Drinking jamu is often associated with bitter flavors, traditional herbal blends, or jamu sellers carrying baskets and going from house to house. But what if jamu were served like coffee in a modern cafe?
This is the concept that Acaraki aims to introduce, bringing jamu into a more contemporary drinking experience. Jamu is not simply served as a traditional beverage, but is prepared using various brewing techniques and combined with other ingredients to create a new experience.
From Acaraki jamu in Kota Tua to its presence in PIK 2, the brand's journey shows how culinary heritage can be repackaged without losing its identity. So, what makes Acaraki interesting, and how has the business developed jamu into a modern cafe concept? Let's take a look at its story.
What Is Acaraki?
The name Acaraki is more than just a brand name. The term refers to the profession of a jamu maker mentioned in the Madhawapura Inscription. Drawing from this historical root, Acaraki presents the idea that a jamu maker can have a role similar to a barista or bartender who understands ingredients, brewing techniques, and flavor profiles.
This concept has become Acaraki's way of reintroducing jamu to the public from a perspective that is more closely connected to today's lifestyle. Rather than serving jamu only in its traditional form, Acaraki explores techniques that are also familiar in the world of coffee and modern beverages.
This approach makes jamu feel more familiar to customers who are accustomed to spending time at cafes. There is a process of brewing, extraction, ingredient mixing, and exploration of different textures and flavors. As a result, jamu is not positioned solely as a traditional health beverage, but also as part of a culinary experience.
Acaraki Jamu: Tradition with a Modern Twist
For some people, jamu may still feel unfamiliar or too bitter. This is one of the challenges that Acaraki jamu seeks to address through various serving innovations.
Ingredients such as turmeric, ginger, beras kencur, and other herbs can be prepared using techniques inspired by coffee brewing. Some of the techniques that have been explored include V60, French press, cold drip, and other extraction methods. This approach allows the characteristics of traditional jamu ingredients to be explored in different ways.
One of the most interesting aspects of this concept is how traditional ingredients can meet modern beverage elements. Jamu can be combined with honey, milk, ice cream, lemon, or sparkling water to create more diverse flavor profiles.
This means that Acaraki's innovation is not simply about changing the appearance of jamu. The brand is also trying to change the way people interact with jamu. Instead of being a beverage people only drink when they need jamu, it can become something they enjoy while relaxing, spending time with friends, or looking for a new culinary experience.
What Is Acaraki Golden Sparkling?
One of the menu items that has attracted attention is Acaraki Golden Sparkling. This drink takes inspiration from kunyit asam, a traditional Indonesian turmeric and tamarind drink, and combines it with soda to create a fresher sensation.
In terms of its character, Golden Sparkling combines the flavor of kunyit asam with a sparkling sensation. The result is different from traditional kunyit asam, which is usually consumed as a conventional herbal drink. The soda makes the beverage feel lighter and more refreshing, while kunyit asam remains its main flavor identity.
A concept like this demonstrates how Acaraki seeks to find common ground between tradition and modern consumer preferences. Familiar ingredients commonly found in Indonesia are still used, but the drinking experience is made more playful.
Golden Sparkling is also an example of how a signature menu can help introduce a product category that has actually been familiar for generations. Consumers who may not be accustomed to drinking jamu can discover an entry point through a beverage with a more familiar and refreshing character.
Acaraki PIK 2, Kota Tua, and Other Locations
Acaraki's journey does not stop at a single cafe. As the business concept has developed, the brand has expanded to several locations with different customer characteristics.
Currently, Acaraki's official location information lists several outlets, including Kota Tua, AEON Mall Tanjung Barat, Landmark Pluit, Gadjah Mada, and Grand Indonesia.
Here are several locations that can serve as references:
- Acaraki PIK 2
The PIK 2 outlet represents a new step for Acaraki in bringing its modern jamu concept to an area visited by both local communities and tourists. The outlet features a contemporary traditional interior concept, incorporating elements such as a joglo, wood, and carvings as part of the overall space experience.
- Acaraki Kota Tua
The outlet in the Kota Tua area is one of the locations closely connected to Acaraki's story. Its modern jamu concept exists alongside the historic atmosphere of Jakarta's heritage district. Acaraki's official location information also lists the Kota Tua outlet at Gedung Kerta Niaga.
- Grand Indonesia
Acaraki Grand Indonesia is located on the Lower Ground East Mall and is also an outlet that offers a more extensive selection of traditional Indonesian food compared with some of its other locations.
- AEON Mall Tanjung Barat
Acaraki's presence at AEON Mall Tanjung Barat expands access to its jamu cafe concept within a shopping mall environment. This location is included in Acaraki's official outlet list.
- Landmark Pluit
The Landmark Pluit outlet is one of Acaraki's locations in North Jakarta. Its location is also listed through Acaraki's official channels.
