Whatever form and type of dimsum business you want to start, the most important thing is to know the tips and how to start a dimsum business. Businesses in the food and beverage sector cannot be haphazard because they require a strategy to survive.

What are the main problems with the dimsum business that you often encounter?

Every business naturally experiences ups and downs. The key to getting back up when a business is down is finding the right solution. Check out the main problems in the dimsum business and their solutions here!

Food Safety

Basically, food safety issues are not only a problem for the dim sum business, but also for all businesses operating in the culinary sector. You have certainly heard of cases of food poisoning. Your dimsum business should not experience this.

The Center of Food Safety (2008) states that there are five keys that must be maintained by business people to maintain food safety , namely as follows:

1. Product Selection

Always choose fresh products and have an expiry date check schedule regularly.

For example, you can always choose fresh chicken breast, which is bright red. Meanwhile, you should set a schedule for checking the expiration date of all raw materials no later than once a week.

2. Organized Storage

Carry out organized storage, namely separated by type. For example, storing fresh vegetables such as carrots and mushrooms for dim sum toppings is in the chiller , while raw meat is in the freezer .

Raw materials that arrive first must be on the outermost side of the storage to be used first.

3. Cleanliness is maintained

Always clean your hands, equipment and kitchen area. Even though the kitchen staff cooks using gloves, you should still make an SOP, namely washing your hands before touching food ingredients.

Meanwhile, cleaning equipment and the kitchen area needs to be done every day before closing the shop or after cooking dim sum products.

4. Manage Food Correctly

Proper food management, for example, means that meat that has come out of the freezer must be processed immediately. Because, if meat is left at room temperature for too long, there is concern that bacterial contamination will occur.

5. Store Food at the Correct Temperature

The temperature for storing chicken meat is certainly different from the temperature for storing dumpling skins. Dumpling skin can be damaged if stored at freezing temperatures like meat. Likewise vice versa.

So, you have to store each food ingredient at the right temperature. For example, the highest temperature for storing chicken is 5˚ Celsius. Meanwhile, the freezing temperature is around -17˚ Celsius.

Unsold Products

The next main problem with the dimsum business is products that don't sell.

This problem can be overcome based on an analysis of the causes of non-sales of the following dimsum products:

1. Little Known Products

The first possibility is because consumers don't know your dimsum brand yet . This has been experienced by the Si Ogud dimsum brand . The solution that is then taken by business owners is to participate in as many bazaars as possible to introduce their brand and products.

Apart from that, you can also optimize social media so that your dimsum brand is more widely known. One that has done this is Dimsum Citra . This brand , which already has branches in Medan, Binjai, Pakam, Brastagi and several other places, is quite active on Instagram.

2. Lack of product variety

It is possible that the two dimsum product variants are the same, so consumers are bored or not even interested in trying them. To overcome this kind of thing, you can follow the example of Dimsum mother which has become popular since the Covid-19 outbreak.

This business owner offers menu variants of carrots, mushrooms, cheese, shrimp, sausages, and crabsticks . This variety of menu variants has proven to make Dimsum Ibu receive orders for up to 1,000 pieces during Eid last year.

3. Lack of Innovation

Another suggestion is that you can also sell dimsum frozen . In this way, your consumers will have more flexible time options to enjoy your dimsum products. This strategy has been implemented by several dimsum factories located in Depok.

Fraud by Suppliers or Consumers

The last major problem with the dimsum business is that it can become a victim of fraud. This is quite a serious problem, because the impact of the loss can result in your business stopping completely.

This was experienced by dimsum Si Ogud who lost up to IDR 20,000,000.00 because consumers cheated. You need to anticipate, so that you don't have to experience something like this.

What you can do is use the downpayment (DP) system for payments. Either payments to suppliers or receipt of payments for bulk orders from consumers.

For example, you order fresh meat from a supplier with a total bill of IDR 10,000,000.00. It's best if you make an agreement to pay a maximum down payment of 50% at the beginning, while the 50% payment is made when the goods arrive and their completeness is checked.

Likewise, when you receive orders for dimsum products in large quantities. For example, you can determine that orders with a billing amount of more than IDR 1,000,000.00 must pay a DP of 50%. This strategy will anticipate the risk of becoming a victim of fraud in running a business.Source