The Sweet Struggle of Tantiningsih: Cake Business Rises Thanks to Support from Holding UMi
The aroma of cakes has now become part of Tantiningsih’s daily life in Semarang. After stopping work in 2016, she decided to focus on developing her home-based business. Thanks to her perseverance and support from BRI Group, her business has begun to grow and become a mainstay of her family’s economy.
That journey certainly did not start easily. Tantiningsih began her business in 2017 with all the limitations that existed, especially in terms of capital. At that time, the desire for economic independence was already there. However, she had not yet obtained adequate financial access. The cake and bread business she ran was still simple and had not developed optimally.
“Around 2017, I started the initiative to open a cake and bread business because I really enjoy making cakes, especially since I had been unemployed since 2016. However, the biggest challenge I faced was limited capital. Finally, in 2020, I met PNM Mekaar and decided to register as a customer with the determination to develop the business more seriously,” said Tantiningsih.
That decision became a turning point for the business she ran. Through the synergy of the BRI Group Holding Ultra Mikro (UMi) ecosystem, Tantiningsih began to gain access to PNM Mekaar financing. The initial financing was used to buy basic cake-making equipment.
Over time, the business she ran began to show development. Production increased, demand grew, and her confidence in running the business became stronger.
In 2022, Tantiningsih again received increased financing from before and used it to enhance production capacity. With more adequate equipment, she was able to increase production volume while maintaining the quality of the products produced.
According to her, the support from PNM not only helped strengthen the business but also provided space for Tantiningsih to continue developing the scale of her business gradually.
Now, the business that started from a simple kitchen has become the main source of income for the family. That development also brought real changes in her life, where Tantiningsih has been able to have a more decent business premises and improve her family’s welfare.
Corporate Secretary of PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, Dhanny, said that the presence of the Holding Ultra Mikro synergy, including through the PNM Mekaar programme, not only provides financing access but also facilitates mentoring to help business actors manage their businesses better and grow sustainably.
“Tantiningsih’s journey is a real picture of how the BRI Group synergy through Holding Ultra Mikro (UMi) is able to open access for ultra-micro business actors to grow gradually, develop, expand business capacity, and strengthen economic independence,” said Dhanny.
As is known, through its BRI subsidiary, PNM presents the PNM Mekaar (Membina Ekonomi Keluarga Sejahtera) programme as an empowerment solution for underprivileged women who do not yet have access to formal financial services (unbankable), through the provision of collateral-free capital access and sustainable business mentoring.
In the BRI Group Holding Ultra Mikro ecosystem, this programme also shows real impact. Throughout 2025, a total of 1.4 million PNM debtors successfully upgraded, reflecting an increase in business capacity and expansion of formal financial access for ultra-micro business actors.