FOODPRENEURS Scale-Up Forum 2024 with BRI which was organized by the Idepreneurs Club succeeded in becoming an opportunity for culinary entrepreneurs to gain inspiration from young inspirators.
Moreover, in an era of increasingly fierce business competition, the success of business actors is often determined by their ability to adapt, innovate and face challenges with courage in order to bring their culinary business to the next level.
Chair of the Foodpreneurs Scale-Up Forum 2024 with BRI Committee, Johannes Leonardo, said that the event was a learning platform that not only presented success stories, but also real strategies for overcoming challenges in the culinary industry.
“We created this forum to encourage culinary business people to learn directly from experienced practitioners. We hope that participants can understand effective strategies to strengthen their business foundations so they are ready to scale-up,” said Johannes in his official statement, Thursday (30/10).
On that occasion, CEO of Pisang Madu Pasti Rio Saputra, Founder of Burgreens and Green Rebel Helga Angelina, and CEO of Urban Wagyu Arga Pratama were also present who shared stories of their inspiring journey.
“We present figures such as Rio Saputra, Helga Angelina, Arga Pratama, Nova Dewi, and Mario Dalimartha, because their journey proves that culinary businesses that start on a small scale can grow big with a strong foundation,” he added.
Not only from culinary business actors, at this event there were also informative sessions from supporting industrial companies such as BRI, Paper.id, and YUKK Payment Gateway which opened the participants’ eyes that the speed of growth of culinary businesses is not just about having delicious food recipes, but also related to appropriate technology-based business management strategies.
In the midst of the booming culinary business in Indonesia, Pisang Madu Pasti is present as an inspiring example of a simple business that is growing rapidly and bringing brand local to a higher level. hard work, branding the right way, and continuous innovation is the main key to moving up in class.
Starting from a small cart in Gading Serpong, now Pisang Madu Pasti has dozens outlet spread across the Jabodetabek area.
In this forum, Rio shared the story that perseverance in conducting research and experimentation was the key to finding the right formula for his product. With branding strong, Honey Banana is sure to get a lot of attention from public figure so that promotions can run more efficiently.
Until now, Banana Madu Pasti has managed to grow to 40 outlets in Jabodetabek. No need to open franchiseRio is better able to maintain product quality and full control of operations.
Rio’s story is proof that success is not just about the speed of expansion, but rather how to build a strong foundation so that a business can move up in class.
In contrast to Rio, Helga Angelina built Burgreens and Green Rebel with the vision of turning a healthy lifestyle into a sustainable business. After experiencing the benefits of a plant-based diet, Helga was moved to found Burgreens with her husband.
With limited capital, they opened their first outlet in Rempoa which then received a positive response from the healthy living community. Helga shared that the turning point in Burgreens’ development occurred when they received support from an investor which enabled expansion into large malls.
Apart from that, the pandemic also encouraged them to launch Green Rebel, brand FMCG that provides plant-based protein.
“We want to contribute by being supplier plant-based protein to help other restaurants innovate with healthy menus,” said Helga.
Currently, Green Rebel has penetrated the international market and has become an inspiration for other culinary businesses to adopt sustainability principles.
Arga Pratama’s story with Urban Wagyu began with difficult financial conditions after his fashion business failed. Not giving up, Arga switched to the culinary business and started premium wagyu meat, Urban Wagyu as a wagyu steak business based on online.
“We saw an opportunity to offer an exclusive dining experience with a different wagyu menu,” said Arga.
The 2024 Foodpreneur Scaleup Forum also presented two other speakers, namely Mario Dalimartha who is the CEO of Serporsi Mie Kari and Kembang Bawang and the CEO of Suwe Ora Jamu Nova Dewi.
In an increasingly competitive culinary world, the two of them have achieved success by modifying traditional food to become more modern and relevant for the younger generation. From simple foods with childhood memories to traditional herbal medicine in modern packaging, Mario and Nova managed to find a common thread between the tastes of the past and today’s market expectations. (E-2)
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**Interview with Johannes Leonardo, Chair of the Foodpreneurs Scale-Up Forum 2024**
**Editor:** Welcome, Johannes! Thank you for joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about the Foodpreneurs Scale-Up Forum 2024 and its goals?
**Johannes Leonardo:** Thank you for having me! The Foodpreneurs Scale-Up Forum, organized in collaboration with BRI and the Idepreneurs Club, aims to create a learning platform for culinary entrepreneurs. Our goal is to inspire them with success stories and provide actionable strategies for overcoming challenges in the competitive culinary industry.
**Editor:** What kind of challenges do you see that culinary MSMEs face today?
**Johannes Leonardo:** In today’s fast-paced environment, culinary MSMEs must adapt quickly to changing market demands, innovate their offerings, and manage their businesses effectively. This includes not only having delicious food but also understanding technology-based business management to scale their operations.
**Editor:** You mentioned inspiring figures like Rio Saputra and Helga Angelina sharing their journeys. How important is it for entrepreneurs to learn from one another?
**Johannes Leonardo:** It’s absolutely vital! Learning from experienced practitioners allows new entrepreneurs to understand the real-life implications of business strategies and encourages them to persevere through their own challenges. Each success story, like those of our speakers, serves as a powerful reminder that great things often start small.
**Editor:** What key message do you hope participants take away from this forum?
**Johannes Leonardo:** I hope they walk away understanding that scaling a business is not just about rapid expansion but building a solid foundation first. Strong branding, continuous innovation, and effective management strategies are essential for sustained growth.
**Editor:** With the culinary sector thriving in Indonesia, how do you envision its future?
**Johannes Leonardo:** I’m optimistic! With dedicated entrepreneurs who are willing to learn and adapt, and support from institutions and larger companies, the culinary sector has immense potential for growth both locally and internationally.
**Editor:** Thank you, Johannes, for sharing your insights with us today!
**Johannes Leonardo:** Thank you for having me! I’m excited to see how our culinary entrepreneurs will continue to innovate and inspire others.
