"I want people to not have to cry when slicing shallots to make fried shallots," said Dini Windu Asih, recounting the simple idea that helped launch her business, Mbrebes Mili, which specializes in fried shallots.

Her goal was to provide ready-to-eat fried shallots that people could enjoy without having to shed a tear.

Mbrebes Mili, established in 2018, is among the dozens of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) supported by the Indonesian Technology Innovation (INOTEK) Foundation and the Sampoerna Entrepreneurship Training Center (SETC). After seven years, Mbrebes Mili has made a number of notable achievements.

“When I was young, my mother’s cooking was always delicious and always topped with homemade fried shallots. We were familiar with fried shallots from Brebes, as my parents are from Brebes,” Dini said, referring to the regency in Central Java that is famed for its shallots.

“I wanted to help mothers by producing something practical. No need to cry slicing shallots, just use Mbrebes Mili,” she said.

The Javanese term mbrebes mili means to cry, and Dini chose it as her brand name for the hope behind the phrase: Mili means to flow, and she hopes her business will be a continuous source of livelihood and provides benefits for many.

Minimizing waste with shallot oil

At first, Dini marketed her fried shallot products to people in her immediate circle, including family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues, primarily through social media. Their positive response boosted her optimism and confidence about the potential of her business.

In less than a year, Mbrebes Mili products were being sold at a major supermarket in South Jakarta. Today, her business has grown even further, expanding its market reach both domestically and internationally.

Mbrebes Mili also produces shallot oil, made from the oil used to make its signature fried shallot products.

“We started with fried shallots and garlic, and we’ve now successfully innovated with shallot oil, which is part of our zero-waste initiative. Usually, [used] oil is thrown out, but we didn’t want to do that,” Dini explained.

She only uses high-quality oil for Mbrebes Mili products, and ensures that the shallot oil she produces is safe for consumption.

“Our oil is high quality, not reused multiple times, and still clear. This shallot oil can be used for sautéing, frying eggs, making fried rice, fried noodles and more,” she added.

Going global at Saudi exhibit

Dini is not one to rest on her laurels and continue to innovate: Her dream is to make Mbrebes Mili a leading brand of fried shallot and shallot oil products.

Over the past three years, Mbrebes Mili has participated in various business competitions and won several awards. The highlight came this year, when Mbrebes Mili was selected to participate in the Amazing Indonesia creative economy exhibition, which ran from Sept. 26 to 28 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

According to Dini, this was the culmination of a long journey that all started with the 2023 Apresiasi Kreasi Indonesia (Appreciation of Indonesian creations) event, organized by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry. Out of the hundreds of SMEs that took part, 40 made the short list in early 2024, and then 20 were chosen to take part in a trade expo. In August, Mbrebes Mili was among the top 10 SMEs selected to join the Amazing Indonesia exhibit in Saudi Arabia.

“But the participants had to cover their own transportation and accommodation. Only two participants were allowed to go,” Dini said.

Not wanting to miss this golden opportunity, Dini was able to secure support from the INOTEK Foundation and the SETC through the Sampoerna for Indonesia sustainability program.

INOTEK executive director Ivi Anggraeni said Mbrebes Mili had the potential to enter international markets.

“Mbrebes Mili is not just an ordinary SME. It is a prime example of the innovation and quality of [Indonesia’s] local products. With guidance from INOTEK and the SETC, we believe it can compete in the global market,” said Ivi.

Arief Triastika of Sampoerna for Indonesia said providing support through the SETC was part of the company’s commitment to supporting the growth of SMEs.

“Through the Sampoerna for Indonesia sustainability program, we continuously support the SME sector as a key driver of the national economy,” he said.

For Dini, the support provided by INOTEK and the SETC helped her realize her dream of reaching the global market. Moreover, she had always aspired to market Mbrebes Mili in Saudi Arabia. Dini believes the country holds significant potential for her products, as many Indonesians travel there for religious purposes and it is also home to a large Indonesian diaspora.

“This opportunity is truly extraordinary for me. I believe the market isn’t just for Indonesians, but also for Saudis who enjoy dishes like nasi mandhi and nasi kebuli, which we often top with fried shallots in Indonesia. It’s proven that these dishes are even more perfect with fried shallots,” she said.

Dini’s optimism and dreams have only grown after seeing the enthusiastic response from visitors to the exhibition, where Mbrebes Mili products were sold out. She is now exploring new business opportunities in Saudi Arabia, working to fulfill the requirements for selling Mbrebes Mili products there.

“I want Mbrebes Mili to go global. We’ve been shipping regularly to Australia, and I hope Saudi Arabia will follow soon. After that, my dream is to enter the United States and European markets, especially the Netherlands,” she said.

Dini is grateful to be part of the mentoring program provided by INOTEK and the SETC, which has helped her realize her global ambitions. Dini and her team have gained valuable knowledge through the UMKM Untuk Indonesia (SMEs for Indonesia) program, attending various online and offline training sessions, which they can apply in growing Mbrebes Mili further.

“My team and I have learned so much that we’ve applied to Mbrebes Mili. We’ve joined boot camps, learned about pitching and met amazing mentors. The UMKM Untuk Indonesia program also opened my mind as an entrepreneur to become a brand leader in Indonesia and enter the global market,” she enthused.

This year’s UMKM Untuk Indonesia, which ran from February to July, offered a variety of workshops on digital skills and digital marketing, with an aim to increase the competitiveness of SMEs based in West Java and Jakarta.

A total of 1,000 SMEs took part in the five-month program, engaging in activities such as business mentoring, packaging redesign, barcode creation, legal guidance for businesses and a number of expos.

Mbrebes Mili is one example of an SME that capitalized on these resources to improve the quality of its products and gear up for international expansion.

Popular

For Palestinians in Indonesia, education is an act of survival

Idul Adha and Indonesia’s protein intake paradox

Indonesia pushes into global fertilizer market but must up its game