Natalia Expands Bakery Business with Rumah BUMN Support, Now Holds Halal Certificate

After discussing her business journey, Natalia provided a phone number she uses to serve customers. However, when contacted, the response came not from Natalia directly, but from an AI-based automated messaging system that answers queries and offers her bakery products. The use of AI in her business is no coincidence. Natalia is one of the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners who received digitalisation mentoring through the Rumah BUMN programme. Through this training, MSME players are taught to use technology to increase their business capacity.

This change is part of Natalia’s journey in growing her home-based culinary business. Before running the venture, she first endured a difficult phase when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia. Natalia Mutiara explained that the culinary business was originally started by her mother in the 2000s. She became involved in developing it after being laid off during the pandemic. Starting from that situation, Natalia began offering her products to friends. Because there were still restrictions on going out, she used WhatsApp and social media to sell her goods. “Friends were supportive. Because during Covid, you couldn’t sell food, everything was closed,” Natalia said during a discussion at Rumah BUMN Jakarta on Tuesday (30/6/2026).

Before producing anything, Natalia would first offer her products to potential buyers. After receiving orders, she would then produce the bread at her home in the Jagakarsa area, South Jakarta. Natalia makes a variety of products, ranging from sisir bread, white bread, and sweet bread to various other processed foods. In a day, she can produce up to around 300 pieces of bread. Her baking skills did not come suddenly. Natalia has a hospitality education background that has been useful in developing her product quality. Additionally, during her internships and work in hotels, she learned a lot from chefs with whom she still communicates to this day. “I went to hospitality school. I was also taught by chefs at the hotels. I used to work and intern at hotels, and until now I still ask the chefs how to do things,” Natalia said.

To restart the business, Natalia used capital from her previous salary. Her initial capital was around Rp 1 million. From that capital, she began producing a large quantity of bread. Over time, the home culinary business named NM Kitchen began to grow. Products that were initially marketed through social media are now available in several shops in Jagakarsa through a consignment system. Natalia’s monthly income can now reach up to Rp 10 million. However, if orders increase, her earnings grow even more.

Natalia realised there was still much to improve, so she began attending various training sessions held by Rumah BUMN Jakarta starting in 2023. One of the changes she experienced was more organised financial management. The training also helped in promoting NM Kitchen products. “Previously, my finances were a mess, mixed together, business money and personal money were still combined. Then I promoted my products, and people liked them. Fellow MSMEs bought them,” Natalia said. Thanks to the training, Natalia’s income has increased, and the number of customers ordering her products has grown. “It used to be very difficult. Now it’s increasing, friends are buying too. I can also save money now,” she said.

Another change Natalia experienced was obtaining a halal certificate for her home-produced goods. She was assisted by BRI in submitting all the requirements to obtain the halal certificate. “Everything was helped, so I just had to print things. They came and inspected my house,” Natalia said. On that day, Natalia was present at Rumah BUMN to attend training on MSME health. Rumah BUMN Jakarta Coordinator Jajang Rohmana explained that the training was a collaboration between Rumah BUMN and a partner. “What does this have to do with MSMEs? MSMEs must not only be good at selling, but they also have to be good at taking care of themselves, to minimise early illness and so on. So we held this specifically for MSMEs with the aim of promoting MSME health,” Jajang said.

Jajang also welcomed Natalia’s participation as the owner of NM Kitchen in various Rumah BUMN Jakarta training sessions. According to him, Natalia not only seeks knowledge from the training but also builds relationships with other MSME players. “Besides that, her motivation to develop her products is quite high. So she previously got the opportunity for a free halal certification facility from Bank BRI,” he added. Jajang also observed changes in NM Kitchen after attending the training. One of them relates to more proper product packaging. “So previously, when she joined here, she might have had a bread product with makeshift packaging, like clear plastic. Now, after attending training at Rumah BUMN on packaging, design, and product licensing certification, she is now very proper. Starting from the packaging, I think it is more suitable for marketing in retail markets,” Jajang said.