Lemonilo Startup Injects IDR 516 Billion by Investors from India and Belgium

Startup in the consumer goods lifestyle sector, Lemonilo, has received series C funding of US$ 36 million or around Rp 516 billion. This investment was obtained from Sofina from Belgium and Sequoia Capital India.

“As a company that is in the growth stage, we have proven that our business model works effectively in Indonesia,” said Lemonilo Co-CEO Shinta Nurfauzia in a press statement, Monday (13/12).

Therefore, Lemonilo plans to use the funds immediately to strengthen local distribution and product penetration abroad. However, he did not specify which countries would be targeted.

“With Sofina’s expertise in collaborating with established Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies, we believe Lemonilo can become one of the new faces of FMCG companies in Indonesia and its surroundings,” he said.

Shinta hopes that the funding can strengthen the company’s distribution network throughout Indonesia. That way, Lemonilo products can reach all levels of society in the country. This step is in line with Lemonilo’s mission, which is to provide access to a healthier lifestyle for the people of Indonesia.

Will Focus On Core Markets and Innovate Products

Lemonilo Co-CEO Ronald Wijaya added that the company will continue to focus mostly on the core market while continuing to innovate new products.

“We believe that more and more people want to live healthier, especially since Covid-19 hit Indonesia. Therefore, through this funding, Lemonilo will continue to focus on the Indonesian market,” he said.

He also ensures that the company will continue to innovate on new products that are in accordance with the values ​​adopted, namely without preservatives, flavor enhancers, and artificial coloring.

This company was founded in 2016 by Shinta Nurfauzia, Johannes Ardiant and Ronald Wijaya, as Chief of Product and Tech. This startup carries three pillars in each of its products, namely delicious, practical, and affordable.

It has launched more than forty product’s type, ranging from instant noodles, snacks to kitchen spices. All of these products are sold on their own digital platform and at more than 200 thousand point of sales (POS) in Indonesia.

Member of the Executive Committee Sofina Maxence Tombeur assessed, Lemonilo is a pioneer of the healthy lifestyle movement in Indonesia. Therefore, the company invested in Lemonilo to offer affordable access to healthy food and products in Indonesia and beyond.

“This investment has a strong strategic alignment with Sofina’s values, namely investing in companies that have a purpose, and is a tangible proof of our increasing Sofina’s investment activities in Indonesia,” he said.

Company’s Overseas Expansion

Founded in 2016 by Shinta Nurfauzia, Ronald Wijaya, and Johannes Ardiant, Lemoniloutilizes self-developed platforms, both websites and applications, to distribute and promote its products.

To date, Lemonilo has now launched more than 40 types of products, such as instant noodles, snacks, and spices, which are sold on its own platform at more than 200 thousand Point of Sales (POS) in Indonesia, including through resellers.

Lemonilo’s Co-CEO Ronald Wijaya revealed that Lemonilo will continue to focus on working on its main market while innovating new products.

His party will strengthen Lemonilo’s distribution network to strengthen its position on a national scale. This is in line with Lemonilo’s mission to provide Indonesian people with access to a healthier lifestyle.

“We believe that more and more people want to live healthier, especially since Covid-19 hit our country. We hope that more and more Indonesians will adopt a better lifestyle through practical, delicious and affordable products,” said Ronald.

Shinta revealed that she is currently focusing on strengthening the product distribution network, increasing the number of teams, and launching various new products. According to Shinta, Lemonilo wants to fill the market gap between the demand for high-priced imported healthy products and the number of existing FMCG companies.

Lemonilo ensures that its production is free from more than 100 potentially harmful ingredients, such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, and various synthetic ingredients, which are often found in many consumer goods products.