Behind every successful company is a team that shares the same vision. For Andy Pangestu, Co-Founder & CEO of Omiyage Group, building DORÉ by LeTAO was never a solo journey. From the beginning, it was about bringing together people with different strengths but the same passion for creating something meaningful.
A Partnership That Started Long Before DORÉ
Long before DORÉ by LeTAO opened its first store, Andy had already met his future co-founder, Riki Kono Basmeleh, through an educational TV program Andy created about Japan. The show shared the stories of Indonesians living in Japan, how they adapted, built their careers, and found success while exploring Japanese values that Andy found admirable and useful to everyday life. The goal was to inspire Indonesian audiences back home.
“When we started, there were three co-founders: myself, Riki Kono Basmeleh, and Shintaro Kawagoe from Kotobuki Spirits Group. And I was helped a lot by my wife, Yoan, who took care of a lot of the initial central kitchen set-up. She was the one who went to Japan for kitchen training and had to cut hundreds of strawberries a day.”
Each founder brought something different to the table. Andy focused on management, people development, and business operations. Riki led marketing, networking, and brand building. Meanwhile, Shintaro represented Kotobuki Spirits Group in Japan, helping establish product quality and production standards from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, Yoan quickly became the company’s taste expert. With the sharpest palate of the group, she took the lead in creative and product development.
Andy believes building a Japanese brand in Indonesia requires much more than a licensing agreement or a good business model. It requires people who genuinely understand both cultures.
“This business is like a marriage between the Indonesian team, the Japanese principal, and the Indonesian market.”
Japan values consistency, specialization, and perfection. Indonesia, on the other hand, is a fast-moving market that enjoys variety and constant innovation. Andy says the challenge has always been finding the right balance between those two worlds.
One example came early in the business: LeTAO initially introduced only its signature Fromage cheesecake recipe. Andy believed Indonesian customers would also appreciate chocolate flavors, so he encouraged the Japanese team to expand the menu. That willingness to listen to each other eventually became one of DORÉ by LeTAO’s strengths.
Growing Through Difficult Times
Like many businesses, DORÉ by LeTAO faced one of its toughest moments during the COVID-19 pandemic. With every store located inside shopping malls, sales dropped by as much as 90 percent during lockdowns.
Andy had to make difficult decisions, including reducing salaries and temporarily sending dozens of employees home. One morning, the emotional weight of those decisions finally caught up with him.
“I remember sitting at home and suddenly the tears just came.”
Looking back, Andy says that difficult period changed his perspective. The business was no longer only about him or his family. It was about a lot of people who depended on DORÉ by LeTAO.
Instead of giving up, the team quickly adapted. Working closely with LeTAO in Japan, they developed products that were easier to take away and better suited to changing customer habits during the pandemic. While DORÉ by LeTAO is known for its signature cakes and gifting collections, Andy points out that the business is much more complex behind the scenes.
Today, the company manages around 80 to 100 product SKUs, including different cake flavors, toppings, soft serve variations, and seasonal gifting products. Managing that variety requires more than creativity. It demands consistent quality, careful planning, and continuous product development.
For Andy, every new product still follows the same principle that inspired DORÉ by LeTAO from the beginning: it has to be something customers would proudly share with the people they love.
Bringing Japanese Values Into Everyday Work
Japanese influence at DORÉ by LeTAO goes far beyond recipes. Andy says many of the company’s internal values come directly from Japanese philosophy. One of them is Kodawari, the mindset of going one step further than expected.
Whether it’s product quality or customer service, the goal is always to exceed expectations. Another core value is Arigatou, the practice of gratitude. The company encourages employees to acknowledge and thank one another, creating a culture built on respect. Together, these values are known internally as Kaho, which Andy describes as a “family treasure.”
“Kaho means family treasure. It’s something valuable that you carry with you wherever you go.”
Finding the Right Partner
When Omiyage Group welcomed Mandiri Capital Indonesia (MCI) as a strategic investor, Andy appreciated that the team took time to understand not only the business but also its culture. He even invited them to Japan to experience Kotobuki Spirits’ employee appreciation ceremony and the values that shaped DORÉ by LeTAO’s own philosophy. Just as importantly, Andy wanted a partner who respected the founder’s role.
“The last thing I want is an investor coming in and changing my innovation or my interaction with customers. That’s the soul of the business.”
It all traces back to a single bite in 2013, when Andy tasted a slice of LeTAO’s Double Fromage and couldn’t wait to share it. He even woke his wife, Yoan, at midnight to try it. That “wow” moment is what he still hopes every customer experiences today.
From there, DORÉ by LeTAO has grown into one of Indonesia’s leading cake and gifting brands, with 19 stores across Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Bali.
“Our goal has always been to create an experience worth sharing.”
For Andy, every cake, every gift box, and every customer experience begins with the same question: Will this create a moment someone wants to share? If the answer is yes, then DORÉ by LeTAO has done its job.
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