Business · Companies · 37 mins ago
Djoko Susanto built Alfamart from a small Jakarta shop
Djoko Susanto started in his family’s small shop in Petojo, Jakarta, before building a major retail business.
He first grew the shop into a wholesale cigarette business and became a leading distributor for Gudang Garam.
Putera Sampoerna hired him to lead sales at the cigarette company HM Sampoerna in the late 1980s.
In 1989, Djoko and Sampoerna launched a retail business, which developed from a warehouse outlet into supermarkets.
He launched Alfa Minimart in 1999, offering shoppers a more convenient way to buy everyday goods.
The business later took the name Alfamart and expanded across Indonesia.
The group now has more than 23,000 stores, including Alfamart, Alfamidi and Lawson, making it a major presence in the country’s retail sector.
Djoko Susanto built Alfamart from a small family grocery shop in Petojo, Jakarta.
He later shifted into cigarette wholesaling and became Gudang Garam’s largest distributor.
In 1989, he established PT Alfa Retailindo with a Sampoerna-owned warehouse in Jakarta.
He launched Alfa Minimart in 1999, and the brand became Alfamart in 2003.
The Alfamart Group now operates more than 23,000 stores, including Alfamidi and Lawson.
- Who
- Djoko Susanto, born Kwok Kwie Fo, founded and developed the business.
- What
- He grew a small grocery shop into the Alfamart retail group.
- When
- The story spans from his early work in the family shop to the present; Alfa Minimart launched in 1999 and became Alfamart in 2003.
- Where
- The business began in Petojo, Jakarta, and its first Alfa Minimart opened in Tangerang.
- Why
- Djoko saw opportunities in cigarette distribution and later in convenient, nearby shopping.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Djoko had expanded his business to 15 wholesale stores and was named Gudang Garam’s largest cigarette distributor.
He established PT Alfa Retailindo in a Sampoerna-owned warehouse in Jakarta.
He launched the Alfa Minimart concept, with its first store on Jl. Beringin Raya in Tangerang.
The company went public, with a market capitalization of US$108.29 million.
The Alfa Minimart brand became Alfamart.
- First shop
- Toko Sumber Bahagia in Petojo, Jakarta
- Wholesale network
- 15 stores by 1987
- Alfa Retailindo
- Established in 1989
- First Alfa Minimart
- Jl. Beringin Raya, Tangerang
- Alfamart Group
- More than 23,000 stores
What people are saying
With a capital of Rp 2 billion, the warehouse was transformed into Toko Gudang Rabat, with 40% of the shares owned by Putera Sampoerna, and the rest owned by Kwok Kwie Fo (alias Djoko Susanto).