Hijrah Group, Indonesia's PT LBP Enterprises Internasional Strengthen Business Ties, Target Free Food Project
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Bahtera Hijrah Holding Sdn Bhd (Hijrah Group) and Indonesia’s PT LBP Enterprises Internasional have signed a strategic partnership to explore cross-border business opportunities, including the development of kitchens for Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Programme.
Hijrah Group is active in the technology, energy, finance, and halal food sectors, while LBP Enterprises operates in renewable energy, construction, maritime, plantations, and finance.
Both parties described the agreement signed in South Jakarta by Hijrah Group CEO Zulfitri Basir and LBP Enterprises founder Lucky Bayu Purnomo on Wednesday as transparent and straightforward.
“Given the global economic situation and the post-Covid downturn, we see potential for collaboration in several sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods,” said Zulfitri at a press conference.
Lucky added that the partnership will focus on hybrid and flexible financial investments and solutions to create added value.
“Among the potential projects is the MBG Programme, an Indonesian government initiative providing free meals to children, infants, and pregnant women to address nutritional deficiencies,” he said.
Although the government covers food costs, Lucky explained that kitchen infrastructure is managed by the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit and the National Nutrition Agency through a public-private partnership.
The joint venture between Hijrah Group and LBP Enterprises, planned through Hijrah Infra & Development Sdn Bhd and Garuda Ventrue Capital aims to build 1,000 MBG kitchens without being involved in daily operations.
Hijrah Infra & Development and Garuda Ventrue Capital are subsidiaries of Hijrah Group and PT LBP Enterprises Internasional, respectively.
Garuda Ventrue Capital CEO Denia Yuniarti Abdussamad said that the food programme’s initial phase includes developing 100 kitchens, each costing around 1.75 billion rupiah (1 million rupiah = RM257), and financed through internal sources and loans.
She said that each MBG kitchen can provide meals to 3,000 to 3,500 beneficiaries within a six-kilometre radius for breakfast and lunch.
-- BERNAMA