Food is becoming a bigger reason for people to visit Indonesia. As travelers spend more of their holidays exploring local cuisine, Indonesia’s food service and hospitality industry is also expanding, with the market reaching US$29 billion in 2024 and becoming the largest food service market in Southeast Asia.
The growth is being supported by several changes across the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. International hotel and restaurant chains are continuing to expand, while specialty coffee and premium bakeries are becoming more popular. Digital food delivery services are also making it easier for consumers to access a wider range of quality products and services.
These developments have helped strengthen Indonesia’s position in the regional food service market. According to the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Annual 2025 report, the continued expansion of these segments is an important driver of industry growth.
The outlook for hospitality is also becoming more ambitious. The sector is projected to grow threefold by 2030, supported by increasing investment, the development of sustainable tourism, and rising demand for higher-quality culinary experiences and hospitality services.
Culinary tourism is also receiving greater attention from the Indonesian government. Based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), 58% of tourists visit Indonesia for culinary experiences, showing how closely food is connected to the country’s tourism appeal.
“The Ministry of Tourism is committed to making gastronomic tourism one of our flagship programs,” said Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism Ni Made Ayu Marthini, as quoted by Antara on Tuesday (September 29, 2026).
Read also: Malaysia Becomes a Key Source of Tourists for Indonesia in 2026
As the industry expands, business activity around food and beverages is growing as well. Indonesia is hosting more industry exhibitions, giving companies opportunities to meet suppliers, explore new products, and keep up with developments in the market.
One of the upcoming events is MoreFood Expo 2027, a food and beverage industry exhibition scheduled for April 8 to 11, 2027, at the Jakarta International Expo (JIEXPO) Kemayoran in Jakarta.
Interest in the event has already been recorded well before it opens. More than 200 local and international exhibitors have registered to participate, six months ahead of the exhibition dates. The launch comes at a time when Indonesia’s national F&B sector is showing positive growth.
The Ministry of Industry recorded 6.49% growth in the food and beverage industry during the third quarter of 2025. That was higher than the 5.58% growth recorded by the non-oil and gas manufacturing industry and the 5.04% growth of the national economy during the same period. The food and beverage industry was also the largest contributor to manufacturing GDP.
MoreFood Expo 2027 is being adjusted to reflect the changing needs of industry players. Rather than presenting a general exhibition layout, organizers are reorganizing the event into dedicated zones based on specific industry categories.
This structure is intended to make the exhibition more useful for professional visitors. Buyers can go directly to areas that match their interests and find suppliers relevant to their business needs without having to navigate the entire exhibition floor.
Carrie Wang, General Manager of PT Huamo Exhibition Indonesia, said the effectiveness of a trade exhibition should not simply be measured by the number of people attending.
“Today, an exhibition is judged by how many business conversations actually continue after the event ends. That is why we are building MoreFood 2027 to be more focused, rather than simply generating visitor traffic. Exhibitors come to meet the right buyers, and buyers come because they know what they are looking for,” Carrie said.
For food service businesses, the value of an industry exhibition also extends to the operational side of the business. Companies are under constant pressure to maintain quality, control costs, and deliver consistent products even when producing at high volumes.
Dini Zainuddin, Chairwoman of the Indonesian Catering Services Organizers Association (PPJI), said exhibitions can help businesses respond to those demands by giving them direct access to new products and suppliers.
“The exhibition is important because catering businesses can see raw materials, equipment, and new technologies directly, then discuss them with suppliers in the same place,” she said.
This direct interaction can be particularly useful for businesses looking for ways to improve production and service. New raw materials, equipment, and technology can be evaluated in one place, while discussions with suppliers can happen immediately.
MoreFood Expo 2027 will bring together industry participants from Indonesia, China, Thailand, India, and several other countries. The international participation adds another dimension to the event by giving businesses opportunities to observe developments beyond the domestic market.
The exhibition will also feature business matching sessions and an Industry Summit. Through these activities, industry players can follow emerging trends, identify new technologies, and explore potential partnerships that could support future business growth.
With Indonesia’s food service market already reaching US$29 billion and the hospitality sector expected to expand significantly by 2030, the growing number of industry events reflects the scale of change taking place across the sector.
The development is not limited to restaurants and hotels. It also involves suppliers, catering businesses, technology providers, equipment manufacturers, tourism businesses, and other parts of the wider food and hospitality ecosystem.
At the same time, the growing role of culinary tourism gives the industry another source of demand. As more travelers look for food experiences during their holidays, businesses have greater opportunities to connect culinary products and services with Indonesia’s tourism sector.
For businesses operating in food, beverage, catering, hospitality, or related industries, events such as MoreFood Expo 2027 can provide a space to meet potential partners, understand market developments, and identify practical opportunities for expansion.
The combination of strong industry growth, rising culinary tourism, international participation, and greater access to technology is creating a more connected food service ecosystem in Indonesia. MoreFood Expo 2027 aims to bring those elements together by connecting businesses with the suppliers, buyers, technologies, and partnerships they need to grow.
