What began as a business diversification strategy during the pandemic has since grown into one of Indonesia’s most talked-about groceries, food and beverage ventures. Erajaya Food & Nourishment (EFN), a vertical under PT Erajaya Swasembada Tbk, isn’t just in the business of selling food—it’s crafting a dining culture that blends everyday familiarity with global quality.
Founded with the belief that F&B is not just a necessity but an expression of lifestyle, EFN’s approach has been both personal and ambitious. “We don’t see it as just a food retail business. We look at it as an entire supply chain of anything that goes into the body. That becomes a lot more interesting as a vertical,” said Jeremy Sim, CEO of EFN in an interview with FoodieS.
EFN’s portfolio reflects a full-day lifestyle experience: breakfast and coffee at Paris Baguette or Bacha Coffee, lunch at Curry Up, a quick snack from Wetzel’s Pretzels, afternoon tea at CHAGEE, and grocery runs to GrandLucky Superstore. Each brand has its own story and atmosphere—designed not for mass transactions, but to build emotional resonance with customers.
This curated ecosystem stems from Erajaya’s original motivation to expand beyond its core electronics business. “We had customers who were buying iPhones from us… could I do something more frequently with them, yet remain in a domain where we are still addressing lifestyle needs?” Jeremy reflected. This question drove Erajaya to explore industries that reward daily engagement and emotional connection—food and groceries were a natural answer.
But entering the F&B space wasn’t about jumping into trends. EFN’s strategy has always focused on quality, story, and experience. Each brand introduced into the portfolio—from Paris Baguette’s refined bakery offerings to CHAGEE’s tech-driven tea culture—has been selected for its ability to build long-term value, not just short-term virality.
In building this ecosystem, EFN emphasizes team building as much as brand building. “Any good leader would understand that you need time to build a core team of people who are your generals that you know you would go to war with,” Jeremy shared. “So if you look at all the brands that we are carrying today, initially, we were very, very, very focused on building the quality, building the complexity, but not the number of outlets.”
This patient approach allowed each brand to retain its soul while adapting to the local context. One of EFN’s most thoughtful additions is CHAGEE, a modern tea brand from China. Jeremy’s decision to partner with the brand was not based solely on market trends or demographics, but on alignment in philosophy. “The founder was trying 73 cups of CHAGEE. On an average day, he would do a hundred over cups… that really made me feel that this company is not just a marketing company, but the guy who’s behind the show cares about the product.”
It’s this kind of obsession with detail that EFN values most. Jeremy emphasized that while social media can drive awareness, longevity in the F&B world is still about the food and the product. “No matter how well you use social media to pull customers to the place, the longevity of the business still comes back to the basic thing about the food.”
The group’s portfolio encompasses an investment in Sushi Tei Group Indonesia, alongside its management of GrandLucky Superstore, Hokky, and Brastagi Supermarket across various cities. Each outlet is seen as an extension of the group’s philosophy: combining familiarity with quality, and tradition with innovation.
And more are in the pipeline. While Jeremy couldn’t reveal specifics, he confirmed EFN is in active talks with new international and regional brands—especially those offering flavors with strong cultural ties. “We feel that the flavors which gel with Indonesians and have an opportunity for more roll out is going to be very important to us.”
From a thoughtful cup of tea to a comforting grocery aisle, EFN is shaping how lifestyle meets nourishment in modern Indonesia—one experience at a time.
