Synergy in East Ventures’ ecosystem: SIRCLO acquires Warung Pintar

Major congratulations to SIRCLO and Warung Pintar! Being the early-backer of both companies, East Ventures is beyond proud and excited to see SIRCLO which has acquired Warung Pintar. The acquisition is a concrete testament to their shared mission in accelerating Indonesia’s digital transformation.

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Indonesia’s leading e-commerce enabler company, SIRCLO, announces its acquisition process of Warung Pintar, a technology-based retail company that provides a range of digital products and services for the micro-retail (warung) business ecosystem. Post-acquisition, Warung Pintar is incorporated into the SIRCLO Group to offer a comprehensive omnichannel solution for principals or brands, distributors, business players, to end-consumers—both online and offline.

The acquisition is made possible due to SIRCLO and Warung Pintar’s mutual mission, which is to make it easier for all businesses in Indonesia to sell from various channels, both online and offline. Taking advantage of their technology infrastructure and retail distribution network, SIRCLO and Warung Pintar strengthen their position by leveraging the potential of the B2B2C (business-to-business-to-consumer) model, through an omnichannel commerce strategy, which combines online and offline sales channels.

Through this latest acquisition, SIRCLO Group has:

• A total of more than 150,000 brands served by the company (combined) 
• More than 500,000 warung and mom-and-pop stores owners
• A reach of more than 25 million end-consumers
• More than 80 distribution points spread throughout Indonesia

“With more than 8 years of experience in the B2B (business-to-business) industry for enterprise brands and entrepreneurs, we realize that micro retail (warung) and mom-and-pop stores also play a crucial role in the retail ecosystem, since they serve as the fulfillment hubs for the society’s daily needs. We need to improve key factors in their operations, such as product availability, the efficiency of the distribution channels, brands’ accessibility to reach partners and end-consumers, as well as its capability in contributing to the national economy. This is what prompted SIRCLO to also focus on the B2B2C business model by collaborating with Warung Pintar in our ecosystem,” said Brian Marshal as CEO of SIRCLO Group.

Brian added that the strategic move encapsulates SIRCLO’s larger commitment to expand the enabler services and help more business players to go digital. Moving forward, SIRCLO Group aims to focus on three layers of solution pillars: 1) solutions for Enterprises, 2) solutions for Entrepreneurs and SMEs, and 3) the New Retail business model, such as warung.

In the New Retail pillar, SIRCLO will focus on empowering the warung ecosystem through a variety of digital products and services to increase transparency and efficiency in the more than 8 years of experience in the B2B (business-to-business) industry for enterprise distribution channels, access to national principals or distributors, product availability, and capital loan. Through the Enterprise pillar, SIRCLO provides an end-to-end customized technology platform for principals or big brands. Further, the Entrepreneurial business pillar provides Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based services, including the provision of ready-to-use online stores for MSMEs.

SIRCLO Group plans to expand the reach of fulfillment centers for principals or big brands so that end-consumers can gain more benefits—in terms of logistics and price. Another plan is to develop an end-to-end operational perspective by prioritizing omnichannel commerce strategies, in order for brands at multiple scales to focus on their product development instead.

Agung Bezharie, Co-Founder and CEO of Warung Pintar, said, “We believe that this strategic move will add strategic value to further accelerate the development of Warung Pintar’s products and services. Going forward, we want to open more opportunities and bring greater transparency and efficiency to all MSMEs, so that they can recover from the pandemic impact and grow together.”

Agung added that the synergy between SIRCLO and Warung Pintar can help brands increase their visibility by penetrating into the warung ecosystem—as the largest distribution channel in Indonesia—so that principals or brands are able to reach more consumers. Not only that, he also believes that this move marks a great opportunity for the two entities to bring wider impact on the retail ecosystem and Indonesian economy, especially to prepare for constant dynamic changes in the sector.

The acquisition of Warung Pintar by SIRCLO Group will merge nearly 2,000 employees, of which Warung Pintar will continue to operate as an independent, integrated entity as a new retail service under the SIRCLO Group. At the management level, Brian Marshal will lead as CEO of SIRCLO Group, while Agung Bezharie as the Co-Founder and CEO of Warung Pintar will lead SIRCLO’s new business pillar under ‘New Retail’ services. In addition, Danang Cahyono will take on a new position to lead SIRCLO’s ‘Enterprise Solutions’ pillar and Ferry Tenka will lead SIRCLO’s ‘Entrepreneur Solutions’ pillar.

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Original article on SIRCLO.