BNI and Indomaret Expand Access to Finance for Franchisees

BNI and Indomaret are strengthening their banking services partnership, with an initial focus on access to finance for prospective and existing Indomaret franchisees. Through BNI Wirausaha and Kredit Usaha Rakyat (KUR), Indonesia’s government-backed small business lending scheme, funding can be used for investment, new store openings and business expansion. The move is relevant to those in the franchise sector preparing to invest or continuing to operate stores.

Partnership signed in late September

PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk and PT Indomarco Prismatama signed a cooperation agreement covering the provision, use and marketing of banking products and services at Grha BNI in Jakarta on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. BNI announced the partnership in a press release dated 6 October 2026.

Senior executives from both companies witnessed the signing. Indomaret was represented by Coordinator Director Haliman Kustedjo and Procurement & Business Development Director Handoko. BNI representatives included Network & Retail Funding Director Rian Eriana Kaslan and Senior Executive Vice President of Wealth Management Steven Suryana.

The agreement covers the provision, use and marketing of banking products and services. In its announcement, BNI identified franchisee financing as one of the initial priorities. The partnership therefore addresses not only the relationship between the two companies, but also the business needs of franchisees operating stores.

Two products for investment and expansion

BNI named BNI Wirausaha and KUR as the financing solutions offered through the partnership. The intended recipients include both prospective franchisees and those already part of the Indomaret network.

Funding can cover investment, new store openings and business expansion. This scope accommodates both prospective franchisees preparing to open a store and existing operators seeking to grow their businesses. Both groups are identified as intended beneficiaries of the BNI–Indomaret partnership.

However, the availability of these two financing products should not be taken as a guarantee that every prospective franchisee will receive a loan. Interested applicants should seek direct clarification on the requirements, eligibility criteria and suitability of each product for their intended use of the funds.

Prospective borrowers should also weigh their investment needs against their ability to meet repayments. Access to finance is one part of business preparation, not a substitute for calculating start-up costs, operating requirements and store cash flow. These checks are important to ensure that borrowing decisions remain grounded in the planned business’s financial capacity.

Target of 500 new stores alongside franchise renewals

According to BNI’s press release, around 500 new Indomaret franchise stores are targeted to open in 2026. In the same year, 1,088 stores are entering their franchise agreement renewal period.

These figures reflect two distinct priorities within Indomaret’s franchise network: adding stores and renewing agreements for existing outlets. The figure of around 500 stores is an opening target, not a report of completed openings. Meanwhile, the 1,088 figure refers to stores due for renewal, not new outlets.

This distinction matters to those in the franchise sector, so that expansion plans are not confused with the management of the existing network. BNI linked financing needs to these network developments, but the store figures should not be treated as the number of loan recipients.

For prospective franchisees, the opening target provides context for enquiries about joining the network and the capital required. For franchisees approaching renewal, the practical priority is to review their obligations under the renewed agreement and assess whether additional finance is necessary. Both decisions should be based on the circumstances of the individual business.

Financing plans also extend to suppliers

Alongside franchisee financing, BNI said future cooperation would also include supplier financing. This would target suppliers of Indomarco Prismatama’s own-label products and suppliers of fresh products to Indogrosir.

The plan broadens the partnership’s scope from store-level needs to the businesses supplying goods. However, supplier financing was presented as part of the future direction of the partnership. It should therefore be distinguished from the initial focus on franchisee financing through BNI Wirausaha and KUR.

For the franchise sector, the announcement highlights attention to franchisees’ capital needs as well as supplier relationships. The practical benefits still need to be assessed against the product terms and the actual needs of each business.

Practical next step: prospective and existing Indomaret franchisees should request financing details from BNI and assess them against their investment plans, operating costs and obligations under their franchise agreements before applying for a loan.