Indonesia’s snacking culture is indulgent, habitual, and at a critical inflection point. While fried, salty, and sugary snacks remain staples, health awareness is steadily rising. In this edition, we explore how the market is shifting. From Indonesia’s Lemonilo to Thailand’s Taokaenoi, and global players like Greenday, Yoga Bar, and RXBAR, we spotlight better-for-you brands in the Southeast Asia region & globally that have cracked the code on scale, without compromising on health, flavor, or regional relevance.
Unhealthy snacking fuelling a preventable public health burden in Indonesia
Unhealthy snacking is a hidden contributor to Indonesia’s growing public health crisis. Non-communicable diseases now account for 80% of total deaths, with cardiovascular disease and stroke far outpacing global averages. Behind the stats are real habits—daily servings of chips, fried snacks, and instant noodles, especially among youth. These behaviors persist despite awareness, driven by affordability, convenience, and taste. But the consequences are rising and preventable.
Indonesia’s snack culture is indulgent at its core with early signs of health-driven innovation
Indonesia’s snack shelves are still dominated by indulgent options: deep-fried, heavily salted, or loaded with sugar. But cracks are forming. Health-conscious youth are driving demand for alternatives like tempeh chips, nut-based crackers, and protein bars. Brands such as Fitbar, Lemonilo, and Greenfields are leading the shift toward clean-label, high-protein, and fiber-rich formats. These better-for-you innovations show promise, but scaling them requires strategic investment in taste, pricing, and distribution.
Brands like Lemonilo & Taokaenoi are showing that healthier snacks can scale in the SEA region
Brands like Lemonilo and Taokaenoi are proving that better-for-you snacks can scale across Southeast Asia. Lemonilo tapped into Gen-Z appeal through K-pop partnerships and local community resellers. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Taokaenoi expanded seaweed snacks globally through omnichannel retail and co-brands. Their growth highlights the potential for health-led snacking to win mass market mindshare when backed by bold marketing, export strategy, and format innovation tailored to local habits.
Global players like Greenday, Yoga Bar, & RXBar have demonstrated how to scale and have achieved successful exists
Greenday, Yoga Bar, and RXBAR have taken different paths, but share one trait: smart distribution. Green Day built a global presence through modern retail and OEM exports. Yoga Bar rode India’s D2C wave, while RXBAR scaled from gyms to Whole Foods and Walmart. Each combined strong core products with expanding access, making healthy snacking not just available, but visible and aspirational. Strategic omnichannel execution was key to their breakout growth.
Key strategies used by these global players to drive scale and build customer loyalty
How do breakout brands win? Greenday earned global trust through OEM roots and scale-ready operations. Yoga Bar built loyalty with smart sampling and low-CAC word-of-mouth. RXBAR used radical packaging to turn ingredients into a brand. Each played to its strength, whether certifications, storytelling, or niche community building. Their strategies show that success isn’t one-size-fits-all, but always anchored in clarity, product quality, and knowing who you’re speaking to.
Indonesia’s snacking culture is deeply embedded, but it’s also at a tipping point. While unhealthy snacking continues to fuel the public health burden, a new wave of health-forward brands is proving that nutritious can also be scalable. With rising awareness, evolving retail, and whitespace in format innovation, brands that earn trust and localize well-positioned offerings stand to win big, making better-for-you not just a buzzword, but a sustainable business model.
Redseer Southeast Asia
We support clients across the Consumer and Internet Sectors
At Redseer Southeast Asia, we work with food and consumer brands to unlock growth across formats, channels, and segments. Whether it’s benchmarking global category leaders or identifying whitespace in better-for-you snacking, we help brands refine go-to-market, build trust, and execute expansion plans. As consumer preferences shift rapidly, our support spans product-market fit, distribution strategy, and exit readiness, helping both local challengers and global entrants thrive in Southeast Asia’s evolving F&B landscape.
