Zaliha (right) trying her hand at making muruku while Maimunah (left) looks on.
LOW-INCOME groups are enjoying improved sales for 50 types of food, thanks to the Dapur Digital cloud kitchen initiative.
Dapur Digital operates as a food preparation facility and economic hub, enabling micro-entrepreneurs to leverage technology to expand their market reach through digital platforms such as GrabFood, ShopeeFood and FoodPanda.
The pilot project is the result of a strategic collaboration between the Prime Minister’s Department, Finance Ministry, Khazanah Nasional Bhd foundation Yayasan Hasanah, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and social enterprise Pepper Labs.
There are five cloud kitchens at commercial lots in four people’s housing projects (PPR) and one public housing (PA), namely PPR Wangsa Sari, PPR Intan Baiduri, PPR Kampung Limau, PPR Kerinchi and PA Setapak Jaya 1A.
A Federal Territories Department statement said some of these kitchens could generate monthly incomes of up to RM10,000 since its opening in February.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said 50 women, including single mothers and youth, were involved in the project.
“We have created an ecosystem to ensure these women continue to thrive.
“We do not only assist them with financial aid and logistics, but also provide training in cooking, business management and food technology,” she said during the Dapur Digital launch at PPR Wangsa Sari in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur.
Also present were Federal Territories Department director-general Datuk Noridah Abdul Rahim and Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
One of the beneficiaries was mother of nine Rahimah Raja Mohamed, 40, from PPR Kampung Limau, who sold bottled sambal and Malay kuih.
Rahimah said the cloud kitchen was a comfortable working space close to home.
“I can take a short break from the kitchen to check on my children and they also know where to find me,” she said.
Another beneficiary Zariah Ali, 53, from PPR Intan Baiduri said those chosen for the project were thankful for the opportunity to reach a wider customer base.
“I sell nasi lemak pandan among other things.
“With the cloud kitchen, I get customers from nearby areas but also those far away,” she said.
