Santan Eyes ASEAN Expansion, Starting With Indonesia And Philippines

By Norhayati Mohd Akhir

SEPANG, July 4 (Bernama) -- Santan, the food and beverage brand under Capital A Bhd, is targeting the ASEAN region for its next phase of international expansion, beginning with Indonesia and the Philippines as early as next year.

Chief executive officer Catherine Goh said the company is currently exploring strategic partnerships to support its regional growth plans. “We’re looking into Indonesia and the Philippines. If we open in Indonesia, we’ll bring our signature dishes, including Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak and Nasi Padang, which is already quite popular there,” she told Bernama after launching the Santan@Food District outlet at KLIA Terminal 2 (T2) today.

The new outlet at gateway@klia2 offers a curated selection of ASEAN favourites and signature inflight meals, served on the ground from RM14.

Goh said Indonesia and the Philippines were chosen for their strong market potential and growing appetite for Santan’s signature dishes among both travellers and locals. “We see opportunities to expand through multiple sales channels, and we welcome partnerships to grow this segment together,” she added.

Santan sold over 500,000 units of its ready-to-eat (RTE) meals last year, with Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak making up the bulk of sales. This year, the company is targeting sales of between 650,000 and 700,000 units to strengthen its foothold in the growing RTE market.

Goh said Santan’s growth strategy includes working closely with regional partners to ensure inclusive development. “We’re all about ASEAN. As we grow, we want our partners to grow with us in the same ecosystem,” she continued.

Established in 2015 as an in-flight catering service, Santan has since expanded into retail and corporate catering.

Backed by a strong product development team, the brand aims to grow its footprint in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, while also offering in-flight services to third-party airlines.

-- BERNAMA