For Brunei Darussalam’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), looking beyond a relatively small domestic market can open the door to regional and international customers. But reaching them takes more than getting a product across the border.
Export readiness starts long before the first export sale. It means building a stronger business with the right products, systems, standards and capacity to compete in larger markets. And no business does it alone: agencies, industry partners and financial institutions each play a part.
Building a Support System
Two local companies show how. Fertiliser producer Agrodynamics International (B) Sdn Bhd credits the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) and the Dewan Perniagaan Perusahaan Melayu Brunei (DPPMB) for making introductions and providing platforms to meet potential partners. Healthy food and wellness company Skinny Meal worked with BEDB, Halal authorities and the Brunei Darussalam Food Authority as it prepared to export.
Building for the Next Step
Skinny Meal began in a home kitchen. Proprietor Vera Farah Abdullah started with healthy meal preparation before expanding into functional beverages and jamu. A customer’s question about exporting eventually connected her with BEDB and other agencies.
Exporting meant moving out of her home into a dedicated facility. One of the biggest purchases was a retort machine. Made without white sugar or preservatives, its products had a chilled shelf life of around six months, requiring costly cold-chain logistics. Retort technology extended its jamu’s shelf life to up to two years without refrigeration.
“It was a huge investment for us, but if we wanted to move towards export, it was something we needed to do,” Vera said. Renovation, machinery and packaging costs placed pressure on its funds, and rebuilding cash flow remains part of its journey.
Knowing the Market
Being production-ready, however, is not the same as being market-ready. In Singapore, where consumers know jamu, Skinny Meal sold out its pallet. In Hong Kong, its turmeric juice was unfamiliar, leaving unsold stock after around BND1,600 in shipping costs.
Bruneian goods may not be the cheapest on overseas shelves, so businesses need to give buyers a clear reason to pay a premium, whether Halal integrity, formulation or traceability, and show it in their packaging.
Proof in the Field
Agrodynamics, which makes DynamicsGrow liquid fertiliser, began exporting in 2025, starting with smaller shipments to build the groundwork before scaling up.
Its first overseas buyer, Bukidnon Giant Bamboo (BGB) Corporation of the Philippines, came through the 12th BIMP-EAGA ICT Infrastructure Cluster Meeting and CEO Forum in Brunei in August 2025. After visiting the factory, BGB and Agrodynamics signed a Memorandum of Agreement in Davao that November.
In Malaysia, it has appointed a master distributor for Sabah and Sarawak, a step towards recurring rather than one-off sales. In the Philippines, it is pursuing product registration with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority; Timor-Leste is next.
What wins buyers over is evidence. In a rice trial in Samalari, Timor-Leste, this year, rice grown with DynamicsGrow produced about 67 per cent more tillers and 50 per cent more grains per stalk than rice grown without it.
“Buyers were convinced by a trial done in their own country, with results they could see,” said Agrodynamics General Manager Izan Azwan. “This mattered more to them than formulation, price or certifications.”
Ready to Deliver
Scaling up is the next test. Agrodynamics produces around 80 to 100 bottles a day. When a 176-hectare paddy project in Brunei needed more than 1,000 bottles for a single season, the team pushed output to about 200 bottles a day.
Mixing is automated, but ingredient preparation and bottling are still done by hand. To lift output, the company is investing in automated bottling machinery, funded through a mix of its own funds, investor capital and bank financing.
The aim, Izan said, is to have the capacity in place before a large overseas order lands, “rather than having to scale up only after the demand has already arrived.”
Getting Paid
Bigger orders bring a different kind of risk. As businesses grow and enter new markets, operational challenges are often accompanied by financing and risk management needs. Baiduri Bank points to two common hurdles for exporters: payment risk and currency volatility. A business that ships before it is paid may face non-payment or buyer insolvency, while overseas buyers may hesitate to pay a deposit for fear the goods never arrive. Exchange rate swings can also shrink a sale’s value once it is converted back into Brunei dollars.
Trade finance products help bridge that gap, letting businesses structure each transaction around their risk tolerance, cash flow and relationship with the buyer. A forward contract line, for instance, can lock in an exchange rate, so exporters know what an overseas sale is worth before the money arrives.
Stronger at Home, Competitive Abroad
The value of export readiness reaches beyond overseas sales. Both companies are stronger at home for the changes they have made, and a wider base of such firms supports Brunei’s economic diversification.
“You don’t need to have everything figured out from day one,” Vera said. “Start with what you have, learn along the way, and when the opportunity comes, be brave enough to take the next step.”
Building export-ready businesses is about helping more Bruneian companies grow beyond our shores to become stronger and more competitive. With agencies, industry partners and financial institutions supporting them at each stage, more MSMEs can take that next step and help put Brunei on the map.
SOURCE/AUTHOR : BORNEO BULLWTIN
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