Indonesia, Philippines Strike Potential Food and Beverage Deals Worth US$2.2 Million
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia has successfully secured potential food and beverage transactions valued at US$2.22 million during the Manila Food and Beverage Expo (MAFBEX) 2025, underscoring the Philippines’ strong interest in Indonesian products and the growing prospects for bilateral trade in the sector.
In a written statement received in Jakarta on Saturday, Martin Pandapotan Hutabarat, Trade Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, noted that the significant interest from the Philippine market in Indonesian food and beverage products represents a substantial opportunity for export growth, particularly for Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“This presents a promising export opportunity for Indonesian MSMEs,” Hutabarat emphasized.
The Indonesian Pavilion at MAFBEX 2025 featured 10 companies, including eight MSMEs, offering a diverse array of products such as coffee, tea, honey, chocolates, biscuits, healthy snacks, and processed items including sorghum, flour, rice, and starch. In addition to the potential business deals, participating MSMEs recorded US$1,445 in direct retail sales throughout the event.
Over the past five years (2020–2024), Indonesia’s food and beverage exports to the Philippines have grown by 18.34 percent, making them the third-largest category of Indonesian exports to the country. Indonesia is also currently the second-largest exporter of coffee beans to the Philippines, following Vietnam. In 2024, Indonesia’s coffee bean exports to the Philippines reached US$43.48 million, compared to Vietnam’s US$153.92 million.
Moreover, Indonesia sees strong potential for growth in the Philippine health food market. According to Data Bridge Market Research (2022), the health and wellness food sector in the Philippines is projected to surge from US$20.98 billion in 2024 to US$42.70 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.03 percent between 2025 and 2032.
This promising outlook offers considerable opportunities for Indonesian MSMEs, particularly those focused on health-oriented products, to broaden their footprint in regional and international markets.
