Last week of October 2026 brought a rare opening for jamu businesses in Yogyakarta. The second Jamu International Conference and Expo (JICE 2026) ran in Yogyakarta from 31 October to 1 November 2026. Its central theme was jamu as a wellness and health industry growing through innovation, a green economy, and global partnerships.
One day later, the Jogja Cultural Wellness Festival (JCWF) 2026 was scheduled for 6 to 8 November in Yogyakarta. It brought together 97 curated communities and partners, including a jamu workshop. The same message came through from both events. Jamu is no longer treated as a heritage relic that has run its course. It is an industry that is moving up.
The market is clearly moving. Deputy Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region, KGPAA Paku Alam X, received the Indonesian Jamu Council on 29 October and urged jamu makers to use digital media to bring their products closer to younger consumers. The Ministry of Creative Economy has been pushing the same direction, describing jamu as cultural intellectual property with real economic value rather than just a herbal drink.
For jamu businesses in Yogyakarta, this is a good moment to tidy up operations. The question that matters most is not how to brew jamu. It is how to package the product, how to get the right market approval, and how to sell it. Those three decisions determine whether a jamu business lasts or stalls.
A telling example comes from Kiringan, a hamlet in Canden Village, Jetis District, Bantul Regency. The jamu cluster there has run since the 1950s, starting with Mbah Joparto, who moved from batik work into preparing jamu to sell door to door. Many residents there are now jamu makers, and most of them are women.
That cluster sits in Bantul Regency, part of the Yogyakarta Special Region. For jamu makers in Yogyakarta, the example is proof that a heritage recipe can stay intact and still grow economically, as long as it is paired with careful bookkeeping.
The full profile of the cluster, from the number of makers and the Seruni Putih group to the range of medicinal plants visitors can learn about, is published in the Bantul Regency investment potential map.
Three lessons from that hamlet are worth borrowing. First, the quality of a recipe handed down through generations cannot be negotiated. Second, ingredients are better taken from your own garden rather than bought at the market with no record of origin. Third, and most decisive of all, there is the bookkeeping.
Many jamu makers in Yogyakarta already have a good product. What they often lack is orderly records. Where the capital came from, what it was spent on, and what it produced. Without those records, especially for businesses selling freshly brewed jamu that has to buy ingredients every day, it is hard to tell whether the business is actually profitable or quietly losing money.
Tip 1: Move From Freshly Brewed Sales to Packaged Product
Many jamu businesses in Yogyakarta still work entirely with daily fresh batches sold straight to customers. The upside is clear. Startup capital stays small and regulars keep coming back. The limitations are just as clear. The product spoils quickly, customers stay close to home, and there is no sales trail to review later.
That is why more jamu makers in Yogyakarta are starting to turn their products into instant powder or bottled preparations. According to the mentoring work carried out in Kiringan by Universitas Nahdlatul Islam Yogyakarta, the direction was deliberately set toward family medicinal plant based products that are more innovative, longer lasting, and easier to sell beyond the immediate area.
Why freshly brewed product is the natural starting point
| Advantage | Limitation |
|---|---|
| Small starting capital, no drying equipment needed | Limited daily earnings because the product spoils quickly |
| New flavours can be tested without taking on much risk | Cannot be shipped outside the city |
| Strong customer relationships built locally | No sales data available for review |
The most sensible path for most jamu makers in Yogyakarta is to start with the fresh brew, then add one packaged product. The fresh version stays as the marker of traditional flavour, while the packaged version opens a route into a wider market.
To work out whether a fresh brew is genuinely profitable, readers can follow the calculation described in how to calculate business profit.
Tip 2: Settle Market Approval and Labelling Before Selling Wider
How far a jamu business can reach is decided by the legal status of the product, not only by the flavour. For sellers who have so far only sold fresh batches in their immediate area, several things need to be in place before the product can go into a store, a market, or an online channel.
Know the difference between PIRT, BPOM, and traditional medicine approval
| Type of Approval | Issued By | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Home Industry Food Production Certificate (SPP-IRT) | District or city health office | Simple packaged jamu drinks produced on a household scale |
| BPOM processed food registration | BPOM | Packaged products sold retail in minimarkets |
| Traditional medicine registration | BPOM | Jamu making specific health claims |
| Halal certificate | BPJPH | Food and beverage products distributed widely |
The right route depends on production scale and on the claims printed on the label. Simple packaged jamu and herbal drinks generally qualify for SPP-IRT, issued by the district or city health office. Once the product carries health claims, the path shifts to traditional medicine registration from BPOM, and that is mandatory under the rules in force.
On halal, the 18 October 2026 deadline has already passed. For jamu makers whose products enter modern retail networks or large online channels, a halal certificate is no longer an optional extra. The requirements and the application steps are covered in mandatory halal certification in October 2026.
Another question that comes up often is how to confirm that a product permit genuinely exists. The official BPOM product checker is available at Cek Produk BPOM. Many buyers and wholesale customers will ask for this permit number before they order, so it is better to have it ready.
