Thailand Strengthens Market Penetration in Indonesia Through Culinary Festival
Headline
High volatility is likely to continue until the end of May.
High volatility is likely to continue until the end of May.
Thai products continue to strengthen their penetration in the Indonesian market through various direct-to-consumer promotional strategies, ranging from retail festivals to business matching with local importers. This move is being undertaken amid increasing competition from Asian imported products in the domestic market. One such effort is the ‘Treats of Thailand 2026’ Thai product and culinary festival, held at Hero Supermarket Pondok Indah Mall 1, Jakarta, from May 15-31, 2026. The event is organized by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) of the Thai Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the Thai Trade Center Jakarta.
The festival features a variety of Thai consumer products, from fresh fruits and snacks to sauces and other distinctive Thai food ingredients that are popular in Indonesia. In addition to product promotion, the event also includes cultural performances, cooking demonstrations, and product introduction sessions for visitors.
The opening ceremony was attended by Thai Ambassador to Indonesia Praphan Disyatat, Director of the Thai Trade Center Jakarta Hataichanok Sivara, Co-Managing Director of PT Hero Retail Nusantara Maria Suwarni, Deputy Director of the Thai Trade Center Jakarta Nassaree Pathan, and Honorary Trade Advisor to the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand in Jakarta, as well as President of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Pathama Sirikul.
Thai Ambassador to Indonesia Praphan Disyatat said that Thai food products still have a strong market in Indonesia, especially for fresh fruits and snacks.
“Actually, many products are in demand. The largest sales are for fresh fruit, including longan, durian, and various other fruits. In addition, Thai snacks are also popular because Thai food is almost similar, making it suitable for the tastes of Indonesian people,” said Praphan.
According to Praphan, the similarity in taste between Thai food and Indonesian tastes is one of the factors that makes Thai products relatively easy to accept in the market. He said that the Thai government continues to implement various trade programs to expand access to Thai products in Indonesia. These programs include business matching, trade seminars, and direct meetings between Indonesian importers and Thai producers.
“We help Thai products enter Indonesia through many programs. There is business matching that can be done online or on-site. We also provide seminars so that Indonesian companies, especially importers, know what products are in demand by Indonesian people,” he said.
In addition, Thailand also regularly holds trade festivals and invites Indonesian business actors to see firsthand the development of products that are considered to have the potential to enter the domestic market.
Director of the Thai Trade Center Jakarta Hataichanok Sivara said that trade relations between Indonesia and Thailand have been developing well and are supported by the high interest of the people of both countries in each other’s products and cultures. “Trade relations between us have been going very well for many years. Indonesian people really like Thai people, and they also like Thai products. They also enjoy visiting Thailand. Conversely, Thai people also like Indonesia,” she said.
According to Hataichanok, festivals like ‘Treats of Thailand’ not only aim to introduce products but also introduce Thai culinary culture through cooking demonstrations and food tasting sessions. “Indonesian people will also be able to cook easily using Thai flavors and products. Through the cooking demonstrations we provide, people can learn to cook Thai food in a practical way,” she said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director of the Thai Trade Center Jakarta Nassaree Pathan acknowledged that competition for imported products in Indonesia is becoming increasingly fierce because many other Asian countries are also targeting the same market. She believes that distribution and market access are important factors in expanding the penetration of Thai products in Indonesia. The ‘Treats of Thailand 2026’ festival will last until the end of May 2026 and is open to the public. (E-3)