U.S. Products Shine at Food Ingredients Asia in Jakarta
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service endorsed U.S. participation in the Food Ingredients Asia show in Jakarta, Indonesia, from Sept. 4-6, 2024. Fi Asia started in 1994 and plays a crucial role in driving the growth and development of the food industry and remains a leading event for food and beverage ingredient sourcing in Indonesia and the region. Fi Asia is a USDA-endorsed regional trade show that brings together food ingredient manufacturers from many countries. The annual event serves as a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and exploring new business opportunities.
The USDA-endorsed USA Pavilion featured 14 U.S. exhibitors, and the three-day exhibition attracted 22,231 attendees from 26 countries, a 15 percent increase from the six-year high in 2018. During the first day of the show, FAS organized three activities, including market briefings for U.S. exhibitors, an opening ceremony led by U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Heather Merritt, and a cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Rinrin Marinka featuring Indonesian dishes with U.S. ingredients. Chef Marinka prepared cheese egg roll dabu-dabu using U.S. cheeses and chickpeas and a sugarless spiced banoffee pie using U.S. Medjool dates.
U.S. exhibitors conducted 144 business meetings to introduce their products and establish industry contacts that will lead to future sales. Participation in Fi Asia enabled the test-marketing of 89 new American products. U.S. exhibitors reported success in making 91 serious business contacts during the show. Products that generated the most buyer interest included whey protein, flavors and colors, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, honey powder, and molasses powder.
Fi Asia Indonesia 2024 provided the opportunity for buyers to meet with U.S. companies offering an impressive and innovative array of U.S. food ingredients. In total, the USA Pavilion included 14 U.S. exhibitors, up from 10 exhibitors in 2022. The event was a great success, generating $3.5 million in 12-month projected sales of dairy ingredients, plant-based protein ingredients, pulses, flavors, dehydrated potatoes, and specialty ingredients.