Obsesi Teknologi Jerman

Tidak diragukan, Jerman merupakan negara maju. Salah satu pengalaman menarik ketika mengunjungi Ulm dan Bonn beberapa minggu yang lalu adalah menikmati efisiennya seluruh rutinitas kehidupan di Jerman. Mulai jadwal kereta apinya yang super on-time, pelayanan publik yang tidak bertele-tele, serta standar pelayanan toko atau restoran yang sangat tinggi.

Penggunaan teknologi bisa dibilang sudah tahap obsesif. Waiters di beberapa restoran sudah menggunakan pencatat menu elektronik (yang terhubung dengan tukang masak serta sekaligus alat pencetak kwitansi); sementara tiket bus-kereta-tram sudah terintegrasi dengan rapi, serta ada insentif untuk pembelian tiket di mesin karena kalau ke ticket services akan dikenakan charge 2 Euro; serta banyak lagi contoh lainnya.

Namun yang paling mengesankan adalah pengalaman di restoran kebab. Di salah satu restoran kebab Turki yang cukup terkenal, tukang kebabnya tidak lagi menggunakan pisau, namun menggunakan mesin otomatis untuk mengiris daging. Sangat efisien dan tentunya tepat takaran yang diinginkan - satu porsi, dua porsi, dst.

Terfikir juga sejenak, entah apalagi yang sudah mereka otomatisasi di Jerman ini. Jangan-jangan nanti akan ada vending machine kebab.  Benar-benar!

Mesin pengiris daging kebab di Arslan Kebap, Ulm

Vietnam and Halal food

During a recent trip to Hanoi in May 2007, I had a chance to sit with Hanoi Young Business Association. Its Vice Chairman, a young and smart businessman disclosed Vietnam's interest to explore the possibility of producing halal food. It plans to invite food producers from Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia to locate their production facilities in the country, where it offers attractive packages to investors in this emerging sub-sector.

Vietnam is confident that it has what it takes to accomodate such growing industry. It is even willing to learn the technicalities of halal food production and manufacturing. It sees this niche industry as a huge opportunity as Muslims in the region are becoming more wealthy and more concerned with their food consumption.

Interestingly, Vietnam is also eyeing the Gulf countries as its potential market. Lately, many notable Arab leaders who are visiting South East Asia have been 'hijacked' to make a stop over in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minch City. A smart move, as these leaders hitherto are only visiting their traditional partners in the region, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Having said that, it now seems that Halal food is no longer considered as a 'nice to have' industry but increasingly becoming a niche industry with huge growth potentials. Market of over a billion customers is indeed hard to miss.

On a lighter side, finding halal food in Hanoi is an enduring experience. There are a handful of halal restaurants in town, but locating one is quite an experience. Few hotels serve halal food, especially those frequented my Malaysian businessmen or Middle eastern visitors. Hopefully, when halal food production facility is built someday, more and more halal restaurant will be opened.