Musim Mas Group is anIndonesian food processing company operating globally in thepalm oil industry, with a presence in 13 countries spanningAsia-Pacific,Europe,North America, and South America. The group owns a significant network of palm oilrefineries and is involved invegetable oil refining. Additionally, it manufactures consumer goods such as soap andcooking oil brands inIndonesia. The company employes 37,000 people and utilizes a logistics network that includes chemical andcoastal tankers,barges,tugboats, and bulk installations at major ports inIndonesia and other strategic locations worldwide.^[2]

Musim Mas Group

Company type	Private
Industry	food processing,agribusiness,palm oil,biofuel
Founded	1932
Founder	Anwar Karim
Area served	Indonesia,Brazil,Germany,Malaysia,India,China,Vietnam,Spain,Singapore,Italy,Netherlands,United States,United Kingdom
Key people	Bachtiar Karim (Executive Chairman andCEO) Burhan Karim (COO) Bahari Karim (CFO
Revenue	$7.6 billion (2018)[1]
Number of employees	37,000
Website	www.musimmas.com

Musim Mas is a privately-owned company managed by the Karim brothers:Bachtiar Karim, Bahari Karim, and Burhan Karim.^[3] In addition to its involvement in the palm oil industry, the company has interests in real estate and owns the 4-star Mikie Holiday Resorts inBerastagi,North Sumatra.^[4]

In 1932, Anwar Karim founded the Nam Cheong Soap Factory inMedan,North Sumatra, laying the foundation for what would later become Musim Mas.^[5]

In 1970 the company commissioned its firstpalm oilrefinery inBelawan,Indonesia. In 1972, PT Musim Mas was officially established in Tanjung Mulia, Medan. The company expanded its operations in 1988 by starting its plantation inRantau Prapat, North Sumatra. Two years later, in 1990, Musim Mas set up its first kernel-crushing plant in Medan and in 1991, it established its first palm oil mill in Rantau Prapat.

In 2002, Musim Mas set up its first subsidiary office,Inter-Continental Oil and Fats Pte. Ltd. (ICOF) in Malaysia. ICOF is a part of the Musim Mas Group^[2] and merchandises and distributes Musim Mas products. Based inSingapore,^[6] ICOF builds "sustainable palm oil solutions" for their clients.^[7]

In 2003, Musim Mas commenced operations for itsoleochemicals plant located in the Medan Industrial Area II (KIM II). The following year, Musim Mas was the first company inIndonesia to achieveRoundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification.^[8] The company's Executive Chairman has also served on RSPO's inaugural executive board.

The company opened its first office in Europe in 2007 and in the United States of America in 2008. In 2009, PT Musim Mas achieved RSPO certification, becoming the first palm oil plantation in Indonesia to receive this recognition. Additionally, the company initiated operations in Nellore, India, and Dongguan, China. By 2012, the company obtained RSPO certification for all of its plantations in Indonesia.^[9]

In 2013, Musim Mas opened its first office in Vietnam^[10] and became the first company to achieve the Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification. Additionally, wholly ownedsubsidiaryMasChem BV announced plans for anethoxylation facility at theDowBenelux site inTerneuzen.^[11] This facilityspecializes in the production ofsurfactants, which are surface active agents derived fromalcohols,oils,esters,fatty acids, andamines and serve as essential raw materials in the manufacturing ofpersonal care products anddetergents.

In 2014, the company inaugurated three biodiesel plants in Europe and its first refinery in Tanjung Langsat, Malaysia. Musim Mas joined the Fire Free Alliance (FFA) in 2016 and acquired a glycerin refinery in Groningen, The Netherlands.

In 2017, the company established a joint venture with Genting Plantations to set up a refinery in Lahad Datu, Malaysia, and acquired a sulfation plant in Barbastro, Spain. By 2019, Musim Mas became the first company in Southeast Asia to attain POIG (Palm Oil Innovation Group) verification^[12] and the first mill to be certified with RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) P&C (Principles and Criteria) 2018.^[13] Additionally, the company launched the Novel IDEAS Center, a S$10 million R&D and Innovation facility located in theSingapore Science Park, as part of its strategic expansion and innovation goals.

Musim Mas offers a wide range of products includingbiodiesel, bleaching earth, bypass fats/rumen bypass fats,commodities, cooking oils, emulsifier-stabilizer blends,emulsifiers,esters, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, household products, margarine/shortening, medium-chain triglycerides, palm wax, refinedglycerine, soap/skin care/hygiene products, soap noodles, specialty application oils, specialty fats,surfactants, andvitamin E. In 2021, Musim Mas was ranked 9th on FoodTalks' Global Top 30 Specialty Oil Companies list.^[14]

The company offers more than 70 proprietary brands that are distributed globally. Their product portfolio includes cooking oils, margarines, and soaps. Among their well-known brands are Lervia, Medicare, and Harmony soaps, Sunco cooking oil, and Surya Gold, Margareta, and Rajni Gold. Additionally, the company has launched a new subsidiary calledKevolve Dr MCT,^[15] which specializes in selling premiumMCT oil products.

In 2014, Musim Mas introduced a new sustainability policy, affirming its commitment to producing deforestation-free palm oil.^{[16][17][18][19][20][21]}

The company takes measures to mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and convertingmethane gas into energy to power their mills and estates. According to the company, all of Musim Mas' mills are equipped with methane capture facilities, known as biogas plants.^[22][23] In 2021, Musim Mas announced a partnership withAAK andNestlé to address deforestation outside of plantation concession areas inAceh, Indonesia. The partnership aims to engage approximately 1,000 independent oil palm smallholders within two years, enrolling them in Muslim Mas' smallholders program supported by a Smallholders Hub.^[24]

Musim Mas received the "Indonesian Best Exporter Award (Primaniyarta Award)" in 1992.^[25]