Building a healthy lifestyle trend with Indonesian flavor – Academia
ccording to a 2024 report from Kerry Group titled Savoring the World with Authentic Taste of Indonesia, Indonesian people tend to choose local foods rather than foreign cuisines due to several factors: First is familiarity of flavor, second is certainty of food satisfaction and third is richness of flavor.
This preference is interesting, because the variety of ingredients and cooking methods across the world means that culinary trends continue to change, but Indonesia is still loyal to local flavors.
To illustrate, some of the current global culinary trends are the dominance of spicy spices, a variety of French cakes and plant-based foods.
This does not mean that the preference for strong and traditional flavors among Indonesians is not developing. On the contrary, Indonesians’ food preferences are becoming more nuanced as we are more exposed to the importance of nutrition.
According to data, the trend of healthy food consumption in Indonesia will increase 7.9 percent this year. This trend may be driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which encouraged awareness of the importance of and easier access to nutrition, as well as increased the popularity of sports activities.
The trend of healthy food consumption in Indonesia has also strengthened since the pandemic: People have become more aware of the importance of a healthier diet.
A 2022 survey conducted by NielsenIQ and Grab involving more than 13,000 respondents found that seven out of 10 Indonesians wanted to eat healthy foods regularly. Moreover, 70 percent of respondents said they were willing to spend more on healthy foods.
This indicates that taking better care of themselves in order to stay healthy has become a priority.
A preference for sustainable, eco-friendly products as well as healthier eating habits are among the food trends currently emerging among Indonesian consumers.
A 2024 Statista survey involving 1,042 respondents aged 18-64 in Indonesia found that freshness (78 percent) and natural ingredients (66 percent) were the top two criteria for purchasing food, while 69 percent of respondents said they were actively trying to eat more healthy foods.
Indonesian consumers are also becoming increasingly environmentally responsible and health conscious when shopping. This shift in consumer behavior has influenced their grocery choices and food preferences.
According to a recent Statista study, fresh, natural and fair trade ingredients are among consumers’ top criteria for buying food. Aside from better nutrition however, Indonesian consumers are also increasingly encouraged to consume products that have sustainable value.
All of this is driving a unique culinary preference that seeks flavor, health benefits and environmental sustainability in one dish.
This shift in preference has also encouraged the government to issue various regulations that are deemed to provide benefits while responding to market demands, including a Health Ministry regulation that requires food and beverage producers to inform the sugar content of all products sold.
A Kerry Group proprietary research on consumers’ sweetness perception in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, found that 88 percent of respondents in the region agreed that although reduced sugar products did not taste the same, they realized that such products were healthier for them. In addition, 86 percent of consumers understood that diabetes and weight gain were among the potential risks of excessive sugar consumption.
In 2022, the Health Ministry recommended limiting the daily intake of salt to no more than 5 grams, sugar to 50 grams and fat to 67 grams to lower the risk of hypertension, stroke, diabetes and heart attacks. The government also included sugary drinks among the goods subject to excise tax in the state budget, with a potential tax income of Rp 6.25 trillion (US$400 million).
The Health Ministry is also formulating a policy following recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce the use of trans fats in the food industry.
In 2021, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) introduced the Pilihan Lebih Sehat (healthier choices) logo of a green check mark on food packaging, which identifies products containing sugar, salt and fat levels in accordance with nutritional needs.
Even the World Economic Forum has weighed in, encouraging food companies to relook at their portfolios and adapt solutions toward the goal to provide a wider choice of healthy and nutritionally balanced food and beverages.
This trend is a great opportunity for companies to provide foods that are flavorful but still prioritize nutrition in supporting a healthy lifestyle. Companies also must ensure that products are both accessible and affordable, enabling everyone to reach their full potential.
On top of that, through food innovation technology, such as the development of natural raw materials and environmentally friendly production techniques, combined with data on community preferences, the food products consumed by the community will help build a better future.
For companies in Indonesia, exploring food ingredients is necessary to produce quality local foods that can be developed sustainably, as well as to answer public demands amid the high awareness of sustainability issues.
Apart from responding to trends, consistent public education by various parties is also important, such as companies providing each product’s nutritional content on packaging and reducing ingredients that can be detrimental to health.
Meanwhile, the government is carrying out various public outreach programs community and issuing regulations that support a healthy lifestyle.
As public awareness of healthy lifestyle increases, companies must also consider raw materials and production processes that support health and environmental sustainability. Through this harmonized approach, companies can maximize their business potential and play a leading role in maintaining balance in the global food ecosystem.
All these efforts will be able to encourage public patterns and behavior in consuming healthy foods that is aligned with consumers’ preference for choosing products that are considered safe, highly nutritious and have sustainable value.
Ultimately, it is important for food companies to continue to innovate to provide better products that meet the dynamic preferences of consumers.
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The writer is general manager of Kerry Indonesia. The views expressed are personal.
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