Relating agro-industry, business development and community empowerment has been a major challenge in fostering the impact on local people's wealth. Various obstacles are caused since some of theoretical methodologies are difficult to apply in the real conditions. Social business-based empowerment in this article will discuss the Agro-industrial-based social business development in areas in West-Java Indonesia using Design Thinking approach. This methodology allows various hidden patterns to be identified. This action research was carried out in two years and produced a new way to obtain a human centered design mechanism in empowering people. This increased awareness among stakeholders and contributed greater sustainability in communities.