Americans Addicted to Tempeh: Indonesian Food Products Reach Rp 150 Billion in New York

The Indonesian Ministry of Trade, through the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Washington D.C., has reported that Indonesian processed food products, including tempeh, have tapped into a transaction potential of up to US$8.3 million, or approximately Rp 150.7 billion, during the Summer Fancy Food Show (SFFS) in New York, USA.

Ranitya Kusumadewi, the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Washington D.C., stated that the exhibition has opened opportunities for tempeh to become a key Indonesian product penetrating the US market. “We are continuously monitoring the follow-up from the business matching sessions held during the exhibition to ensure that potential transactions are realised into export contracts,” Ranitya said in a statement on Friday, 31 July 2026.

“In addition to the potential transactions, we observe very high buyer interest in tempeh, alongside the growing trend of plant-based foods in the United States,” she added. Following a series of business meetings with prospective buyers, tempeh is regarded as one of Indonesia’s products with the greatest prospects for development in the US market. This is driven by the rising consumption of plant-based foods, fermented foods, and healthy lifestyles, which are increasing demand for plant-based products. This condition, according to her, has created an opportunity for tempeh to become one of Indonesia’s ‘champion products’ in the US market.

However, she emphasised that high buyer interest must be balanced with the readiness of businesses to maintain production capacity, supply consistency, quality standard compliance, as well as the strengthening of packaging and marketing strategies. “This way, the business opportunities created can transition into sustainable exports,” said Ranitya.

During the event, the Indonesia Pavilion featured six businesses and SMEs, showcasing products such as coffee, cocoa, chocolate, snacks, and instant noodles. Also displayed were various healthy foods including tempeh, coconut-based products, seasonings and spices, honey, palm sugar, and various processed foods.

Notably, the United States is the second-largest export market for Indonesian food after China. In 2025, the export value of Indonesian food products to the US was recorded at US$5.97 billion, a 14.06 per cent increase compared to the previous year’s value of US$5.23 billion.