East Jakarta Offers Free Training to Boost SMEs

A free SME development program hosted by the East Jakarta Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises (PPKUKM) Sub-agency at the East Jakarta Mayor's Office received positive feedback from participants, who said it had helped them develop their businesses.

Opportunity to be sold through modern retail chains

One participant, Mirna, a Jakpreneur from Pasar Rebo Sub-district who runs Mirror's Kitchen, said the program had provided valuable knowledge to help grow her business. She produces potato sticks, sponge cakes, and traditional Indonesian cakes but said marketing remains one of her biggest challenges.

BBPOM Pledges Support for MSME Licensing

"Hopefully, through this training and product curation process, our products will gain wider recognition and have the opportunity to be sold through modern retail chains," she said on Tuesday (6/30).

East Jakarta City Secretary Eka Darmawan said collaboration between the local government and the private sector is a strategic way to improve the competitiveness of SMEs.

He said the partnership is expected to help businesses develop high-quality, innovative products capable of entering modern retail markets.

"We hope this strong partnership will continue and become even stronger in the future," he added.

Eka also encouraged residents to support local SMEs by buying locally made products, saying such support not only improves the livelihoods of business owners but also strengthens the local economy.

"We hope this training will enhance the capacity of SMEs, improve product quality, and strengthen entrepreneurs' ability to grow their businesses, contributing to both household economic resilience and East Jakarta's economic growth," he noted.

East Jakarta PPKUKM Sub-agency Head Andi Ahmad Refi said the program brought together 100 culinary SMEs from 10 sub-districts, who produce a wide range of processed food products, including chips, snacks, and other packaged foods.

He explained that all participants had completed the required business licensing, including a Business Identification Number (NIB), either a Home Industry Food Production Certificate (SPP-IRT) or National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) permit, as well as halal certification, making them eligible to enter modern retail markets.

Andi said participants were also required to bring their products for a curation process conducted in collaboration with PT Indomarco Prismatama (Indomaret).

Meanwhile, Purwando Wahyudi, Microeconomics Project Executive at PT Indomarco Prismatama, reaffirmed the company's commitment to helping SMEs scale up through its partnership program.

"We want to help SMEs market their products in front of Indomaret stores. Around 14,000 SMEs are already selling their products through the Indomaret retail network," he added.