- Gadjah Mada
Acaraki is also present in the Gadjah Mada University environment in Yogyakarta, allowing its modern jamu concept to reach consumers outside Jakarta.
The differences between these locations demonstrate that Acaraki's concept can be applied to various types of areas, ranging from heritage districts and shopping malls to commercial areas and university environments.
Developing a Jamu Business into a Modern Cafe Concept
Source: magnific.com
Bringing jamu into a cafe format is not simply about changing the glassware or creating a more attractive interior. There are larger business challenges behind the concept.
Acaraki needs to maintain the identity of traditional ingredients while ensuring that its products remain relevant to modern consumers. Flavor experimentation, serving techniques, recipe standards, customer service, and operational management all play important roles in this process.
Acaraki's approach also demonstrates that traditional products have room to evolve when they are packaged with the right experience. Coffee, for example, has successfully evolved from simple coffee stalls into coffee shops offering various brewing techniques. Jamu also has the potential to take a similar journey.
At the same time, having more outlets also means that business management becomes increasingly complex. Transaction data, menus, cashiers, inventory, promotions, and potential fraud need to be monitored to maintain operational quality as the business grows.
Acaraki x ESB Testimonial Video
Developing a modern jamu business naturally requires operational support that can keep up with the business's needs. One example can be seen in Acaraki's experience using ESB solutions.
In the Acaraki x ESB testimonial video, Sari, Assistant Manager at Acaraki, explains:
“Since using ESB, both ESB POS and ESB Core, we have started to experience greater convenience. The records are already detailed, and we simply need to input them according to the items or identify possible fraud that may occur. Everything is available in ESB.”
This experience demonstrates that technology is not only needed for recording transactions. An integrated system can also help culinary businesses maintain more detailed records and strengthen operational control.
If you want to see firsthand how Acaraki uses ESB, watch the testimonial video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4MNua2pnDI
Inspiration from Acaraki's Transformation
Acaraki's story offers an interesting lesson for culinary businesses: traditional products do not always have to remain in exactly the same form to stay authentic.
What needs to be preserved is the product's identity and values, while the way it is introduced can continue to evolve. Acaraki keeps jamu at the heart of its products while exploring brewing techniques, flavor combinations, cafe concepts, and a more modern customer experience.
This strategy also creates opportunities to introduce jamu to consumers who were previously not accustomed to drinking it. When jamu is presented in a form that is closer to today's social and cafe culture, consumers have a new reason to give it a try.
From a business perspective, expansion to multiple locations also shows that product innovation needs to go hand in hand with well-organized operational systems. The more outlets and transactions a business has, the more important it becomes to control data and activities at every point of sale.
FAQ About Acaraki
1. What is Acaraki?
Acaraki is a jamu cafe brand that brings traditional Indonesian beverages into a more modern drinking experience through serving techniques inspired by coffee and modern beverages.
2. What kind of drink is Acaraki Golden Sparkling?
Golden Sparkling is a kunyit asam-based beverage combined with sugar and soda, creating a distinctive jamu flavor with a fresher sparkling sensation.
3. Where are Acaraki outlets located?
Acaraki has several locations, including PIK 2, Kota Tua, Grand Indonesia, AEON Mall Tanjung Barat, Landmark Pluit, and Gadjah Mada.
4. Does Acaraki sell jamu?
Yes. Acaraki makes jamu its main product and serves it in various forms, ranging from traditional blends to modern creations.
5. What makes Acaraki jamu different?
Acaraki explores jamu ingredients and serving techniques using an approach similar to coffee brewing, giving consumers a more modern way to enjoy jamu.
Read also: 7 Types of Coffee in Indonesia That Are Popular in Coffee Shops
Conclusion
Acaraki demonstrates that jamu can have a place within modern cafe culture. Through flavor exploration, brewing techniques, spatial concepts, and menu innovations such as Golden Sparkling, jamu is no longer viewed only as a traditional beverage, but also as a culinary experience that can be enjoyed across generations. Acaraki's expansion from Kota Tua to PIK 2 also demonstrates how the concept can grow into a business with multiple operational locations.
However, as a culinary business grows, having an operational system that keeps records accurate and makes it easier to maintain control across every outlet becomes increasingly important. ESB POS is a holistic point-of-sale solution specifically designed for culinary businesses, helping manage menus, package menus, promotions, tables, transactions, and various other operational needs. The system also includes features for detecting and preventing fraud, multi-cashier management, customer displays, GrabFood, GoFood, and ShopeeFood integrations, loyalty programs, reservations, digital vouchers, and kitchen display integration.
If you are developing a cafe, restaurant, or multi-outlet culinary business and want greater operational control, it is time to use a system that can grow alongside your business.
Contact the ESB team and find the ESB POS solution that best suits your culinary business needs.
