#MaganiMen: Meet Ardito Hartawan, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Hydrofarm Indonesia, Eat Me Brand, and Suka Organic. Learn how Ardito is leveraging hydroponics and best-practice farming technology to grow healthier and tastier fruits & vegetables for Indonesian consumers.
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Walk us through a day in your life.
I don't really have a routine, I do whatever is necessary to grow my business day by day.
Why did you start Hydrofarm/Eat Me Brand/Suka Organic? What was the motivation?
In 2014 my father was hospitalized twice due to a stroke. Doctors advised us to adopt a healthier lifestyle which consisted of raw food therapy and consuming more pest free fruits & vegetables. At the time it was really hard to find quality health food alternatives in the market. That’s when we stumbled across hydroponics and decided to grow our own food at home, and things just went on from there. We wanted to share our discovery with others in hopes it too can help create a positive impact just like how it did with our family.
What challenges did you face when starting the business? What challenges do you face now in scaling the business?
We used to be in the entertainment industry, so it was hard switching into something completely different. Most of our challenges were in the research and development stages, since we didn’t have an agricultural background there were lots of trial and error in the set up and growing.
What would you do differently if you could start Hydrofarm / Eat Me Brand / Suka Organic all over again?
I think I would’ve prioritized developing an online/digital presence earlier instead of focusing fully on offline retailers. The market has drastically changed ever since the pandemic. We are now actively developing our social media, digital marketing, and ecommerce platforms for direct market penetration.
What’s your vision for Hydrofarm / Eat Me Brand / Suka Organic?
Our vision is to promote healthy lifestyle practices by educating consumers on conscious eating, raw food therapy, and providing everyone with healthier and tastier foods so that you’ll eat healthy not because you have to but “Eat Me” because it’s tasty!
How do you see the evolution of the Indonesian agriculture and / or consumer foods industry?
First of all we will always need to eat, so the demand for food is inevitable. With Indonesia’s ever growing economy, I believe a larger middle class market will in turn increase the demands for health conscious foods. The more disposable income, the more families will be able to afford and look for ways to improve their health and quality of life.
Soil based vs. Hydroponic? Why is hydroponics superior?
In hydroponics we are able to control the exact amount of nutrients our plants need at the right time, sheltered inside the best growing environment. In this sense, our plants are able to focus their energy on reaching full growing potential, instead of food searching and external environmental factors.
What surprised you when about Indonesian consumers when you first introduced hydroponics to the market? What was their reaction?
Most people thought hydroponics was just another name for organic. We’re both similar in that we don’t use pesticides, however completely differ in the method and process of growing.
How do you differentiate Hydrofarm from other organic/hydroponic players?
We are the first in Indonesia to combine hydroponic technology with climate controlled greenhouses and computerized fertigation. Almost all other hydroponic farmers here use only basic greenhouses without technology.
How has technology enabled you to scale your production and distribution?
Everything we do is made possible due to technology. Technology is definitely our advantage as it gives us better control, stability, and efficiency in the way we interact with our plants. We are trying to reinvent the way we grow for a healthier and tastier future.
How do you balance passion and business?
I don't think businesses are necessarily built on passion. When starting a business I think it's more important to seek an opportunity, to solve a need, and to believe and have interest in the product or solution we are trying to provide. The passion will come in building something that’s yours. It shouldn’t be based on what we like or our hobbies. Otherwise we’d have way too many coffee shops and speakeasy bars lol.
Tell us a fun fact about your industry that outsiders wouldn’t know.
Did you know tomatoes are scientifically considered to be a fruit? From a growing perspective fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant. A tomato is technically the fruit of the tomato plant, but it's used as a vegetable in cooking.
What are the challenges you face working in a family business and working alongside your brothers?
I think It’s more the other way around. Business has changed the dynamics of my personal relationships with my brothers and family.
Is there anything in particular that you would like us to highlight about your brands?
Hydro Farm berasal dari kata Hydro yang berarti “Air” dan Farm yang artinya “Pertanian”. Kami berkomitmen menciptakan kesadaran hidup sehat melalaui pertanian hidroponik yang tepat. Keahlian dan teknologi tinggi digabungkan untuk memberikan kualitas terbaik dalam sistem dan produksi hidroponik. Hal ini dapat dibuktikan dengan pertanian sayur dan buah yang sebelumnya sulit dikembangkan pada wilayah kota (Urban Farming), kini dapat dengan mudah dibudidayakan melalui hidroponik kami.
Saat ini, Hydro Farm Indonesia adalah pemasok pertanian dan perkebunan hidroponik terbesar di Indonesia. Kami menyediakan berbagai kebutuhan hidroponik dan teknologi greenhouse baik sekala kecil maupun besar. Selain itu, kami memiliki beberapa anak perusahaan yang bergerak dalam dunia kesehatan yaitu: Eat Me Brand dan Suka.
“EAT ME” isn’t just a random name for a brand. It’s our quest to bridge the gap between good taste and health. We share a passion for healthy foods, and believe that great taste comes from great ingredients. This ultimately led us to start our own greenhouse farm, where we use hydroponic and climate control technology to reinvent the way we grow. Everything here is clean, safe, and grown under optimal conditions which provides us with harvests that’s favorable to our planet as well as our stomachs. Our goal is to provide quality foods that's locally grown so it stays fresh at the peak of ripeness. We promise to provide great tasting foods so that you'll eat healthy not because you have to, but 'EAT ME' because it’s tasty!
Naturally sourced from Indonesia, our supplements are as rich as the land itself. As nature intended, we’ve kept ours raw and pure to retain all of its natural goodness. Each bottle is organically harvested from family-owned farms to ensure the sustainability of our health, our planet, and the long term prosperity of our community. With the highest commitment to quality, you can bet we not only taste better, but feel better in every way.”
What about Magani resonated / appealed to you?
I love how Magani was able to not compromise aesthetics for comfort. They make breathable #nosweat batik that looks sharp on and off work. I also love how practical it is. I can wear the same shirt to my farm, then go directly to my business meeting all with the same shirt!
Click here to learn more about Hydrofarm Indonesia, Eat Me Brand, and Suka Organic.