South jakarta: Bahtera Hijrah Holding Sdn Bhd (Hijrah Group) and Indonesia's PT LBP Enterprises Internasional have embarked on a strategic partnership to explore cross-border business opportunities, particularly focusing on the development of kitchens for Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Programme.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hijrah Group, known for its activities in technology, energy, finance, and halal food sectors, has teamed up with LBP Enterprises, which operates in renewable energy, construction, maritime, plantations, and finance. The agreement, signed by Hijrah Group CEO Zulfitri Basir and LBP Enterprises founder Lucky Bayu Purnomo, is aimed at transparency and straightforward collaboration.

Zulfitri highlighted potential collaborations in several sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods, amid the global economic situation and post-Covid downturn. Lucky emphasized that the partnership will center on hybrid and flexible financial investments to create added value, specifically through projects like the MBG Programme, an Indonesian government initiative to provide free meals to children, infants, and pregnant women.

The government covers food costs, but kitchen infrastructure is managed by the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit and the National Nutrition Agency through a public-private partnership. The joint venture between Hijrah Group and LBP Enterprises, through Hijrah Infra and Development Sdn Bhd and Garuda Ventrue Capital, aims to build 1,000 MBG kitchens without handling daily operations.

Garuda Ventrue Capital CEO Denia Yuniarti Abdussamad stated that the initial phase involves developing 100 kitchens, each costing around 1.75 billion rupiah. These will be financed through internal sources and loans. Each kitchen is expected to serve meals to 3,000 to 3,500 beneficiaries within a six-kilometre radius for breakfast and lunch.