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Gibran’s Markobar to expand to the Philippines
President Joko Widodo's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming, will expand his Markobar franchise to Manila.
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Markobar’s Pondok Indah outlet South Jakarta (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)
M
arkobar, a martabak (sweet or savory pancake) joint owned by Gibran Rakabuming Raka, President Joko Widodo’s eldest son, plans to branch out in October to Manila, the Philippines.
Gibran said that some adjustments would be made in the flavor of the dishes Markobar will serve in the Philippines. “The chocolate will be different. It will be in a different country, so we will adjust with the local tastes,” he said on Sunday during a Markobar event in South Jakarta.
The President's son also has plans to take the franchise to Guangzhou, China, although the date of this expansion is unknown.
Considered the pioneer of martabak with premium toppings, ranging from Nutella and KitKat Green Tea to Pocky and Cadbury, Markobar has about 35 outlets in cities across Indonesia. The latest outlets are in South Jakarta and North Jakarta, with renowned attorney Hotman Paris Hutapea attending the opening for the latter. Markobar also plans to expand to Batam in August.
Read also: President’s son turns anti-Jokowi rally into marketing campaign
Gibran, who believes that the uniqueness of his martabak is in the batter, still uses shipping containers to house his outlets. “It’s easier, as preparing it only take two to three weeks at the fastest,” he said. “People in Jakarta [mainly] order using ride-hailing ojek [motorcycle taxi] delivery services, so there’s no need to provide tables or chairs.”
In early July, Markobar drew public attention, especially among local netizens, with its response to the anti-government rally at its Surakarta outlet in Central Java. The protesters that had gathered there were seen wearing T-shirts printed with the hashtag, #2019GantiPresiden (#2019ChangePresident).
Markobar’s official Twitter account responded to the protest with the message: “Thank you for queuing since the morning. The delightfulness of Markobar, the pioneer of sweet martabak with premium toppings, has been proven. #eatsharehappiness.”
Gibran said he was in Manila during the incident. “I didn’t know about it even after I got back [to Indonesia],” he said. “There was no violence, so it was not a problem. It was not a rally, just people who gathered there. It was normal. It did not have a negative impact on Markobar.” (mut)
