| Hakim Hayat |
FOOD vendors selling a variety of food and beverages at Ramadhan stalls reported brisk business throughout the month, with many including first-timers willing to make a come-back next year, a cross-section of them said yesterday during an interview.
Ramadhan stalls are a typical sight across the country in the fasting month, where hundreds of vendors break their sweat to be able to earn extra income especially before the festive Aidilfitri celebrations that comes after Ramadhan.
Offering a wide selection of dishes and beverages at very affordable prices, the Ramadhan stalls attract thousands every day in seek of food to break their fast.
At one of the most popular Ramadhan stalls in the country, located at the parking lot near the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas, a traditional cake and food vendor who has been making a regular appearance every year at the spot said this has been a good year for her once-a-year business. “Alhamdulillah, our earnings have doubled this year, thanks to my initiative of adding more varieties of cakes. It has been a very exhausting month for me, juggling my day job and also this but it was all worth it,” said Alijah binti Haji Sulaiman, 43, adding that the earnings will aid a lot in the Hari Raya preparations.
A vendor at one of the Ramadhan stalls in Gadong. – DEAN KASSIM
Alijah, who sells traditional Malay cakes such as ‘Bingka Susu’, ‘Pinyaram’, ‘Kek Lapis’ and also much sought after drinks such as ‘Air Puspa’ said she decided to add more variety to her selection this year, by adding more modern cakes which she said proves to be popular. “I think the secret to success is to maintain your quality and taste, which makes your customers come back to you and also, If there is an opportunity to improve, why not take the risk and see it as an advantage?” she said.
Newcomer to the Ramadhan stall, Awangku Azri Razie bin Pengiran Juma’at, 22, who with his three friends are selling homemade burgers said it was the right decision to take part and said they are looking forward to be there again next year. “This is our first time. We are still looking for jobs at the moment after graduating last year, and came up with this idea because I know how to make burger patties and my family and friends enjoy them. We also would like to earn extra income,” he said, while adding that they have been receiving encouraging response for their burgers.
“It was unbelievable to see people queuing just to have a taste of our burgers. Alhamdulillah although we didn’t expect that much since this is our first time, the sales did exceed way beyond our expectations,” Awangku Azri said.
When asked if he and his friends would like to sustain the business beyond Ramadhan, he said there is a big possibility because they have gained quite a number of followers ever since they started early this month.
“It is exhausting for us to spend the whole day preparing and then cooking at the stall but it was all worth it. We might just extend this beyond Ramadhan in the near future, but we have to look at the logistics and costs first,” he said.
Meanwhile, stall-owner Haji Hisham bin Sulaiman, 35, said he observed more people coming to the Ramadhan stalls this year compared to the previous year. “It seems that more people are coming because of the wide variety and cheaper options. It is also more fun to be able to look at what’s available and then buy them. It is value for their money,” said the stall-owner who has been a vendor during Ramadhan for over a decade.
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