Housewife Earns Four-figure Income From Creating Food Replicas

By Fadzlina Abu Bakar Sidek

TELUK INTAN, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Over the last three years, housewife Rifasyariah Abdul Rashid has been able to generate a four-figure monthly income from creating food replicas using simple materials like cornstarch, cooking oil, glue and vinegar.

The 51-year-old woman took only four months to master the art of creating food replicas, learning the skill from her friends as well as other sources. 

Speaking to Bernama during an interview at her home in Chenderong Balai here recently, Rifasyariah said she earns an average of RM5,000 per month, with her income doubling during festive seasons.

Skilled in creating replicas of food items such as chicken rice, rendang, festive cookies, traditional kuih, vegetables, fruits, cendol and coconuts, Rifasyariah said the process of making these replicas is not overly complicated.

“However, some replicas, like rice, are quite tedious to make as each grain has to be crafted individually, so it takes me about a week to complete a plate of rice,” she said, adding the replicas are sold for prices ranging from RM20 to RM1,000 each, depending on the size and design.

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Sharing her crafting process, Rifasyariah said all the ingredients, including vinegar, are mixed and kneaded into a soft dough resembling bread dough. The dough is then stored in an airtight container to last up to six months.

“Vinegar is added to prevent the mixture from molding. To create a replica, the dough is shaped into the desired form and then it is painted with acrylic paint.

“Most customers place orders through WhatsApp, specifying details such as size, colour and other preferences,” she said, adding she once created a large food pyramid replica commissioned by Kampar Hospital in Kampar, Perak.

She now has a steady clientele, including the Ministry of Health, schools, restaurants and individuals who order food replicas for exhibitions and product promotions.

Receiving orders from across Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak, Rifasyariah admitted that she occasionally encounters demanding customers who are dissatisfied with the replicas and request revisions.

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She added her food replicas are durable as long as they are not dropped and can be easily cleaned with a damp tissue when dusty.

“I enjoy what I do because it not only generates an income for me but also fills my time since it’s just my husband and me at home,” she said, expressing her intention to continue this activity as long as she can.

-- BERNAMA