TikTok Launches 'Makan Dengan Makna' Campaign to Bolster Local Food Sector and Public Nutrition

TikTok has launched the ‘Makan Dengan Makna’ campaign to strengthen the national food sector while encouraging the public to adopt healthier eating patterns and lifestyles through inspiration from creators, communities, and the wealth of local food ingredients.

Head of Public Policy at TikTok Indonesia, Noudhy Valdryno, explained that the initiative, which is also supported by the Ministry of Health, is reinforced by a US$200,000 donation from TikTok to the non-profit organisation Foodbank of Indonesia. “To help distribute more than 80,000 nutritious meals to vulnerable communities across various regions in Indonesia,” Noudhy said in a statement on Thursday.

As part of the Makan Dengan Makna campaign, TikTok also introduced the Makan Lokal campaign by collaborating with creators to host LIVE cooking sessions that highlight the richness of local food ingredients. Through this campaign, TikTok invites the public to discover that healthy eating can start with simple menus and local ingredients that are affordable and close to their daily lives.

“Through Makan Dengan Makna, we want to leverage the power of discovery on TikTok to help people find healthy living inspiration that is easy to apply in everyday life,” he stated. Together with creators, communities, Foodbank of Indonesia, and with support from the Ministry of Health, Noudhy hopes more people can find simple ways to start healthier eating habits while increasingly appreciating the wealth of Indonesia’s local food ingredients.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that diseases with the highest mortality rates in Indonesia, such as stroke, heart disease, cancer, and kidney disease, are heavily influenced by lifestyle factors, particularly daily consumption patterns and physical activity. Seeing the significant influence of social media, Minister Budi specifically invited TikTok content creators to take an active role in educating the public about healthy eating patterns.

“Let us change the stigma and make healthy eating patterns a trend that triggers FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Do not let unhealthy food trends be widely adopted because they have a bad impact on the health of people in their productive age. Please help change the eating behaviour of the Indonesian people to be more balanced,” he said.