Jakarta — From barren, unproductive rural land has now grown a source of livelihood that empowers more than 2,000 villagers across Indonesia. This transformation is driven by Syailendra Bumi Investama (Syailendra BI), a social enterprise producing essential oils and vegetable oils under the DDistillers brand.
Founded in 2014 by Eliest Listiani, Syailendra BI was born out of concern for the socio-economic conditions of communities in remote Brebes Regency, Central Java. At that time, vast stretches of critical land left farmers in poverty without sustainable income.
“At first, we only wanted to find a simple solution: what kind of plant could survive on dry land without water during the dry season,” said Eliest in a written statement on Thursday (August 14, 2025).
Field research in 2015 revealed the answer: citronella grass, one of the aromatic essential plants resilient in all seasons and capable of revitalizing degraded soil. Education programs were then launched, teaching villagers sustainable essential oil cultivation and waste processing into value-added products under a zero-waste system.
A major breakthrough came at the end of 2020, when Syailendra BI became a partner of PT Pertamina (Persero) through its Micro and Small Business Funding Program, receiving IDR 100 million in capital support. The funds were used to strengthen production, operations, and marketing.
The results were remarkable — within a year, revenue soared to IDR 1.2 billion, rose to IDR 3.5 billion in 2021, and reached IDR 4.5 billion in 2022, officially earning status as a taxable entrepreneur.
Today, Syailendra BI regularly supplies essential oils to national exporters and domestic aromatic industries. Beyond that, the MSME has begun direct exports to France and Singapore, while expanding its market reach to 12 countries, including Switzerland, Canada, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, India, South Korea, and Brazil.
Currently, Syailendra BI operates 200 distillation points across provinces (except Papua), employing 12 permanent staff and one academic expert, while empowering around 400 distillers and more than 2,000 farmers across Indonesia through the Paguyuban Emas Hijau (Green Gold Community).
The success of DDistillers aligns with the Prabowo–Gibran Administration’s Asta Cita, Point 3, which emphasizes “creating quality jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, developing the creative industry, and continuing infrastructure development.” This has led to the creation of thousands of productive rural jobs, the empowerment of local entrepreneurs, and the development of value-added products rooted in Indonesia’s natural wealth.
“For us, business is not just about profit, but about building hope. From land once considered useless, we have proven that a green and prosperous future is possible,” said Eliest.
As part of its commitment to continuous growth and greater impact, in 2025 DDistillers participated in Pertamina UMK Academy 2025 and Pertamina SMEXPO Merah Putih, two of Pertamina’s strategic programs focused on strengthening business capacity, marketing, and expanding MSME networks.
Fadjar Djoko Santoso, VP of Corporate Communication at PT Pertamina (Persero), stated that Pertamina supports MSMEs like DDistillers, which are able to transform challenges into opportunities while delivering tangible benefits for thousands of farming families in Indonesia.
“This is proof that strategic partnerships between state-owned enterprises and MSMEs can drive economic growth while preserving the environment,” he said.
As a leader in energy transition, Pertamina is committed to supporting Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission 2060 target, by continuously promoting programs that directly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All these efforts are aligned with the implementation of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) principles across Pertamina’s business lines and operations.
Laraspati, A. (2025, August 14). Pertamina Supports MSME DDistillers, Turning Critical Land into Jobs. Detikfinance.
https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-8060421/pertamina-bina-umkm-ddistillers-ubah-lahan-kritis-jadi-lapangan-kerja
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