How Malaysian Gen Z Sold Her Family's Traditional Rice Wine For 9X More | Money Mind

Key Concepts

• Tuak/Twak: Traditional rice wine brewed in Borneo, similar to sake and makoli.
• Jenzi Founders: Young entrepreneurs, specifically referencing the Gen Z generation.
• Artisanal Production: Small-scale, handcrafted production focusing on quality and tradition.
• Cultural Preservation through Commerce: Utilizing business to maintain and promote cultural heritage.
• Pricing Challenges for Traditional Products: The difficulty of assigning monetary value to items historically given freely.
• Branding & Packaging: The importance of presentation in attracting customers and increasing perceived value.

The Rasa Story: Commercializing a Bornean Tradition

This account details Martiana Chia’s journey in transforming her grandmother’s traditional tuak (rice wine) recipe into a commercially viable brand, “Rasa,” in Sarawak, Borneo. The core challenge was assigning a monetary value to a product deeply rooted in cultural exchange and traditionally given away freely.

The Heritage of Tuak & The Recipe’s Preservation

Tuak is a traditional rice wine brewed across Borneo, sharing lineage with sake (Japan) and makoli (Korea). However, unlike these counterparts, tuak has historically lacked commercialization, primarily being shared within families and communities. Martiana’s family tradition spans at least 150 years, with her grandmother holding the exclusive recipe. The grandmother initially guarded the recipe closely, even restricting access to the kitchen, stating, “Oh, kitchen is for adults only.” She only began sharing the process with Martiana after suffering a minor stroke in 2020, initially supervising the brewing process closely, stating she “did not trust me brewing it by myself first.”

The Pricing Dilemma & Cost Analysis

A significant hurdle was determining a suitable price point. Martiana’s initial plan to price the 350ml bottles at 25 ringgit was met with resistance from her grandmother, who feared alienating those accustomed to receiving tuak for free, even suggesting selling it for as little as 5 ringgit. This expectation contrasted sharply with the actual production costs. A 350ml bottle costs approximately 10 ringgit to produce, with a single glass bottle alone costing around 4.50 ringgit, plus additional expenses for seals and protective film. Currently, Rasa bottles sell for up to 45 ringgit, though some Sarawak brewers price their tuak at 150 ringgit.

From Humble Beginnings to Branding Success

Martiana launched Rasa with a modest initial investment of 400 ringgit. Ingredients were sourced locally, primarily from family members – ginger from her garden, roselle from an uncle’s plantation, and yeast balls handmade in Miri. However, the most significant cost wasn’t the ingredients, but the branding. Her grandmother traditionally packaged tuak in upcycled bottles (soy sauce, beer bottles) sealed with corks. Leveraging her graphic design background, Martiana created a clean, modern brand identity that appealed to a wider audience, including those unfamiliar with tuak. She also utilized social media as a low-cost marketing tool, emphasizing the story behind the product, helping customers understand “that it's really just rice wine.”

The Brewing Process & Deliberate Scaling

The tuak brewing process is labor-intensive. It involves cooking and cooling glutinous rice, sundrying and hand-crushing yeast balls, a primary fermentation lasting up to two weeks, followed by a secondary fermentation with ginger-infused sugar water for another 2-3 weeks – totaling a month or more per batch. Martiana deliberately maintains a small-scale, home-based operation. Tuak doesn’t expire and actually improves with age, meaning unsold stock isn’t wasted but matures like an investment. She notes the space constraints, stating, “We’re literally sacrificing our comfort at home for our customers.”

Diversification & Financial Priorities

Demand for Rasa is particularly high during weddings. The tuak is also sold in local cafes and gift shops. To diversify income, Martiana established a tuak bar serving tuak-based cocktails using local ingredients like lemongrass and roselle, and also generates revenue through marketing and jewelry sales. Despite profitability, she prioritizes giving the majority of her earnings to her grandmother, viewing it as a form of appreciation, stating, “I don't expect her to brew and buy like ginger, go and plant the ginger all on her own and don't repay back.”

Preserving Tradition & Strengthening Family Bonds

Martiana currently intends to maintain Rasa as a small, artisanal business, resisting large-scale expansion that would require distancing her grandmother from the process. She expresses a desire for wider recognition of tuak, questioning why sake receives global celebration while tuak remains underappreciated. Importantly, the business has strengthened her relationship with her grandmother, stating, “We were also never that close before starting the rasa… It was actually through this business that my relationship with my grandma grew.”

Notable Quote: “Twerk was never meant to be sold. It carried cultural value but no price. This young entrepreneur found out that tradition itself is the value.”

Conclusion

Martiana Chia’s story exemplifies how entrepreneurial spirit can revitalize and preserve cultural traditions. By successfully navigating the challenges of pricing, branding, and scaling, she has not only created a profitable business but also strengthened her family bond and championed a unique Bornean heritage. The success of Rasa demonstrates that tradition itself holds inherent value, and its preservation can be a spirited success with a tangible financial reward.