Consistency in Halal Values and Social Awareness Maintains Local Brand Competitiveness

Amid increasingly intense competition in the fast-food industry, maintaining product quality is not always sufficient to retain consumer trust. Consistency in values, commitment to halal standards, and social awareness are now factors that determine the sustainability of a brand amidst shifting public behaviour. This is reflected in the journey of d’BestO, which has grown from a street vendor into a local fast-food restaurant chain with an increasingly broad reach. Starting from a simple MSME cart named KuFC (Kentuku Fried Chicken) founded by Evalinda Amir and Setyajid in 1994, d’BestO grew by championing the concept of affordable, filling food that is close to the needs of the community. As the business developed, the company transformed into a fast-food restaurant with a more professional operational system. Strengthening operational standards, product quality, and halal certification became an important part of that process. Amid the dominance of major players in the fast-food industry, d’BestO chooses to remain focused on serving the mass market segment by keeping prices affordable without reducing quality or product halal standards. For the company, the halal concept is not only applied to the products sold but is also part of the culture built within the work environment. d’BestO founder Evalinda Amir revealed that human resource development has been one of the company’s primary concerns from the outset. “We are very aware that many of our employees have low education, low economic status, and low religious understanding. At that time, this became a big homework for us on how to change it, so we introduced a rule requiring Sunnah worship for all employees. Because I believe the concept of sustenance is a gift, not from our own greatness—product and service must definitely exist and be applied, but 90 per cent is a gift,” said Evalinda at the launch of the book Authentic Halal Brand. This approach is part of the company’s effort to build a work culture that is not only oriented towards business achievement but also strengthens the values and character of employees. The commitment to values of care is also realised through various social activities carried out by the company, ranging from assistance during the pandemic, support for disaster victims, to humanitarian actions for the Palestinian people through donations and the distribution of thousands of food packages. The company also provides various forms of appreciation to employees, including Umrah programmes and self-development activities as part of efforts to improve welfare and work motivation. Through these various initiatives, d’BestO strives to build a closer relationship with the community. The company views business not only as an economic activity but also as a means to bring broader benefits to the surrounding environment. Consistency in maintaining product quality, strengthening halal commitment, and carrying out various social programmes is considered a factor that helps the company maintain its relevance in an increasingly dynamic market. The combination of closeness to the community, maintained product quality, and concern for humanitarian social issues has strengthened d’BestO’s position as a local brand that continues to grow. Its presence is not only as a fast-food provider but also as a brand that strives to grow alongside the values believed by its consumers.