Adib Noor
Vendors at Gerai Ramadhan expressed gratitude to be able to participate in the yearly activity to earn an extra income throughout the month.
Muhammad, running a beef sandwich stall with his brother, said they only set up their stall during Ramadhan.
“Last year we were selling our sandwiches at the Gerai Ramadan in Kuala Belait. Due to high interest this year, we are lucky to be able to set it up at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium parking area,” he said.
However, the sandwich maker shared that changes had to be made, especially in sourcing for supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is difficult to find beef and even harder to find it sold at a reasonable price. We had to make changes and substituted our signature beef filling with chicken marinated in our homemade barbecue sauce,” said Muhammad.
The brothers said they were able to sell most of their sandwiches on the first day of Gerai Ramadhan on Sunday.
Irsyad of Kei’s n Gail’s Food and Drink echoed the sentiment, saying they sold out their wide range of milk tea and fruity concoctions on the first day.
“More than 100 bottles were sold yesterday and we hope to sell more today,” said Irsyad.
The seller, however, said that it took some time for customers to fall in line and maintain social distance. “It takes time to get used to the new norm but we all have to remind ourselves to do so,” he said.
Amratun of ‘The Kueh’ came up with a different initiative to help other sellers take part in the Gerai Ramadhan, by providing cube-based business offering slots for other vendors to display their items.
“Although we have limited items on offer during the day, Alhamdulillah we were close to selling out on the first day,” she said.
Aisamuddin of the ever popular Pais c-Haji is grateful that the Gerai Ramadhan is allowed to be held despite uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.
“Alhamdulillah, we are now able to earn an income during the fasting month, and I am able to provide work for my staff once again,” he said.
