Indonesian foods and beverages have succeeded in becoming the prima donna at the 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show by obtaining potential transactions worth 79.62 million U.S. dollars.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesian food and beverage products produced 79.62 million U.S. dollars or the equivalent of 1.19 trillion rupiahs at the largest food and beverage exhibition in the United States (U.S.), Winter Fancy Food Show (WFFS) 2023.

“Indonesia has succeeded in becoming the prima donna at the WFFS 2023 exhibition by obtaining potential transactions worth 77.72 million U.S. dollars and booking two trade contracts for vanilla products and tempeh (fermented soybean) chips worth 1.90 million U.S. dollars at the largest food and beverage exhibition in the United States," the Head of Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) in Los Angeles, Aldila Tjahjasari.

Another product that is in demand and is the prima donna at the largest food and beverage exhibition in the U.S. is Indonesian herbs and spices, Aldila said, adding that WFFS 2023 has opened up the potential to increase exports to the U.S.

However, there are a number of aspects that must be taken into account by businesspeople who would export food and beverage products to the U.S., she explained.

“Products that have great potential to enter the U.S. include plant-based products and gluten-free products. To penetrate the U.S. market, Indonesian exporters must continue to pay attention to product certification as the main aspect that is of concern to potential buyers in the U.S.," Aldila said.

The participation of Indonesian businesspeople in WFFS 2023 is the result of a synergy between ITPC in Los Angeles and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Los Angeles, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia Washington D.C., Trade Attaché Washington D.C., ITPC Chicago, Bank Indonesia (the central bank), state bank Bank Rakyat Indonesia, state bank Bank Negara Indonesia, and ITPC in New York.

"Food and beverage products are Indonesia's leading export products and have great potential to continue to increase their exports to the United States," Consular and Protocol Consul of the Indonesian Consulate General in Los Angeles Ardian Budhi Nugroho said inaugurating Indonesia's booth at WFFS 2023.

At WFFS 2023, Indonesia brought 10 business actors which included small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large companies.

The ten business actors are Rendang Uni Tutie, Jans Enterprises Corp, Kultiva Co, Sila Tea, Hydro Coco, PT Suwe Ora Jamu, PT Natural Joy Foods, King Cassava, Krakakoa, and Organic Spice Lombok.

The products of the ten business actors exhibited have gone through a curation process in terms of certification, production capacity, and product quality by taking into account trends in the U.S. market.

"Indonesia's participation in the event is to promote Indonesian specialty food products, while at the same time enhancing the branding of Indonesian food and beverage products in the U.S. as products that have a high specificity, quality and taste," the Washington D.C. Trade Attaché, Wijayanto, said.

WFFS 2023 which was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, the U.S. on January 15-17, 2023 attracted 15,000 visitors and 870 exhibitors from various parts of the world. WFFS 2023 also featured food tasting, cooking demonstrations, exploring business deals, and signing of trade contracts.

“The food and beverage market in the U.S. is still very wide open. For this reason, synergy is needed from various parties to further encourage exports of Indonesian food and beverage products to the United States market," the Head of ITPC Chicago Iska Sinurat said.

The export value of Indonesian foods and beverages to the U.S. in the January-November 2022 period reached 2.31 billion dollars or the equivalent of 34.6 trillion rupiahs, an increase of around 15 percent compared to the same period in 2021.

Meanwhile, the value of Indonesia's exports to the U.S. in the January-November 2022 period reached 32.23 billion dollars, an increase of 33.77 percent compared to the same period in 2021. Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of 23.38 billion dollars until 2022.

Reporting by Indonesia Indonesia