Pasar Jamu Nguter is Crowded with Visitors During the Pandemic

Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, has a traditional market that is a unique market different from other regular markets. The market, which is located in Dusun II, Nguter, Sukoharjo, specializes in selling various jamu and the related products. Even there is a Jamu Cafe in the market area, which serves a variety of jamu.

Before the renovation, it was originally a regular traditional market like the others. Until 2014, after being renovated, the market started operating under the name Pasar Jamu Nguter (Nguter Jamu Market). Since then the place has become one of the destinations to find jamu, ranging from raw materials, ready-made herbs, to supporting tools for selling jamu.

The Sukoharjo Regency Government has announced that the Pasar Jamu Nguter can supply jamu needs not only for national but also international consumers. As quoted from Goodneews From Indonesia, the Sukoharjo Regency Government claims the Pasar Jamu Nguter has become an international market and can be called the largest jamu market in the world.

Eighty percent of the raw materials for the traded jamu come from Sukoharjo. Still quoted from Good News from Indonesia, according to Wardoyo, the Regent of Sukoharjo for the 2016-2021 period, Pasar Jamu Nguter contributes around IDR 5-6 billion per year for regional income.

SWITCHING TO DIGITAL

Along with changes in people’s behavior which is shifting more or more to digital world, traders at the Pasar Jamu Nguter also don’t want to be missed out. This was stated by the Chairman of the Indonesian Jamu Cooperative (KOJAI, Ketua Koperasi Jamu Indonesia) Sukoharjo, Suwarsi Moertedjo, as reported by Solopos.com. In the future, jamu products at the Pasar Jamu Nguter will be sold via online market places. This is in line with the initiation of the Regency Government who wants to make Sukoharjo a jamu tourism destination.

PANDEMIC

This pandemic has made a lot of people suffered, but we must believe that this gloomy era would eventually pass, at least that’s what the traders at the Pasar Jamu Nguter believe. The COVID-19 virus that attacks the human body’s immune system makes medicinal plant products that function to increase immunity become the target of the community.

Empon-empon saw a rapid demand increase at the beginning of the pandemic. This continued until one year after the pandemic. The empon-empon customers at the Pasar Jamu Nguter are not only people from Sukoharjo or Solo. There are customers from Jakarta, Bandung, to Banjarmasin. The most popular empon-empon include ginger, red ginger, kencur (aromatic ginger, Kaempferia galangal), temulawak (Java ginger, Curcuma zanthorrhiza), and turmeric. 

TARGETING MILLENIALS

After the Pasar jamu Nguter became well-known and had customers from all corners of the country, traders made a breakthrough to attract consumers from the younger generation. Therefore, in March 2019 the Kafe Jamu Sukoharjo (Sukoharjo Jamu Café) was inaugurated in the Pasar Jamu Nguter area. This cafe is designed to be more modern and serves jamu menus that have been modified to attract the attention of young consumers.

Citing Solopos.com, this Kafe Jamu Sukoharjo applies a unique method of selling the menus, including offering 12 variants of contemporary jamu flavors. Menu names are also made unique, such as Gue KunyoCo which is a mixture of turmeric and coconut water. There is also the Gue Galau Akud menu, a unique drink combination of tea, ginger, orange, and lemongrass. There is also a Gue Beken menu and many more.

This cafe is open from 10.00 WIB to 16.00 WIB. The Kafe Jamu Sukoharjo is perfect for a relaxing place with friends or family. During the pandemic, of course, there will be adjustments to cafe services. If you want to know the latest information regarding the Kafe Jamu Sukoharjo, please contact the cafe management directly.