Smesco Opens Opportunities For MSME Culinary Products To The UK Through Halal Expo

MSMEs in the Halal Expo (Doc. Kemenkop UKM)

JAKARTA - The opportunity for MSME culinary products to enter the international market, especially the United Kingdom, seems to be getting wider when Smesco Indonesia collaborates with the British Embassy for Indonesia to appoint MSME culinary delights in the Halal Expo event which is routinely held in the UK.

"There is a request from the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki that has been submitted and at the British Embassy follow-up in Indonesia until now, namely how Indonesian food products, especially Indonesian halal food, can enter Great Britain," said Smesco Indonesia Business and Marketing Director Wientor Rah Mada in his official statement in Jakarta, Saturday 30 March.

Wientor said, one of the things that is actually quite interesting is that in England there is a Halal Expo event and that is one of the largest.

"And Smesco has actually been pushed by friends from British Embassy to put MSME products into Halal Expo," said Wientor.

Wientor added that Smesco has information that the Halal Expo in England is good as an entry point for exports of Indonesian culinary products, into a wider supply chain network, namely Europe and the Halal Expo, which many buyers from Africa also attended.

"The main challenge for exporting MSME culinary products to Great Britain is food safety. The food safety standards must really be applied, then we can enter Halal Expo in the UK, we are trying to break down, this is an extraordinary market," said Wientor.

In fact, the Head of Low Carbon, British Embassy of Indonesia Lanto Jones, said that the collaboration between Smesco Indonesia, British Embassy, and the Indonesian Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs Association (GAPMMI) is expected to be able to produce synergies for the Indonesian food and beverage industry. Especially, in the context of international market development and product quality improvement.

"As a priority, Britain and Indonesia are trying to increase investment and trade that has sustainable economic potential to spur prosperity, improve the global business landscape, and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries," said Ianto Jones.

Meanwhile, Future Citiies Program Manager, FCDO of the Great Britain Embassy, Barikatul Hikmah Albar Salim added, the business challenges faced for both countries are when MSMEs will enter the UK.

The heaviest issue is about food safety standards imposed by British authorities, while British businessmen when entering goods into Indonesia have more weight on halal provisions.

"From the UK itself, it has been explained that MSMEs or individuals can enter the UK market, as long as the requirements are met. So, most of these MSMEs are individuals and on a small scale, there is potential to enter the UK. It is hoped that Smesco can encourage MSMEs to try to enter the UK market, which was originally from the Trade Expo first," said Barika.

On the same occasion, Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs, Adhi S Lukman, said that based on this collaboration, there is great potential to increase the competitiveness of the Indonesian food and beverage industry in the global market, especially by paying attention to aspects of quality, food security, and compliance with international standards, including halal standards.

Adhi Lukman revealed, Indonesia also has market potential for British entrepreneurs, based on the 2023 Indonesian Business Field Baku Classification, Foreign Direct Investment or foreign investment in the food and beverage industry sector, there are 2,899 projects with an investment amount of 2.139 million US dollars and the performance of Gross Indonesia Domestic Products reaching 1.4 trillion US dollars with food consumption spending of 51 percent and a slice of processed food consumption of 16.32 percent.

"This is a market where the niche is still large for business people," said Adhi Lukman.

Hendarsyah Aditya, Paragon Business Ecosystem External Lead, as a representative of the business professional group, said that there are two superior products that have market potential, namely culinary and fashion, to be able to enter the market in the UK.

According to Aditya, there is a strategy to build markets and interelate with consumers in the UK, including by holding exhibitions in public places and finding parties in the UK, be it trade associations or certain organizations that can help MSMEs get permits to bring products to the UK market.

Sementara, Yuniarti, pelaku UMKM bidang kuliner pangan olahan musa rendang dadak marah siap makan dengan brand Tek Noeni, menceritakan pengalamannya.

Wow, for me this is really something, illuminated. My principle is like this, if we want to go towards something, we have to have a way, we have to have a method, so looking for that method I have to learn, Smesco makes me a place to study, "said Yuniarti.