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Preserving Heritage While Driving Growth
In a humble family home, the sound of hot oil crackling and the scent of freshly fried crackers fill a kitchen that has supported a small business for decades. This kitchen is where Kerupuk & Peyek Takoma has grown, sustained by persistence, routine, and generations of care. At 23 years old, Alfitrah, the current owner and an architecture graduate, stands quietly in that same space reviewing a new packaging design. It is a concept he created after being introduced to Microsoft Designer, an AI-based creative tool he encountered during the AILeap Nusantara program at Pekan Inovasi AI (AI Innovation Week). During the training, Alfitrah discovered a new way of working, one that allowed him to approach design and product development questions that had remained unresolved for years.
Established in 1998, the family business produces around 100 packages a day, offering a range of traditional snacks, from plompong crackers and rambak crackers to tempeh crackers, shrimp crackers, and square‑shaped crackers. These products are sold mainly through traditional markets and local kiosks across Ternate. For nearly three decades, not only the packaging but also the marketing approach remained largely unchanged. Alfitrah’s family chose to move cautiously, concerned that updates might make long‑time customers fail to recognize the product or place additional strain on the business through higher design and operational costs.
For Alfitrah, preserving tradition did not mean resisting change. Before the training, he had been learning on his own through online sources, yet many of his ideas never moved beyond initial thoughts. His business grew slowly, and he had yet to find a way to organize those ideas into a clear direction. It was through the training that his perspective shifted, as he began to see AI not as a replacement for creativity, but as a partner for thinking and exploration.
He also saw firsthand how AI training opens up new opportunities for regional MSMEs that have long faced limited access not only in branding, but also in how they communicate their products and reach broader markets. In his view, many entrepreneurs actually have strong products, yet hesitate to invest in promotion, business development, and design due to cost constraints. With the ability to leverage AI independently, local MSMEs can strengthen their creativity and competitiveness without having to wait for large capital.
During the AILeap Nusantara class, Alfitrah’s group was among those selected to immediately apply what they had learned to a real business context. They were tasked with developing a presentation deck that demonstrated practical uses of AI for their enterprise, covering everything from product ideation and logo design to packaging concepts, product storytelling, and content and marketing strategy planning.
In the early stages of idea development, Alfitrah used Microsoft Copilot to explore how a familiar product like traditional crackers could be reimagined and developed further. Through this process, he arrived at the idea of creating crackers made from fish bone waste, an underutilized material that offered added value from a sustainability perspective. He also used Microsoft Copilot to explore packaging options that were both more durable and environmentally friendly, including a paper bag with an airtight inner lining designed to extend the product’s shelf life.
Once the product concept and packaging direction were clearly defined, Alfitrah turned to Microsoft Designer to bring those ideas to life visually. He began experimenting with the Takoma logo, introducing fish elements to more accurately represent the nature of the product. This series of explorations illustrates how the combined use of Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Designer helped Alfitrah work with greater focus and confidence as he reimagined his family business.
This approach positioned Alfitrah’s team as one of the standout groups during the hands-on session of AILeap Nusantara. The work was evaluated directly by Muhammad Ghifary, a creative economy trainer from Fokus Target Solusi, who has also worked on various projects including serving as a researcher in the R&D department at WetaFX for Avatar: The Way of Water, who noted the strong coherence between the team’s ideas, their process, and their effective use of AI in addressing real business needs.
After completing the training, Alfitrah began to experience tangible changes in the way he developed his family business. The process of creating packaging and promotional materials became significantly faster and more affordable. Building on the results of the hands-on practice, he plans to conduct further trials starting in June, while also launching digital promotions to guide a business that has operated for nearly three decades into a new phase of modernization and market expansion. His family has welcomed this shift with enthusiasm and offered their full support for the journey ahead.
“Many small businesses in Ternate actually have great products, but they are still constrained when it comes to design and branding,” Alfitrah shared. “After learning to use AI tools like Microsoft Designer, I feel much more confident in developing our packaging and product promotions. This technology empowers local entrepreneurs to be more creative and competitive.”
Through the training, modernization did not emerge from drastic, instant change, but from the courage of one individual willing to take the first step. It grew from a son’s desire to safeguard his family’s legacy, while ensuring that the legacy itself continues to evolve and move forward.
Change That Begins with the Courage to Try
In another part of Ternate, Junaidi Dahlan begins his day as he always has, walking along a narrow path toward the clove oil distillation building managed by the Kelompok Tani Hutan Buku Manyeku (Buku Manyeku Forest Farmer Group). Now in his early forties, Junaidi is both a farmer and the group’s treasurer, a role he has held since 2017. Together with more than twenty other members, he has helped manage state forest land on the island with a commitment to sustainability.
