Transformation of Local Culinary into a Leading Creative Economy: Strategy for Increasing Takengon’s Regional Revenue through Product Innovation and Digitalization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Abstract
This study is a continuation of the 2024 Beginner Lecturer Research Grant project, aiming to examine strategies for developing Takengon’s local culinary sector as a driver of the regional creative economy through product innovation and digital transformation. Previous findings indicated that local culinary entrepreneurs in Takengon still rely on traditional marketing methods, making it difficult for them to compete nationally, even though local culinary products have significant potential to increase Regional Original Revenue (PAD). This research was conducted to address the challenges of the low contribution of the culinary sector to PAD and the lack of innovation in developing a creative economy based on local wisdom. The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach involving 30 local culinary entrepreneurs, focusing on two main products: Gayo coffee and Depik fish. Data were analyzed using SWOT and Business Model Canvas (BMC) methods to formulate innovation and digitalization strategies. The results showed that product innovation through recipe modification, packaging improvement, and local ingredient diversification, combined with the use of digital platforms such as Shopee, Tokopedia, Instagram, and TikTok, successfully increased entrepreneurs’ turnover by 20–25% within six months and raised the culinary sector’s contribution to Central Aceh’s PAD from 1.8% in 2023 to 2.6% in 2025. These findings emphasize that innovation and digitalization are key factors in strengthening the competitiveness of Takengon’s local culinary sector while supporting sustainable regional economic development. The study recommends continuous government policy support, enhancement of digital literacy, and strengthening of the creative economy ecosystem to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation can be more widely experienced by local culinary entrepreneurs.
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