When people speak of Indonesia, the first things that come to mind are the beautiful islands of Bali and Sulawesi, or the bustling city and historic culture of Jakarta. While these do make a good representation of Indonesia, there’s something more than just vibes and economics that come into play that make it such a great country.
Indonesia has at least 6,000 more islands than the Philippines – and both countries are blessed with lush greens and the abundance of nature’s gifts. The difference is in the fact that Indonesia has realized how these gifts – and I’m not just talking about sights – can play a role in economics and food culture of the world.
An hour or so away from the busy streets of Jakarta are factories spanning hectares all taking advantage of Indonesia’s bountiful produce. Spice houses, aroma plants, and chocolate factories all coexist. Indonesia is slowly becoming one of the top food ingredient suppliers, which is what makes it the perfect location for this year’s Food Ingredients Asia.
Some of the key participants for this year include Foodex International, BT Cocoa, Culinaroma, and PT Sosro
PT Sinar Sosro
Established in 1940, PT Sinar Sosro is the leading glass bottled tea company in Indonesia. The company started out as a tea leaf manufacturer, but the surplus in tea leaves led them to the decision to make ready-to-drink tea. Their main product, Tehbotol, can be found everywhere in Indonesia.
PT Sinar Sosro is the only company that uses glass bottles for their ready-to-drink tea. While the global shift is towards PET, PT Sosro continues to use glass bottles as it’s more environmentally-friendly. Exported products, however, use plastic bottles for shipping and weight considerations.
Another product, Fruit Tea, has already made its way to convenience stores in the Philippines but only in selected variants.
BT Cocoa
A leading provider of cocoa to over 50 countries all over the world, BT Cocoa sources their cocoa beans from all over Indonesia, particularly the areas of Lampung, Surabaya, Bali, Palu, Kolaka, and many others.
BT Cocoa manufactures three products derived from the Cacao Bean – Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Liquor, and Cocoa Powder.
One of their biggest customers, and at the same time, their competitor, is Callebaut. They supply Cocoa Butter to Callebaut, which then gets turned into other cocoa-based products primarily used by bakers worldwide.
Foodex Inti Ingredients
Established in 1995, PT Foodex Inti Ingredients is one of the leading manufacturers of food seasoning and food ingredients in Indonesia. Their process does not involve adding preservatives to the food ingredients. Instead, they focus on using technology and knowing the proper temperatures in turning raw ingredients to make powders and granules.
Their food ingredients are used in everyday food items such as sausages, instant noodles, and cheese sauces.
Majority of their products cover the scope of food industries such as noodles, snacks, and processed meat industries. Considering the popularity and accessibility of instant noodles from the Asian market, the demand for more meat extracts and savory seasonings will definitely see a substantial growth.
The aforementioned brands and companies are just a glimpse into over 750 leading local, regional, and international F&B ingredient suppliers and distributors that will be at Fi Asia 2018. Food Ingredients Asia 2018 is the largest gathering of food ingredient suppliers from Indonesia and all over the world. Consider this a great exhibition to think, talk, and discover F&B ingredients.
Aside from booths, Fi Asia 2018 will also feature extensive educational, International Conferences, and 60 technical seminars from expert speakers in the industry.
Fi Asia 2018 is on October 3-5, 2018 at the Jakarta International Expo, Indonesia’s premier exhibition. Visit www.fiasia.com for more information.
Live an Awesome Life,
Monique of Team Our Awesome Planet
P.S. If you intend to visit the exhibition, HARRIS Suites fX Sudirman is a great accommodation choice as it’s located inside a mall and right by the business district.