What was once nothing more than stretches of dry, barren, and unproductive land in rural areas has now transformed into a source of livelihood, empowering more than 2,000 villagers across Indonesia.
This major 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 deep concern for the socio-economic conditions of communities in the remote areas of Brebes Regency, Central Java.
Expansive critical land left farmers living in poverty, with no access to sustainable sources of 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,” recalled Eliest.
Field research in 2015 revealed the answer: citronella grass, one of the aromatic essential plants resilient in all seasons and capable of revitalizing degraded land. Community education soon began, introducing eco-friendly essential oil cultivation while also teaching waste management into value-added products through a zero-waste system.
A significant leap occurred at the end of 2020, when Syailendra Bumi Investama became a partner of PT Pertamina (Persero) through its Micro and Small Business Funding Program, receiving IDR 100 million in capital support. This funding was used to strengthen production, operations, and marketing. The results were extraordinary — within a year, revenue surged to IDR 1.2 billion, rose to IDR 3.5 billion in 2021, and reached IDR 4.5 billion in 2022, officially becoming a taxable entrepreneur.
Today, Syailendra Bumi Investama regularly supplies essential oils to national exporters and the domestic aromatic industry. Beyond that, the enterprise has also begun direct exports to France and Singapore, while expanding its market to 12 countries, including Switzerland, Canada, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, India, South Korea, and Brazil.
Currently, Syailendra BI operates 200 distillation sites across provinces (except Papua), employing 12 permanent staff and one academic expert, and empowering around 400 distillers and more than 2,000 farmers across Indonesia through the “Paguyuban Emas Hijau” (Green Gold Community).
As part of its commitment to growth and broader impact, in 2025 DDistillers participated in Pertamina UMK Academy 2025 and Pertamina SMEXPO Merah Putih, two of Pertamina’s strategic programs focused on enhancing business capacity, marketing, and expanding MSME networks.
Fadjar Djoko Santoso, VP of Corporate Communication at PT Pertamina (Persero), stated:
“Pertamina supports MSMEs like DDistillers, which can turn challenges into opportunities while delivering tangible benefits to thousands of farming families in Indonesia. This is proof that strategic partnerships between state-owned enterprises and MSMEs can drive economic growth while also preserving the environment.”
The success of DDistillers is in line 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.” These initiatives have generated thousands of productive jobs in rural areas, empowered local entrepreneurs, and developed 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 there is a green and prosperous future,” concluded Eliest.
As a leading company in the energy transition, Pertamina is committed to supporting the Net Zero Emission 2060 target, continuously promoting programs that directly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All these efforts are in line with the application of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) principles across Pertamina’s businesses and operations.
Kumparan. (2025, August 14). Pertamina Supports MSME DDistillers, Turning Degraded Land into Livelihoods for Villagers. Kumparan.
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