From her grandmother’s recipes, Ibu Iyus takes herbal tea from Cirebon to Jakarta

Plants that once served as a living fence around her home have taken Yusmiati, known as Ibu Iyus, from her village in Cirebon to Jakarta. Drawing on knowledge passed down by her parents and grandmother, she and four other homemakers now turn medicinal plants into herbal tea.

Leaves from pecah beling plants, turmeric, ginger and other herbs began supplying the business in 2024. The women grow the plants organically with manure in Windujaya village, in Sedong district, West Java. Ibu Iyus said her interest began with questions about what the plants were used for and what benefits they offered.

“I do like traditional medicine and want to live healthily. I often asked my parents and grandmother what these plants were for and what their benefits were. That is how I eventually began planting them,” she said.

The group spent 2024 conducting research and development before gradually producing its herbal tea blends under the Teh Ibu Iyus brand. The products have received halal certification and a permit for household food production.

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I do like traditional medicine and want to live healthily. I often asked my parents and grandmother what these plants were for and what their benefits were. That is how I eventually began planting them.

The venture later joined Amartha as a partner. Financing support and opportunities to attend events helped the group develop its business and introduce the tea to a wider audience. On Sept. 7, 2026, Ibu Iyus brought the product from Cirebon to the Amartha Market at the Gelora Bung Karno complex in Jakarta, held as part of the Amartha 10X Run 2026.

For now, most sales take place directly in the surrounding community. The tea is not sold online because the group’s production capacity remains limited, and the women fear they could not handle a sudden increase in orders. The business is still run from home, without dedicated staff for administration and sales.

“If orders become large, we are afraid we will not be able to handle them. Until now, we have still managed everything together and do not yet have a dedicated administrator,” Ibu Iyus said.

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If orders become large, we are afraid we will not be able to handle them. Until now, we have still managed everything together and do not yet have a dedicated administrator.