SEA helps Yayan bring Indonesian flavour to South Australia

When Yayan Rahayani began exploring the idea of starting her own business, it came from something deeply personal.

After almost 20 years in Australia, she still missed the food, culture and sense of connection she had grown up with in Indonesia. Living in South Australia, she found access to Indonesian groceries was limited, and began wondering whether she could help bring more of those familiar flavours to Australian consumers.

“Sometimes when you grow up somewhere else, you miss your food, your culture, your family,” Yayan said. “Food is something very important. It can be a way of healing when you miss home.”

Yayan’s vision was to introduce healthy, ready-to-eat Indonesian food products to the Australian market, beginning with tempeh, a high-protein soy-based food that is well known in Indonesia but less familiar to many Australian consumers.

“I was thinking it would be great if I could bring something that everyone loves growing up in Indonesia,” she said.

While the idea was clear, the process was not simple. Yayan began researching import and export requirements, contacting established importers and trying to understand how to bring products into Australia. At times, the task felt overwhelming.

“I tried to read and learn about import, export and everything involved,” she said. “It was a lot, and I thought maybe it was impossible for me to do it.”

That changed when Yayan joined the IntoJobs Self-Employment Assistance program (delivered by Mas).

Through the program, she received structured training, practical business support and one-on-one mentoring that helped her move from an idea to a more confident and informed business plan. Her mentors helped her understand key areas such as market research, business planning, digital marketing, networking and the practical steps involved in starting a business.

“The mentors introduced me to a lot of people and I thought, ‘Okay, I’m not alone,’” she said. “Everyone is struggling to start something, but as long as you have patience, you can make your dream come true.”

With that support, Yayan began building the foundations for her food business. She completed a Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business, developed a business plan, established supplier relationships, progressed food compliance requirements, created branding and marketing materials, and began engaging with retailers and community markets.

Although the business is still in its early stages, Yayan has already undertaken extensive market research and identified a growing opportunity among consumers seeking healthy, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food options. She sees tempeh not only as an Indonesian product, but as a nutritious, high-protein option that could appeal to a broad range of Australian consumers.

“It is a very good opportunity and a very good challenge,” she said. “It is about educating and introducing Australians to this healthy, delicious food. The knowledge from the program was really useful, especially the practical, hands-on modules,” she said. “It helped build up my confidence. It made me feel, ‘Okay, you can do it.’”

Now, Yayan is focused on growing her business and continuing her goal of bringing quality Indonesian products to more Australian consumers. What began as a personal longing for the food and culture of home has become a new business journey, one that reflects resilience, cultural connection and the value of practical support for new entrepreneurs.

“I was a bit pessimistic before because I knew it would take a lot of hard work,” she said. “But the support I got from my mentors helped me believe I could do it. So that’s what I’m doing!”