Indonesian Honey Products Successfully Enter Saudi Market

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian village-based Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are once again opening export opportunities to the Middle Eastern market.

PT Imago Honey, a participant in the Desa BISA Ekspor Program, has received an offer to supply its Imago Itox Honey Neo product to Lulu Hypermarket, an international modern retail chain in Saudi Arabia.

This interest emerged during a virtual business matching event held on May 21, 2026, with a potential transaction value of USD 94,500.

Indonesian Trade Attaché in Riyadh, Zulvri Yeni, said the honey product is among the village-based MSMEs that have successfully attracted international buyers. “This honey product has demonstrated its competitiveness to Saudi Arabian buyers with the support of quality testing conducted by the Indonesian Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN),” Zulvri stated in Riyadh on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, as quoted on the Ministry of Trade’s official website.

According to Zulvri, the Ministry has identified 741 villages for development under the Desa BISA Ekspor Program in 2026. PT Imago Honey itself empowers communities in Cileungsi, West Java, and Bali to produce value-added honey products.

The competitiveness of these products is further strengthened by certifications including HACCP, Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), Indonesian Halal Certification, Indonesian National Standards (SNI), and the Veterinary Control Number (NKV). Some of its products have also entered markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Korea, and Thailand.

Director of Lulu Retail for the Indonesia and Malaysia Region, Shihab Yousaf, said Indonesian honey has strong potential in Gulf markets. “Imago Honey’s Itox Honey Neo variant, with its distinctive Indonesian spice flavor, has the potential to compete with other honey products in Saudi Arabia as well as in Lulu Hypermarket outlets in Qatar and the UAE,” he said.

Meanwhile, PT Imago Honey Chief Executive Officer Henry emphasized the company’s commitment to maintaining hygiene and quality standards to meet global market demands. “We highlight the strengths of this product to potential partners through business exploration activities organized by Indonesian trade representatives,” Henry explained.

From January to April 2026, Indonesia’s total trade with Saudi Arabia reached USD 1.59 billion. In 2025, total trade between the two countries stood at USD 6.53 billion.

Indonesia’s largest non-oil and gas exports to Saudi Arabia in 2025 included vehicles and vehicle parts, animal and vegetable fats and oils, vessels, processed foods, and wood products. Meanwhile, its largest non-oil and gas imports from Saudi Arabia comprised salt, sulfur, lime, plastics, organic chemicals, and other chemical products. ***