Ministry of Trade of the Republic Indonesia and CBI signed a Letter of Intent to continue the fruitful collaboration
From the 22nd to the 24th of July, CBI welcomed the Directorate General of National Export Development (DGNED) and other officials from the Ministry of Trade from Indonesia and over 20 Indonesian trade attachés for a Market Intelligence training and a signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent (LoI). The European market presents a key opportunity for Indonesian companies because of its diversity and increasing demand for natural fiber home interior products.
The signing ceremony
On Tuesday, the 23rd of July, a signing ceremony of the LoI took place in The Hague. The LoI was signed by Ms. Arlinda, DG of the Indonesian National Export Development, and Ms. Liesbeth Aben, Team Manager at CBI. The LoI continues the previous successful collaboration in the Food ingredients and Home decoration programmes and renews the partnership between the DGNED of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic Indonesia and CBI in the Home Decoration sector.
Through this collaboration the two countries aim to strengthen the home decorations sector by providing export development support and services to small and medium sized enterprises. This will be based on a systematic sector approach through which market opportunities and increased stakeholder involvement for the Home Decoration sector in Indonesia are sought with the goal of realizing a successful and self-sustaining sector.
CBI’s new export coaching project
By connecting relevant stakeholders in the Home Decoration sector in Indonesia, CBI aims to support further development of the Indonesian home decoration natural fiber sector, linking its Indonesian players to relevant markets and providing the sector with improved market opportunities. The project’s overall objective and intervention strategies are aimed at alleviating obstacles to market access and generating increased export growth and additional employment opportunities.
Market Intelligence training
As part of the mission by the Indonesian delegation, CBI organized a Market Intelligence Training for the Indonesian trade attachés who are posted abroad to promote the economic interests of their country. The training was opened by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands and provided participants with useful information about the Dutch Home Decoration and Home Textiles (HDHT) market. Following the training, the participating trade attachés will develop a research report about Indonesian export opportunities in this sector in the European market.
The trade attachés were guided by CBI experts to multiple HDHT stores in the Netherlands including retail chains (Rivièra Maison, Dille & Kamille and Xenos), a department store (De Bijenkorf) and a higher-segment interior design and styling store (Lasas and Loekov). This tour provided the trade attachés with the opportunity to interview store managers on the demand, popularity, opportunities and the future of Indonesian HDHT products while also gaining a good impression of the European HDHT market. The European market presents a key opportunity for Indonesian companies because of its diversity and increasing demand for natural fiber/materials home interior products. A good example is the popularity among European consumers of handmade rattan- and wooden products with a unique origin story.
In order to nurture potential trade partnerships, CBI also facilitated meetings with three HDHT buyers: Good&Mojo, It’s about RoMI and Kaemingk. By strengthening dialogue and creating sustainable links between stakeholders at different stages along the value chain it improves its sustainability and resiliency. The outcomes of these meetings serve in part as input for the Market report under development by the attachés.
More information about CBI’s Export Coaching Project on Home Decoration Indonesia.