Since 2019, clove oil has become one of the group’s main focus. For them, it represents more than a commodity. It carries the hope that non-timber forest products can create economic value while preserving the forest ecosystem they depend on and protect. Yet growing the business has never been without challenges. While Junaidi is deeply familiar with the production process, building a clear identity for the product, shaping a story that explains its value, and connecting clove oil from Hiri Island to broader markets all require skills the group has not traditionally possessed.
Cloves are far from an ordinary commodity. Endemic to the Maluku Islands, this plant has been intertwined with the history of global trade for centuries. Today, clove oil is widely used across industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and aromatherapy. Its international demand remains strong, with export values reaching as high as USD 324.93 million in 2024, underscoring the enduring relevance of a natural resource that has shaped the region’s past and continues to hold promise for its future[1].
When news of the AILeap Nusantara training, organized by Fokus Target Solusi as part of the Pekan Inovasi AI (AI Innovation Week), finally reached Ternate, Junaidi arrived without high expectations. He came simply in search of knowledge. What he wanted was an understanding of how to structure product narratives more interesting, how to think in a more organized way, and how to plan a business over the medium and long term, abilities that had previously felt costly and inaccessible without professional assistance. Junaidi recognized that farmers and small business owners need to adapt to technology if they want to continue growing.
During the training, he was introduced to ways of using AI as a creative reference, from generating visual ideas for labels and packaging to developing content that could later support a website or social media presence. Over time, his perspective shifted. He began to see that AI is not a shortcut that replaces human effort, but a working companion that helps organize thoughts and refine ideas. He also learned that AI-generated outputs cannot be used without consideration. Each output requires careful review, adjustment, and alignment with real conditions on the ground to truly be valuable.
Upon returning to Hiri Island, Junaidi carried home a renewed sense of optimism. He began envisioning an official website for the Kelompok Tani Hutan Buku Manyeku (Buku Manyeku Forest Farmer Group), so their products could be more easily discovered beyond the island. He also started preparing simple guidelines to introduce fellow group members to the basics of using AI, from writing product captions to understanding the fundamentals of social media. Most importantly, Junaidi began to believe that small enterprises from remote islands, when equipped with the right tools and confidence, have the same opportunity to grow and rise to the next level.
Ensuring Inclusivity for Regional MSMEs
The journeys of Alfitrah and Junaidi are part of Pekan Inovasi AI (AI Innovation Week), a collaborative initiative led by Microsoft Elevate together with Fokus Target Solusi, Biji‑Biji Initiative, and Alkademi, aimed at expanding AI literacy in North Maluku. On the third day of the program, Fokus Target Solusi focused on MSMEs and creative economy players. Participants explored product branding, business strategy, marketing campaigns, repackaging, and AI-based content creation. The sessions covered practical applications such as packaging design using Microsoft Designer, product photos, visual content, short videos, and product jingles. The program continued through online training sessions during Ramadan, tailored to the specific promotional needs of MSMEs during the period.
Muhammad Ghifary, an AI expert and creative economy trainer from Fokus Target Solusi, witnessed firsthand how small changes began to take shape.
“Every MSME in North Maluku carries a strong sense of story, flavor, and identity. Through AI training using Microsoft Copilot, Designer, and Suno, I worked alongside local entrepreneurs to translate that richness into more focused promotional content. Seeing their brands come to life so quickly through collaboration with AI brings a sense of pride that is hard to put into words. This experience reminds me that technology can strengthen local values, not replace them, while building new confidence for creators to grow independently.”
Support also came from the regional government. North Maluku Governor, Sherly Tjoanda, who was present at the event, expressed her appreciation for Microsoft Elevate’s initiative in the region and voiced her hope that similar training programs could reach a wider range of sectors.
“Thank you for selecting North Maluku as one of the locations for the launch of Microsoft Copilot AI learning in 2026. This marks a productive start to the year,” she said. “We hope future training programs can also include civil servants, so they can work more efficiently and productively.”
From an economic empowerment perspective, the initiative also forms part of a broader effort to strengthen the competitiveness of regional MSMEs. “MSMEs in regional areas have strong products and significant potential. The challenge lies in improving their competitiveness. Access to AI skills can help business owners optimize how they plan, market, and grow their businesses,” said Arief Suseno, AI Skills Director at Microsoft Indonesia.
Despite running different businesses, Junaidi and Alfitrah share the same belief that growth does not have to wait for large capital or perfect infrastructure. For them, change begins with the courage to see their businesses differently and to try tools that once felt far from their daily realities.
Today, the opportunity for regional MSMEs to move further is more tangible than ever. Register at nusantara.elevaite.id and take your business to the next level.
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[1] Clove Outlook. Data and Agricultural Information Systems Center, Secretariat General of the Ministry of Agriculture, 2025.