Support for the National Economy, Mom-and-Pop Grocery Stores Still Hampered by Access to Capital

JAKARTA — The network of convenience stores has economic power that contributes to Indonesia’s economy. Nevertheless, these convenience stores, which are also MSMEs, still face the classic challenge of access to capital. Romulus Sutanto, Chief Executive Officer of PT SRC Indonesia Sembilan (SRCIS), explained that around 250,000 SRC stores have turnover of around Rp251 trillion. ‘These mom-and-pop stores are very strategic in driving community economic growth,’ he said at a talk show titled ‘Real Evidence of Transformation and Acceleration for Indonesian MSMEs’ on Thursday, 21 May 2026. He added that the results show that when convenience stores receive mentoring consistently, access to technology, and are supported by an ecosystem, they can provide support for national economic growth. In addition, Romulus said SRC has partnered with banks to open access to capital for SRC’s mom-and-pop stores. Moreover, the stores face challenges amid a weakening purchasing power among the public. To address these challenges, SRC’s chain and its associations need to innovate. ‘What product innovations are relevant right now? They often create bundles or package deals, or whatever it is, so as to attract customers and increase traffic,’ he said. These stores help sell nearby local products. As a result, MSME product distribution has also increased by 24 percent through this initiative. SRC’s turnover has risen by more than twofold, or 128 percent, from around Rp5.6 trillion to Rp12.9 trillion per year.