3. Museum of Tobacco
Jember is inextricably linked to the long history of Indonesian tobacco. That is why tobacco leaves are the official symbol of the Jember Regency. Jember’s climate and soil are ideal for growing high-quality tobacco, such as Besuki Na-Oogst for cigars and kasturi tobacco for cigarettes. Jember tobacco has a unique aroma and flavour that is recognized as world-class tobacco.
The Tobacco Museum, located on Jalan Kalimantan, is an interesting educational tourism centre. A variety of dioramas, photographs, drawings, miniatures, and other items on display depict the history of Jember tobacco since the Colonial period, as well as the processing and different types of tobacco leaves available.
“In addition to cigars and cigarettes, tobacco waste can be used as an ingredient in perfumes, soaps, briquette balsam, and pesticides. “Everything is on display in this museum,” said Sunito, a museum guide.
4. BIN Cigar Factory
This is the main stop on a superior tobacco leaf’s journey from a people’s plantation in Jember to becoming a world-class ready-to-use cigar. The Cigar Story.
Every day, on average, 1,500-3,000 workers sort and classify the quality of tobacco leaves based on size, base color, and other factors in this factory. Each employee, all of whom are female, can handle up to 20 kilograms of tobacco leaves per day. Tobacco leaves are then dried and then fermented before being processed into cigars.
“From harvest to cigar, a tobacco leaf can take up to three years. “Through the touch of 600 people,” said Febrian A. Kahar, factory owner and commissioner of PT Boss Image Nusantara (BIN) Cigar.
A BIN Cigar outlet is not far from there. This is where all BIN Cigar tobacco is finished before it is packaged. The aroma and flavor of various BIN Cigar cigars are comparable to Cuban productions.
Some, like Montecristo and Cohiba, have become synonymous with Cuban cigars. BIN Cigar exports tobacco leaves in addition to making and exporting cigars. “We have 24 brands and 15 export destination countries,” says the company. “On average, we export 100-200 tons of tobacco per year,” Febrian explained.
The international event “Jember Kota Cerutu Indonesia” (JKCI), now in its fourth year, marks the advancement of the cigar industry in this country. At this three-day event, dozens of ambassadors are always present, including one from Cuba, the country that produces the world’s best cigars.
5. Edamame Factory M27
Apart from tobacco, Jember is also well-known for its edamame production. Green soybeans are commonly found in Japanese restaurants and East Asian cuisine. This Horseshoe edamame product has been exported to several countries.
PT Mitratani Dua Tujuh (M27) is the largest edamame producer, with a stake in PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) X. M27 currently produces around 10,000 tons of edamame per year and controls the export market in a number of countries.
