"I see you are different, Djoko. You don't just sell, you understand the market."

From a Small Stall in Petojo to 23,000 Outlets: The Cold Hands of Djoko Susanto

In a narrow alley in the Petojo area of Jakarta in 1966, a teenager stood behind the display of a small stall. His hands were dirty with oil, his sweat mixed with street dust. Every time a customer came to buy soap or cigarettes, he greeted them with a polite smile, a smile that did not know that one day it would become a symbol of the hospitality of millions of Alfamart cashiers throughout Indonesia.

The teenager's name was Djoko Susanto, or Kwok Kwie Fo to his Chinese family. He had just left high school. Not because he was lazy to study, but because he knew that life does not wait for those who linger in thought. Life only waits for those who dare to act.

His days were filled with taking care of his mother's stall, “Toko Sumber Bahagia.” The stall was simple — selling peanuts, cooking oil, bath soap, and of course, cigarettes. Every night, Djoko closed the store while counting the crumpled bills. Not much, but enough to get by.

However, behind that simplicity, there was something different in the way Djoko viewed business.

When others saw cigarettes merely as merchandise, Djoko saw patterns in consumer behavior, the speed of stock rotation, and opportunities from brand loyalty. He began to understand that business was not just about selling goods, but understanding people.

Gradually, that small store shifted focus to become a wholesale cigarette seller. Djoko did not just sell; he built a small distribution network. With perseverance and a sharp market instinct, he forged close ties with Gudang Garam, one of the largest cigarette manufacturers at the time.

The result?
By 1987, he already had 15 wholesale store networks and became the largest Gudang Garam seller in Indonesia.

However, that early success actually opened the door to the next challenge.

At the end of 1986, fate brought him together with Putera Sampoerna, the boss of PT HM Sampoerna. That meeting became a moment that would change the entire course of his life.