East Kalimantan’s culinary industry is currently experiencing strong growth momentum.
In Q2 2026, the accommodation and food service sector in East Kalimantan recorded 14% growth, higher than the 10.80% growth recorded by the same sector nationally.
This momentum creates significant opportunities for F&B businesses in Balikpapan and across East Kalimantan. However, as businesses grow, the challenge is no longer just about increasing sales.
Business owners also need to answer several important questions:
- Can operations remain under control as transaction volumes increase?
- How can raw material costs be managed without putting further pressure on margins?
- Is the business ready to open its next outlet?
- How can transactions, payments, inventory, and reporting remain visible as the business grows?
In response to these challenges, ESB presents Kopdar Racik Bisnis F&B Balikpapan, a discussion forum for F&B business owners to explore growth strategies while building more controlled and scalable operations.
Register for Kopdar Balikpapan Now!
Balikpapan’s F&B Businesses Are Growing, and Operational Challenges Are Growing Too
The growth of the culinary industry is also reflected in data from ESB merchants in Balikpapan.
From January to July 2026, 100 merchants across 185 outlets actively processed transactions using ESB systems.
Among the same outlets measured over comparable periods (same-store), transaction volume grew 16.5% year-on-year, while revenue increased by 3%.
These figures reflect continued transaction growth among F&B businesses using ESB in Balikpapan.
However, higher transaction volumes do not necessarily make operations simpler.
On the contrary, as more transactions need to be processed, businesses need stronger control over transactions, payments, inventory, costs, and the performance of each outlet.
Moreover, 37.8% of ESB merchants in Balikpapan already operate more than one outlet. Over the past 12 months, several existing merchants have also continued expanding by opening new locations.
This means that for some F&B businesses in Balikpapan, the challenge is shifting from simply asking “How do we run a restaurant?” to “How do we manage multiple outlets consistently while keeping operations under control?”
Join Kopdar Balikpapan for FREE!
Practical Discussions for F&B Business Owners in Balikpapan
Through Kopdar Racik Bisnis F&B Balikpapan, ESB aims to bring these real business conditions into a more practical discussion.
The event will not only discuss industry trends, but also explore how business owners can prepare their operations to keep pace with business growth.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Discuss more measurable F&B growth strategies.
- Understand the importance of operational control as transactions and outlet numbers increase.
- Gain perspectives on efficiency, data utilization, and technology in restaurant operations.
- Hear first-hand experiences from F&B practitioners and business owners in Balikpapan.
- Exchange insights and build valuable networking opportunities with fellow F&B entrepreneurs.
Register for Kopdar Balikpapan for FREE!
Location & Schedule for Kopdar Racik Bisnis F&B Balikpapan
Save the date:
- Date : Thursday, 24 September 2026
- Time : 09.00–16.00 WITA
- Location : TBC
- City : Balikpapan, Kalimantan Timur
Further information regarding the venue and registration will be announced through ESB’s official channels.
Speakers at Kopdar Racik Bisnis F&B Balikpapan
This edition of Kopdar will bring together business practitioners, the ESB team, and local F&B entrepreneurs to explore industry challenges from different perspectives.
1. Agung Hariyadi – F&B Educator & Management Consultant
Agung Hariyadi will discuss how business owners can build businesses that grow not only in terms of sales and outlet expansion, but also with a strong management foundation that can support continued growth.
His session will cover expansion readiness, team management, and how to build scalable business processes that can be replicated as the number of outlets grows.
2. Gunawan Woen – Co-founder / CEO of ESB
From an industry and technology perspective, Gunawan Woen will share his insights on how F&B businesses can leverage systems and data to build more structured, efficient, and scalable operations.
The discussion will highlight the importance of business visibility, data-driven decision-making, and a strong operational foundation to support long-term growth.
3. Muhammad Riduan – Co-owner of Barra’s Kitchen
As a local F&B entrepreneur, Muhammad Riduan will share his first-hand experience in building and managing a culinary business through different stages of growth
His session will offer practical insights into the challenges of scaling a business, maintaining operational consistency, and making key decisions as the business enters its growth and expansion phase.
4. Edwin Widjaja – Regional Sales Lead ESB
From a technology and operational systems perspective, Edwin Widjaja will share how digitalization can help business owners gain better visibility into their restaurant operations.
The discussion will explore how transaction, payment, inventory, and outlet performance data can support faster and more informed business decisions.
Join Kopdar Balikpapan for FREE!
Turning Growth into a Healthier Business
East Kalimantan is currently experiencing strong momentum in the F&B industry. At the same time, data from ESB merchants in Balikpapan also shows increasing transaction activity and outlet expansion.
However, as a culinary business grows, more areas need to stay under control: transactions, inventory, raw materials, costs, teams, customers, and the performance of each outlet.
Kopdar Racik Bisnis F&B Balikpapan is designed as a discussion forum for F&B businesses looking to capture this growth momentum without losing control of their operations.
Come meet fellow F&B business owners in Balikpapan, exchange experiences, and discover strategies to build a business that is not only bigger, but also more structured and measurable. Register now!
