Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – During Eid, Khong Guan biscuits are something that cannot be missed. Indonesian people often serve this dry food to guests along with other cakes. Then, when the Eid season is over, people usually make Khong Guan cans to store various foods.

Even though it went viral and was successful in Indonesia, not many people know that Khong Guan is not from Indonesia. In fact, he is from Singapore.

Khong Guan's existence cannot be separated from the 'cold hands' of immigrants from Fujian, China, namely Chew Choo Keng and Chew Choo Han. Upon arrival in Singapore in 1937, both of them worked in a biscuit factory. During this work, they absorb a lot of knowledge and skills. Until finally they dared to establish their own biscuit factory called Khong Guan Biscuit Factory in 1947.

According to Who's in Malaysia Singapore (1993), in the Singapore market, these biscuits were quite successful and sales were positive. Slowly the factory was moved to a bigger place. From here, Khong Guan began to export products, especially to Southeast Asian countries.

In Indonesia, Khong Guan biscuits first appeared at the end of the 1950s. The distributor is NV Giok San Kongsi which was founded on September 6 1956. NV Giok San Kongsi is a company managed by Ong Kong Le, Hidayat Darmono, and Go Swie Kie or Dasuki Angkosubroto.

The last two names later became big Indonesian entrepreneurs. Hidayat Darmono founded PT Nissin Biscuits Indonesia and Go Swie Kie founded the Gunung Sewu Group, one of whose famous products is Sunpride brand fruit.

After two decades of being an imported product, Khong Guan was finally made in Indonesia. In 1970, PT Khong Guan Biscuit Factory Indonesia was established in Jakarta which made Khong Guan products in Indonesia. Khong Guan's first product in Indonesia is Khong Guan Assorted in red cans. This product will become the subject of constant stories because it contains a picture of a mother and her two children eating at the dining table, without the father figure present.

Since then, Khong Guan began to exist in Indonesia. So far, Khong Guan Biscuit Indonesia has 136 snack brands ranging from Choco Bear, Big Royal Wafer, Mini Stick, Togo, Malkist Crackers, Marie Special, Butter Cookies, Wafer Nissin, Monde and others.

On the official website, the company claims to have become a popular biscuit product in Indonesia and has been distributed to more than 90 regions in Indonesia. Now, the success of Khong Guan has made its owner, Hartono Kweefanus (son of Hidayat Darmono), the richest person in the Philippines. Forbes noted that his assets reached US$ 950 million or Rp. 15 trillion.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(mfa/mfa)