WALI: Trust Is the Foundation of Franchise Growth

Levita G. Supit, Chair of the Indonesian Franchise and Licensing Association (WALI), sees trust and the quality of partnerships as the foundation for growth in Indonesia’s franchise sector. At a media briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, she stressed that business development depends not only on the size of the investment, but also on the relationship that brand owners and partners build from the outset.

Growth needs the support of long-term relationships

According to a Tribunnews report published on 16 September 2026, Levita shared these views at a media briefing about FLEI Business Show 2026. She highlighted the importance of trust in sustaining long-term business relationships, rather than simply matching franchise opportunities with prospective partners’ capital.

“Franchises grow through trust, and trust is built through face-to-face meetings,” Levita said. Her statement places getting to know one another at the heart of the process before entering a partnership. Prospective partners need to understand the business on offer, while discussions with brand owners provide an opportunity to clarify how the relationship will work.

Levita, who also chairs the Standing Committee for Franchising, Networking and E-Commerce at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said the value of Indonesia’s franchise sector had exceeded IDR 143 trillion. She cited average annual growth of 10–15 per cent, driven primarily by food and beverage businesses, services and retail.

These figures are attributed to Levita in the report. The available research summary does not specify the measurement period, methodology or breakdown by business category. They should therefore be read as WALI’s indication of the sector’s scale, rather than a measure of the returns any individual partner can expect.

Investment size is not the only consideration

Levita’s central message is that partnerships need to be considered as a whole. The amount of investment remains a factor, but prospective partners should also understand the business model, legal status, operational support and working relationship with the brand owner before making a decision.

These four areas give initial discussions a more concrete focus. Exploring the business model helps prospective partners understand how the business operates. Questions about legal status help establish the legal basis of the opportunity on offer. Operational support and the working relationship, meanwhile, concern how the brand owner and partner will work together once an agreement is in place.

With this framework in mind, comparisons between brands should go beyond funding requirements. Prospective partners can use initial meetings to ask about the operating system and the support included in the offer. This is a practical step consistent with WALI’s emphasis on understanding an opportunity before a partnership begins.

In the context of Levita’s remarks, trust is linked to the opportunity to ask questions and gain clarity. Face-to-face meetings make room for that process, but decisions should still rest on information about the business and the partnership, rather than simply on the impression made during a meeting.

Exhibitions offer space to ask questions and compare options

Levita described exhibitions as one place where prospective partners can speak directly with brand owners. “At FLEI, prospective partners can speak with brand owners, ask questions, compare options and check that their chosen business has a clear legal status,” she said.

This role for face-to-face meetings is an important part of WALI’s message. For prospective partners, the presence of multiple brands offers a chance to explore business models and partnership arrangements. Conversations do not have to lead straight to an agreement; the explanations provided can help prospective partners assess whether an opportunity suits their needs.

For context, FLEI Business Show 2026 is the 27th edition of the franchise and licensing exhibition, scheduled for 9–11 October 2026 at Nusantara International Convention & Exhibition (NICE) PIK 2. The report says the exhibition will feature hundreds of brands from a range of sectors.

A Business Matching programme is also being prepared to bring brand owners together with prospective franchisees, investors, distributors and business operators. In light of Levita’s comments, these meetings offer a useful way to open communication and gather information before the parties decide on the next steps towards working together.

Practical preparation before choosing a partnership

For Indonesia’s franchise sector, WALI’s statement is a reminder that growth in business value needs to be accompanied by attention to the quality of relationships. The market scale cited by Levita provides context, while understanding the business model, clarifying legal status and assessing operational support remain central to discussions about individual partnerships.

A practical step for prospective partners is to prepare questions on all four areas before meeting brand owners. Use meetings to compare the explanations provided, not just the investment required. Make clear information the basis for building trust before deciding to work together.