Gov't support helps young entrepreneur grow his snack business

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 30  -- Young entrepreneur Muhammad Hanif Mat Zain has never regretted picking a career in the business sector despite having a Chemical Engineering degree to his name.

On the other hand, the 28-year-old Muhammad Hanif from Batu Rakit, Kuala Nerus, was very thankful and regarded it as an apt choice despite undergoing numerous challenges and obstacles before his Popia Pisang (Popis) snack business was known and accepted by the public. Popis refer to deep-fried bananas wrapped in popiah or spring rolls wrappers, which is an innovation from a popular Indonesian snack.

Recalling his early days in business, Muhammad Hanif said he started out by selling curry puffs at a stall in front of his sister’s house after his effort to find a job in a suitable field reached a dead end.

“Indeed, I did not aspire to look for work outside Terengganu because I want to be close to my family and I hate the busy environment such as in Kuala Lumpur. However, it is quite difficult to find a job as a chemist here. If at all there are such jobs, the opportunity is very limited.

“To fill my free time and to look for pocket money, I opted to sell curry puff and became a dropship agent for telekung (female prayer garment) and clothes. However, all failed and I almost gave up hope,” he said when met at his shop, here.

Nevertheless, Muhammad Hanif said with patience, family prayers and the support of government agencies such as the Entrepreneur Development Foundation (YPU) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), he was able to take baby steps and slowly strengthened the Popis brand which he started to build in 2016.

According to the graduate of Universiti Institut Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, the Buy Malaysian Products Campaign (KBBM), for example, was very helpful to local traders to introduce their product brands and boost sales especially after being badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In addition, KBBM is also very good in educating Malaysians to be more heedful and appreciative of locally produced products of quality. Indirectly, it fosters a patriotic spirit in themselves and simultaneously builds an economic chain in the country which is more orderly and systematic. 

“Indeed, I am actually very excited in participating in such carnivals or campaigns which are held by KPDNHEP in supermarkets or shopping centres nationwide because it will greatly benefit small entrepreneurs like me,” said Muhammad Hanif who is still single.

In addition, he said that he was also fortunate after being selected to participate in the Prosperous Terengganu Graduate Entrepreneurs (U-GATES) programme organised by YPU in 2018. 

He said much knowledge on business could be gleaned through the programme especially in financial management, human resources and contingent risks which decided the rise and fall of a business.

In fact, a RM12,000 grant he received through the programme was also used to buy more modern cooking equipment to facilitate preparing and boosting the quality of his popis product so that it is more acceptable in the market.

“My involvement in business was rather impromptu. No basic knowledge at all. As such, the various courses given in the one-year period were very helpful to me to manage the business in a more orderly and systematic manner.

“My advice to new entrepreneurs, always refer and get help from the related government agencies because they are more knowledgeable and are always ready to help,” said Muhammad Hanif who owned two Popis branches, namely, in Batu Rakit and here. 

Muhammad Hanif planned to open six more branches in six districts to give the opportunity to more people to enjoy the taste of popis which was unique and delicious.

“I also receive many requests from friends who were keen to become franchisees. However, for the time being, I am not ready because our brand is not really strong yet and still requires improvements,” said Muhammad Hanif, who had patented the Popis brand with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO).

-- BERNAMA