‘Nang Ori’: The Inspiring Journey of a Bidayuh Woman Bringing Sarawak Pepper to the World

In every successful local brand, there is often a story of sacrifice, resilience, and courage behind it. That is exactly what can be seen in the inspiring journey of Awaeang Kwasin, a Bidayuh woman from Padawan who transformed Sarawak pepper into a growing international brand through her company, Nang Ori.

Today, Nang Ori products can be found in major supermarkets across Malaysia, with plans to expand into international markets such as China and Hong Kong.

From Childhood Struggles to Business Success

Born in Kampung Bratan, Padawan, Awaeang grew up in a family deeply connected to the pepper industry. Her grandfather was a pepper trader, while her parents worked tirelessly on pepper farms.

As a child, she and her siblings spent countless hours helping the family harvest pepper, soak the berries in rivers, and dry them under the hot sun. Like many children growing up in rural villages, the work was exhausting and sometimes frustrating.

Ironically, the very crop she once disliked eventually became the foundation of her success.

Today, pepper carries deep sentimental value for her because it represents her family’s hard work, sacrifices, and village roots.

Discovering the Potential of Sarawak Pepper

After living in Selangor for nearly two decades, Awaeang frequently received requests from friends asking her to bring Sarawak pepper whenever she returned to her hometown.

That was when she realized the huge market potential of Sarawak pepper, a product globally recognized for its exceptional quality and aroma.

Encouraged by friends to move beyond simply selling raw pepper, she decided to venture into downstream pepper products in November 2016. The journey, however, was far from easy.

She eventually rebranded her products under the name “Nang Ori,” a name that sounded more authentically Sarawakian and reflected local identity and culture. To strengthen her business knowledge, she also attended courses on labeling and marketing organized by government agencies.

Building a Recognized Sarawak Brand

The decision proved to be a turning point.

Today, Nang Ori offers a wide range of black and white pepper products with attractive packaging and strong branding. The products have also obtained MeSTI certification and Halal certification, increasing consumer confidence and expanding market opportunities.

More impressively, Nang Ori products are now available in major retail chains such as:

AEON
Mydin

This achievement demonstrates that local Sarawak products can successfully compete in mainstream national markets when combined with quality branding and strategic marketing.

The First Bidayuh Dayak Woman with an Export License

One of Awaeang’s greatest achievements is becoming the first Bidayuh Dayak woman to obtain a pepper export license from the Malaysian Pepper Board.

The license allows her to export Sarawak pepper products to Peninsular Malaysia and international markets.

Nang Ori has already received demand from China and Hong Kong, although several manufacturing requirements, including Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, still need to be finalized before full export operations can begin.

Nevertheless, the growing international interest clearly shows the strong global potential of Sarawak pepper products.

A Symbol of Dayak Women Empowerment

Awaeang Kwasin’s success story is more than just a business achievement. It is also a symbol of empowerment for Dayak women and proof that local entrepreneurs from Sarawak can build internationally recognized brands.

From helping her parents in pepper farms as a child to managing factories and a growing workforce today, her journey reflects determination, vision, and perseverance.

She is currently expanding the business further by developing a second Nang Ori factory in Melaka, complementing the existing facility in Kuching. Once completed, both factories are expected to process up to ten tons of Sarawak pepper products.

Her story serves as a reminder that world-class brands can emerge from humble village beginnings. With passion, resilience, and the courage to innovate, local products from Borneo can reach global markets and proudly carry the name of Sarawak to the world.