Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) now must have the quality to compete in the global market. The Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI) or Indonesia Eximbank as the Special Mission Vehicle of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia is always committed to encouraging MSMEs to become exporters with global competitiveness. Apart from focusing on increasing the capacity and competence of business actors, LPEI also seeks to build a solid export ecosystem through the support provided to the MSME sector which is part of the supply chain for exporters assisted by LPEI. One of them is Mason Chocolate, a producer of processed chocolate products from Tetag Bali Village, which since 2017 has been producing its chocolate through a bean to bar process. Using raw cocoa beans taken from several regions in Indonesia and then processed into Single Origin or Tropical Blend variants. The bean to bar process is consistently pursued by Mason Chocolate to be able to produce a real chocolate taste.
The quality and unique taste of its products continues to attract buyers both from within and outside the country. Until now, Mason Chocolate has succeeded in exporting its products to various countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands and Australia with a production capacity of 15 tons per year. This success certainly cannot be separated from the role of cocoa farmers in Jembrana Cacao Foreign Exchange Village who work closely with Mason Chocolate in supplying fermented cocoa beans to be processed into chocolate products.
Nusasari Village in Jembrana Regency, Bali is the first Foreign Exchange Village to receive assistance from LPEI since 2012. This village is known for having good quality cocoa and was once one of the world's best fermented cocoa bean producers according to the 2017 cocoa of excellence version. The LPEI Foreign Exchange Village Program is a program that continues to be encouraged in order to create more villages with superior export-oriented products. "As a government-owned institution, we will continue to assist and provide training to villages that have superior export-oriented products. This is a form of our commitment to continue to encourage villages to be independent and able to compete so that they can meet quality and quantity in accordance with export standards. and can have an impact on the welfare of the surrounding community," said LPEI Executive Director Riyani Tirtoso, in a press release. In addition to supporting the progress of local farmers, Mason Chocolate also participates in increasing the economic value of the community by collaborating with local residents to cultivate cocoa plantations owned by Mason Chocolate. "In addition to improving the welfare of the community, with this collaboration we also provide opportunities for women to participate in building the Mason Chocolate business. Until now, more than 60 percent of our workforce is women," said Corporate Executive Chef Mason Chocolate, Tiwi. Tiwi also expressed his gratitude to LPEI for being given the opportunity to introduce the product and the story behind Mason Chocolate's journey to the G20 delegation in Bali. "Thank you for the opportunity to join in this activity. The coordination was very good and really helped us to introduce our products. We hope to work together again on another occasion," said Tiwi. In addition to facilitation through the G20 exhibition, in the future LPEI will also provide training and export assistance as well as expanding market access through the global marketplace to promote and increase the number of buyers through internet media networks.
