BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN SURAKARTA: A COMPARATIVE SWOT ANALYSIS OF YOUTH AND SILVER ENTREPRENEURS

Abstract

The food and beverage (F&B) industry plays a strategic role in supporting local economic development in Indonesia. However, increasing competition, rapid digital transformation, and shifting consumer preferences have posed significant challenges to business sustainability, particularly among micro and small enterprises. This study aims to map the challenges and business sustainability strategies employed by Youth Entrepreneurs and Silver Entrepreneurs in the F&B industry in Surakarta. A qualitative approach was adopted using thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti version 9. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with ten key informants, comprising five Youth Entrepreneurs and five Silver Entrepreneurs. The findings reveal that Youth Entrepreneurs possess strengths in digital adaptability, innovation, and digital marketing capabilities. At the same time, Silver Entrepreneurs benefit from extensive business experience, strong reputations, and well-established social networks. Despite these strengths, both groups face different challenges. Youth Entrepreneurs struggle with managerial limitations, capital dependency, and intense market competition, whereas Silver Entrepreneurs encounter technology gaps, resistance to change, and difficulties adapting to digital business environments. SWOT analysis indicates that cross-generational collaboration presents a strategic opportunity to combine digital competencies with accumulated business experience. The study contributes to understanding intergenerational entrepreneurship in Indonesian MSMEs and offers practical implications for digital literacy development, inclusive financing policies, and sustainable local economic development. Understanding intergenerational entrepreneurship in Indonesian MSMEs has practical implications for digital literacy development.