.
Why? “It is the result of learning from my SME friend’s experi- ence. They were great in business, but then bankrupt after their Dalam perjalanannya, usaha Ririn ini tak serta merta mulus.
Cobaan sempat juga dialami. Pada tahun 2008, dia mengalami rugi sampai Rp 15 juta. Sebuah angka yang cukup besar bagi Fam- ily Food yang saat itu masih merangkak. Produknya ditolak pasar. Akibatnya, dia harus merumahkan sebagian karyawan. Tak hanya itu, Ririn terpaksa menjual semua perhiasan untuk menutup utang. “Saat itu saya sampai tak mampu membeli susu anak saya,” kenangnya.
Peristiwa pahit itu justru melecut dan menguatkan mental Ririn dan Ali Usman. Pelan-pelan mereka membangun kembali usahan- ya sehingga kembali tumbuh. Permintaan mulai meningkat, jumlah karyawan juga bertambah. Sebulan, omzet penjualan Family Food bisa menembus Rp 100 juta atau sekitar Rp 1 miliar per tahun.
Produknya pun menyasar ke wilayah perkotaan. Di Surabaya, produk olahan dengan merek dagang Laras Food ini bisa dijumpai di Carrefour dan beberapa swalayan dan supermarket ternama. Kendati begitu, Ririn juga membangun jaringan di toko-toko perorangan dan pasar tradisional. “Semua kita layani. Ini juga untuk makin mengenalkan brand kita,” bebernya.
Berbeda dengan usaha rumahan yang lain, sejak awal Ririn paham pentingnya memiliki merek sendiri. Karena itu dia tidak pernah melempar produknya ke pasaran tanpa merek. Semuanya diberi cap, sementara UD Family Food sebagai produsen.
Kenapa begitu? “Ini juga hasil pembelajaran dari teman-teman UKM. Awalnya mereka besar namun kemudian tutup setelah