‘Proudly Indonesian’ brands are venturing into the global market

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In Indonesia, there is a “support local” trend, be it for products or works of art. The government has even organized a “Bangga Buatan Indonesia” campaign, which means “Proud of Indonesian products.”

Many young people in the country now purchase homegrown products, especially when it comes to fashion. Apart from being more affordable, young shoppers also believe that the quality of local products is not inferior to their foreign counterparts.

Having gained popularity domestically, the next stage for these Indonesian brands may be international expansion – and now could be the best time for that.

In Singapore, large retailers are downsizing in response to evolving shopping behavior. On the other hand, several Indonesian brands that have dipped their toes in the city-state have experienced significant growth. These include fashion brand Claude and shoe label SevieyanaShoes.

In this week’s Big Story, my colleague Melissa examines how setting up shop in Singapore can provide momentum for Indonesian brands to realize their global ambitions.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Hot Take, I discuss another company with global ambitions. Tech giant ByteDance may bring its food delivery service – which is now being tested in China – to Southeast Asia, possibly following the footsteps of TikTok Shop.

— Jofie

THE BIG STORY

For Indonesian D2C brands aspiring to go global, the time is now

Image credit: Timmy Loen

The entry of new brands to Singapore comes at a time when large retailers are downsizing in response to evolving shopping behavior.

THE HOT TAKE

Will ByteDance bring its food delivery service to Southeast Asia?

NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

FYI