Padang, August 9, 2026 – Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, visited L’île Chocolate Factory Outlet, Museum & Cafe and the Rendang Center in Padang City, West Sumatra, on Sunday (August 9). The visit aimed to accelerate the development of creative products based on local potential by strengthening processing facilities, culinary subsector innovation, and regional supply chains.
Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, reviews the facilities for processing and developing rendang cuisine at the Rendang Center in Padang City, West Sumatra, Sunday (August 9, 2026).
At L’île Chocolate Factory Outlet, Museum & Cafe, the Minister of Creative Economy toured the museum and gallery areas showcasing cocoa and its processed products, while also viewing various chocolate products developed by the company. L’île Chocolate produces tree-to-bar craft chocolate using locally sourced cocoa from Sumatra, covering the process from cocoa bean processing to the creation of value-added chocolate products.
“We can see how the abundance of local raw materials, particularly cocoa, can be transformed into creative products with added value and a strong identity. This kind of model is important because the creative economy is not only about the final product, but also about how regional potential can be transformed through creativity and innovation to generate greater economic value,” said Teuku Riefky.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
L’île Chocolate also operates a cocoa museum as an educational space introducing the cocoa and chocolate processing journey to the public. This development demonstrates how local commodities can be transformed not only into products but also into creative experiences that combine education, tourism, and culinary elements. L’île Chocolate products have also entered the international market, with their first export shipment to Singapore in June 2025.
At the Rendang Center, the Minister of Creative Economy reviewed facilities and processing equipment supporting the development of the rendang culinary industry. The Rendang Center is a facility developed by the Padang City Government to support the production, marketing, development, and advancement of rendang cuisine, while enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium industries (IKM).
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
“Rendang has strong significance as part of Padang’s gastronomic identity. Through the Rendang Center, we can see how culinary traditions can be supported by more structured production and development facilities, ensuring that this culinary knowledge and heritage are preserved while continuing to evolve in line with industry needs,” said Teuku Riefky.
The two locations demonstrate the diverse creative economy potential of Padang rooted in its local resources. Transforming cocoa into chocolate showcases value creation from regional commodities, while the development of rendang reflects efforts to preserve traditional culinary heritage while supporting the sustainability of the industry’s practitioners.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
The Ministry of Creative Economy encourages the development of products rooted in local ingredients and traditions through improvements in quality, innovation, capacity building, and expanded market access. The visit to L’île Chocolate and the Rendang Center was part of the Ministry’s efforts to directly assess this potential while strengthening collaboration with local governments and creative economy practitioners in developing regional flagship products.
Padang Mayor Fadly Amran also accompanied the Minister of Creative Economy during the visit.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
