Lenny Listriyani and her husband Purnomo intervened in the honey-producing community of Kampar, Riau, amid an overabundance of honey yield and subsequent low market demand in the early 2000s. This led to the establishment of Wilbi, a venture that specializes in high-quality natural forest honey, successfully penetrating both domestic and international markets. Initially introduced to the honey business through Purnomo's forestry research connections, Lenny and her husband assisted farmer groups facing surplus yields and market price reduction. Their involvement evolved into establishing Wilbi in Kuok, Kampar, ensuring pure honey without dilution and receiving support from local governmental bodies. Wilbi, committed to honey purity, collaborated with local departments for beekeeping guidance and enhanced honey packaging quality, meeting The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) and Indonesian National Standard (SNI). They introduced 30 innovative honey variations, including herbal and formulated types, maintaining SNI certification, intellectual property rights, and halal certifications.
Bank Indonesia (BI) significantly contributed to Wilbi's growth since their partnership in 2017, facilitating a 10-20% revenue increase through guidance, training sessions, and business events. While aiming to expand into export markets, Wilbi's current production capacity ranges from 500 to 1,000 bottles, with a potential capacity of up to 10,000 bottles per variant. Wilbi's primary challenge involves seeking international markets, a hurdle they aim to overcome by collaborating with other entities. They intend to leverage BI's support to secure foreign buyers, elevating premium Indonesian honey from bulk sales to international recognition, boosting pride among locals in Riau. Muhamad Nur, Head of Bank Indonesia Riau Provincial Representative, highlighted BI's efforts to assist UMKM like Wilbi in expanding markets via digital platforms and training for product quality enhancement, packaging improvement, and quantity augmentation to maintain market stability. Nur emphasized the gradual implementation of strategies and the importance of creativity and innovation in attracting buyers. BI remains dedicated to empowering UMKM for business sustainability, growth, and acceptance in new markets, signaling ongoing support for UMKM development and acceptance in diverse marketplaces.