Tip 3: Sell Through Online Channels and Record Everything
The challenge reported by jamu makers in Kiringan is that the market exists but is hard to reach through digital channels. The taste and the quality are already there. What is missing is a way to make the product easier to find and easier to buy for people who have never tried it.
Four channels worth opening for jamu products
| Channel | What It Looks Like | What To Prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Direct selling | Door to door sales to shops, offices, and schools | Labelled packaging and a price list |
| Marketplace | Selling packaged product to buyers outside the city | Market approval, product photos, and a bank account number |
| Souvenir stores | Supplying souvenir shops and stalls in tourist areas | Wholesale pricing and supply terms |
| Subscription customers | Regular customers who order every week | Order records and a delivery schedule |
Each channel comes with its own requirements. Door to door selling needs tidy packaging and a clear price. Marketplace selling needs an approval the buyer can check. Souvenir stores need supply terms and a wholesale price that still works for you. Subscription customers need orderly order records so no single order slips through.
Business and Finance Tips for Jamu Makers in Yogyakarta
Selling jamu is not about finding one big market. For a small operation, what decides the outcome is the habit of managing money carefully from day one. Four things below can be done right now without waiting for revenue to grow.
Keep business money separate from household money
Small jamu businesses often close not because the product failed, but because the money got mixed. Separate business funds from personal funds from the start. The simplest method is one dedicated business account. The experience of jamu makers in Kiringan shows that access to government business loans through the bank helps keep capital under control. The guide to applying for an Indonesian SME loan is in how to apply for a KUR loan in 2026.
For extra working capital once a jamu business has stable revenue, there is a financing scheme available directly inside the Qasir app. The details are in the Qasir business funding feature.
Price the product with every cost included
A jamu selling price cannot be worked out from ingredient cost alone. Add packaging, permitted preservatives, transport, labour, and equipment depreciation. The article on how to calculate business profit explains how to work out cost of goods and net profit.
Keep an emergency fund and review debts regularly
A jamu business follows a seasonal pattern. Demand rises when the market is busy and during the holiday season, then falls in other months. A three month emergency fund covers that gap. Review business debts every month too, so nothing piles up unnoticed. Qasir has a cash recap feature that shows money in and money out in a single view.
Review the business obligations every month
Every month, check three things again. Whether the selling price still covers all costs. Whether any bills are piling up. And whether the product that sells best deserves more attention. These three short checks cost far less than realising the loss at the end of the year.
Run Your Jamu Sales More Easily with Qasir Features
Many Qasir features can be used to tidy up a jamu business, especially for those selling fresh batches every day. Here are the ones that come up most often.
- Digital register records daily fresh sales in seconds, with the jamu variants customers buy most often listed ready to pick.
- Stock management shows how much medicinal plant ingredient and how much packaging is left, so no order fails because something ran out.
- Sales and profit reports show which variant sells best and what the net profit looks like. How to read the data is covered in finding your best selling product from sales data.
- Cash in, cash out, and cash recap separate business money from household money and track the emergency fund set aside each month.
- Customer records help you remember regular customers and offer something special when stock is plentiful.
Download Qasir free on the Play Store or the App Store, and start recording your jamu sales today. There is no need to wait for a big revenue figure first. Tidy records from day one make every next step lighter.
FAQ: Common Questions About Running a Jamu Business
Can I sell homemade fresh jamu?
Yes, as long as the product is not packaged, carries no health claims, and is sold directly within the surrounding area. Once it is packaged for wider sale, the rules change. Approval and labelling become requirements rather than formalities.
What is the minimum capital to start a jamu business?
There is no single figure that applies to everyone. Basic capital for daily fresh batches covers ingredients, packaging, and a brewing vessel. Adding one packaged product raises the starting capital considerably, because drying, packaging, and approval all cost money. Start with the smallest option and add the next one once the product has proven itself.
How long can fresh jamu be kept?
Fresh jamu made without preservatives is best used on the same day. To keep it longer, the usual route is to turn it into instant powder or to fill it into bottles, using permitted preservatives and the appropriate testing. Before selling, check the expiry date printed on the package.
How do I sell jamu outside the city?
The keys are approval, packaging, and delivery. A packaged product needs the right market approval, a label listing the ingredients, the expiry date, and the permit number. To learn more about marketplace fees, there is a guide to a 50 percent marketplace fee discount.
Can I sell jamu without a large marketing budget?
Yes. For jamu, the market is built one relationship at a time. Customers who have tried it usually come back. What Qasir helps you do is record who your customers are, what they buy, and when they come in. From there, promotions can be pointed at the people most likely to buy again.
Closing Note
Jamu in Yogyakarta is moving. From the workshop at the Jogja Cultural Wellness Festival to packaged products that now have a longer shelf life, the direction is clear. This industry is growing, and the operators who keep tidy records will be better placed to take part. Start with the simplest step, record everything, and add one piece at a time.