Indonesian Diaspora Develop Nusantara Cuisine in the Netherlands with BNI

JAKARTA - Introducing authentic Indonesian flavors to the international market requires more than just cooking skills. It takes courage to build a business in a foreign country and the support of partners who are able to accompany business growth sustainably.

This spirit is reflected in the journey of Suprapti, owner of Waroeng Padang Lapek in The Hague, Netherlands. Armed with a love of Minangkabau cuisine, Suprapti developed his business into one of the Indonesian restaurants known to the local community and the Indonesian diaspora.

During the trip, PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BNI provided financing support to strengthen the business capacity of Waroeng Padang Lapek. This support also supports the development of both restaurant and central kitchen operations in The Hague as well as the opening of a new branch in Amsterdam in 2026.

Founded on October 3, 2019, Waroeng Padang Lapek presents a variety of authentic Minangkabau dishes. Located at Schoolstraat 26, The Hague, this restaurant maintains the original recipe of Padang cuisine, ranging from rendang, tunjang stew, paru balado, jengkol stew to lupis cake.

Consistency in maintaining the taste makes Waroeng Padang Lapek receive positive response from Indonesian people in the Netherlands and local customers.

"From the beginning, we wanted to present Padang cuisine with a truly authentic taste. The response we received shows that Indonesian cuisine has its own place in the hearts of the Dutch people," said Suprapti.

As demand increases, Waroeng Padang Lapek continues to strengthen its business capacity. One of the steps taken is to operate a central kitchen at Mercuriusweg 70, The Hague, as a production and distribution center for food.

This facility plays a role in maintaining product quality consistency, increasing operational efficiency, and supporting the development of business networks in the Netherlands.

To strengthen this development, BNI provided additional credit facilities in 2025 which were used to purchase the central kitchen property which was previously rented, as well as strengthening the business foundation in supporting the expansion of restaurants in The Hague and the opening of a new branch in Amsterdam.

Currently, the branch in Amsterdam is in the process of renovating the store building. With the operation of the new branch, Waroeng Padang Lapek will operate one central kitchen and two restaurants located in The Hague and Amsterdam.

Separately, BNI President Director Putrama Wahju Setyawan said, the journey of Waroeng Padang Lapek showed the great potential of the Indonesian diaspora in introducing the nation's culture through business activities.

"We appreciate Suprapti's enthusiasm in introducing the richness of Indonesian cuisine in the Netherlands. For BNI, supporting the Indonesian diaspora is not only providing access to financing, but also being a partner who helps business actors strengthen business capacity and expand their reach in the global market," said Putrama.

According to Putrama, strengthening production capacity and network expansion are important stages so that business actors can serve a wider market without reducing product quality.

He added that the development of Waroeng Padang Lapek is one example of how collaboration between the banking sector and business actors can create added value for businesses while strengthening the existence of Indonesian products and culture at the international level.

Entering the age of 80 with the theme of Swadharma Bhakti Nagara, BNI continues to strengthen its role as a growth partner for Indonesian business actors, including the diaspora who are developing businesses in various countries.

As part of the Danantara Indonesia ecosystem, BNI will continue to provide adaptive and integrated financial solutions to support more Indonesian business players to expand their markets and bring products, culture, and national identity to the global level. (ADV)