BETANJAK.COM, PANGKALPINANG — Henry, an MSME entrepreneur producing traditional Bangka Belitung snacks, is now experiencing rapid business growth after becoming a fostered partner of PT TIMAH Tbk. Starting from a small rented house in 2017, the Duo Ayu Sehati factory has now grown into a large-scale producer capable of producing more than one ton of *getas* per day.
Henry recalls the early days filled with challenges, from unstable recipes and frequent product returns from stores to the struggle of finding the best formula so his products could be accepted in the market.
“Our first year was really unstable. The recipes weren’t consistent, and many stores returned our products. But we kept improving quality by doing research at other snack factories,” he recalled.
Those efforts paid off. Production volume continued to rise, and today Duo Ayu Sehati can produce 1.2 tons of *getas*, 500 kg of *kericu*, 600 kg of *kemplang*, and 500 kg of fish and beef meatballs every day.
Their market has also expanded, not only to Pangkalpinang and Bangka Belitung but also to Jakarta. Their products have even begun entering the export market.
“Recently, we shipped about two hundred kilos to Australia. It’s just the beginning, but the consumer response has been very good,” Henry said.
He emphasized that this rapid growth is inseparable from the support of PT TIMAH Tbk through its Partnership Program. The capital assistance allowed him to add production machines, which directly increased capacity.
“Since becoming a fostered partner of PT TIMAH Tbk, we’ve been able to add more production equipment. We increased our woks from two to four, which almost doubled our production output,” he explained.
This support has enabled Duo Ayu Sehati to boost efficiency, expand its market reach, and maintain the high product quality that consumers appreciate. Raw materials from local fishermen and high-quality sago flour have become the foundation for products that remain in demand.
In addition to producing *getas*, *kericu*, and *kemplang*, Henry has also developed other products such as fish meatballs, beef meatballs, and dried shrimp powder, which are popular among consumers in Jakarta.
To meet increasing market demand, Duo Ayu Sehati is preparing a new innovation: ground fish products aimed at culinary businesses and households. They are also planning to expand their factory to increase production capacity.
Henry expressed his gratitude to PT TIMAH Tbk for the support that has greatly helped MSMEs like his to grow.
“Thank you to PT TIMAH for supporting our business. I hope this partnership continues smoothly, and that more MSMEs in Bangka can be supported in the future,” he said.
Henry’s story is real proof of how PT TIMAH Tbk’s Partnership Program can help local MSMEs level up, strengthen competitiveness, and even open opportunities to enter the global market.(*)
