The CEO of PT Garuda Mitra Unggul (GMU), Hendro Santoso, has stated that Bulgaria is planning to establish a meat processing factory in Indonesia. The decision was made following a collaboration between Bulgarian representatives from Bella Group and PT GMU Indonesia to produce halal food in Bulgaria, specifically Indonesian rendang.
Hendro mentioned that both companies will conduct market research and studies over the next 12 months to determine the factory’s location, which may be in Jakarta or Bali, depending on the research results.
Hendro explained that Bulgaria had previously set up a dedicated production line for halal food in their country, with a total of nine large factories, one of which was focused on producing rendang.
“So, our spices and seasonings will come from a collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises from Sumatra to preserve the authentic flavor, but the meat will come from Bulgaria. In essence, we can say it’s a collaborative effort, where it’s cooked there but under the supervision of both parties,” Hendro explained.
Hendro further elaborated that Bella Group is a major company in Bulgaria, producing 350 tons of meat and various foods, ranging from pastries to meat and butter.
Looking ahead to Indonesia’s plans, Hendro mentioned that they would explore similar approaches to market other foods in Eastern and Western Europe.
He emphasized that this rendang product is the first to be introduced and is part of President Joko Widodo’s “Indonesia Spice Up the World” program since the beginning of 2023.
