TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade said an Indonesian tempeh producer has secured a US$125,000 (around Rp2.1 billion) agreement to develop local tempeh distribution in Chile, marking a new push to expand the country’s plant-based food exports into Latin America.
According to a statement from the ministry on Thursday, the cooperation was formalized through a distribution development agreement between PT Azaki Food International of Indonesia and OM SpA of Chile.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday, April 1, at the office of the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) Santiago in Chile by Cucup Ruhiyat, director and owner of PT Azaki Food International, and Bojan Urbancic, director and owner of OM SpA.
Fajarini Puntodewi, Director General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, said the deal also demonstrates how Indonesia can optimize the Indonesia–Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IC-CEPA) to boost exports and strengthen trade promotion.
“The Ministry of Trade will continue to support more Indonesian businesses in expanding into global markets,” Puntodewi said.
The Chile distribution deal follows Indonesia’s participation in the Espacio Food & Service exhibition held from September 30 to October 2, 2025. ITPC Santiago facilitated business matching between the two companies, which eventually led to the signing.
Beyond opening access for Indonesian tempeh in Chile, the partnership is expected to create wider distribution opportunities across Latin America.
Indah Fajarwati Bachter, head of ITPC Santiago, said the initial phase of the partnership will focus on Chile as an entry point, with efforts centered on strengthening distribution channels, improving product visibility, and building business networks.
In the medium term, she said, the cooperation could be expanded to other Latin American countries.
“We hope this partnership opens the door to introducing tempeh as a leading plant-based food product in the Latin American market,” Indah said.
The distribution development agreement covers brand management, promotional and market activation activities, compliance with import and food regulations, and the expansion of local distribution networks and business partnerships.
Miftah Farid, Director of Primary Product Export Development at the ministry, welcomed the partnership, saying it could pave the way for other Indonesian products to enter the Chilean and broader Latin American markets.
He also encouraged Indonesian businesses to explore export opportunities to Chile through ITPC Santiago.
Based on aggregated data from Banco Central de Chile and Chile Customs, Chile imports goods worth more than US$8 billion annually.
Demand for healthy food products, including plant-based and fermented foods, has been rising, driven by growing consumer awareness of healthy lifestyles and demand for alternative protein sources—creating an opening for Indonesian tempeh in the market.
In 2025, total trade between Indonesia and Chile reached US$535.5 million, with Indonesian exports to Chile at US$441.5 million and imports from Chile at US$94 million, giving Indonesia a trade surplus of US$347.5 million.
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