Christine and Edy met in 2014 while working at Apache, a cigarette company in Bali. Their office rules prohibited dating between colleagues, but they asked for permission to stay in the company until their first child, Noah, was born.
Edy led a large sales team in Apache and thrived in his role, learning about the power of distribution networks and how to sell to business owners. Driven by curiosity, they started their own business selling kerupuk (crackers), starting from a room in their home, where they cooked, packed, and then distributed to local shops.
Eventually, they left their salaried jobs and went all in. As the business expanded, they rented a small room nearby for 500,000 rupiah a month (approx USD $28). For each round of frying, they use 24kg of oil, with each batch taking hours to cook and pack.
Competition is fierce, with other suppliers circling for space at the same warungs (grocers). Instead of shying away from competition, Edy even helps the shops to arrange competitor products in an attractive way alongside his own. After all, a beautiful display benefits everyone by boosting sales. His experience selling cigarettes in Apache taught him an important lesson: even the best products won’t sell if they aren’t showcased effectively.
Edy and Christina cook different types of kerupuk to keep their business interesting, selling bundles of 13 packets for 10,000 rupiah. These vendors then resell each pack individually for 1,000 rupiah each. Margins are thin, but relationships are strong.
When COVID hit, everything collapsed. Their savings disappeared. They had to let go of 8 staff members. At one point, they struggled just to buy food for the family. Their business shifted into survival mode: defensive, careful, cautious. When the pandemic faded, they hired 3 workers back. Today, only 1 worker remains. Staff leave because of back pain, boredom, or get fired fo carelessness. This work is not for everyone: the effort is hot and repetitive, and requires careful attention. To Edy and Christine, quality is paramount.
Still, the couple focused on continuous improvement. They’ve recently invested 3 million rupiah in a ‘sealing machine’ bought from Tokopedia. The machine injects oxygen into each packet to keep the crackers fresh in a ballooned packet which prevents them from shattering into pieces. People questioned them: why bother with this extra effort? But soon, competitors began doing the same.
There have been mishaps. Once, the rope snapped from Edy’s motorcycle and kerupuk spilled across the road. Instead of walking past, strangers stopped to help gather the scattered packets. Small moments like this sound simple, but stays with them as positive energy.
At home, their toddler Eliana plays cheerfully while 9-year-old Noah watches his parents build something from scratch, helping out wherever he is allowed.
Their neighbourhood is a mix of Javanese and Balinese families, many Christian like them. Some run small businesses. Some are employees. Everyone is trying to make ends meet, somehow.
Running a business isn’t easy. There are ups and downs. Edy’s advice to other entrepreneurs is simple: “Terus maju. Maju saja. [Just keep moving ahead.] We don’t know what’s in front of us. Just go forward. Better than staying and doing nothing. Just move.”
And so they do: frying, sealing, packing, and delivering the crunchiest and most delicious kerupuk. One batch at a time.
Meet Putu
A story like this would simply not be possible without a fixer who knows the lay of the land, dissolves language barriers, and joins the adventure. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Putu for being such an incredible project guide! You can reach out to him whenever you’re in need of a wonderful guide, friend, and driver in Bali. Message Putu on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sostrolennon/
About this story
This work developed during John Stanmeyer’s Visual Storytelling Workshop in 2024. What I loved most about those days was that the learning went far beyond photography; it was about feeling the energy, being present, and interacting with the world with more intention.
About the project
Shopkeeper Stories is a photo-documentary of small business owners and their trades around the world, sharing their insights, stories and views. You can catch the journey on Instagram @ShopkeeperStories
Shopkeeper Stories 
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