Sasa expands Bakso Vaganza as experiential festival spotlights ID's meatball culture

Sasa has expanded its flagship Bakso Vaganza festival for 2026, doubling the number of participating vendors as the seasoning brand continues to position itself at the heart of Indonesia's culinary culture.

Held on 25-26 July at Plaza Sudirman, Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) in Jakarta, the second edition of Sasa Bakso Vaganza brought together 50 bakso (Indonesian meatball) merchants from across the archipelago - twice the number featured at last year's inaugural event.

Designed as both a consumer festival and a platform for culinary entrepreneurs, the activation showcased traditional, regional and viral bakso concepts while reinforcing Sasa's longstanding association with one of Indonesia's best-loved comfort foods.

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The event grouped participating merchants into three themed categories: Bakso Legendaris, highlighting long-established family recipes; Bakso Nusantara, featuring regional interpretations from across Indonesia; and Bakso Viral, spotlighting businesses that have embraced modern food trends and customer experiences.

According to Sasa, the larger format reflects its commitment to supporting Indonesia's culinary ecosystem by giving small food businesses greater visibility while allowing consumers to explore a wider variety of bakso styles in one location. The company was targeting 14,000 visitors this year.

Agus Nugraha, marketing director of Sasa Inti, said the festival reflects the brand's commitment to showcasing the rich diversity of flavours that make up Indonesia's culinary heritage.

"Through the Sasa Bakso Vaganza festival, we want to recognise culinary entrepreneurs while showcasing the rich variety of flavours found in Indonesian bakso. For Sasa, our long journey alongside the Indonesian people is also part of a story that continues to evolve from one generation to the next," he said.

The festival also serves as a brand-building exercise for Sasa, which has been part of Indonesian kitchens for more than five decades. Throughout the activation, the company reinforced its long-running positioning around the use of Sasa MSG to help create a consistent savoury flavour in bakso, supported by the familiar tagline, "Bakso lezat pasti pakai Sasa MSG" ("Great-tasting bakso is made with Sasa MSG").

Beyond promoting its products, Sasa framed the event within the wider growth of Indonesia's creative economy. Citing data from the ministry of tourism and creative economy, the company noted that the culinary subsector contributes around 41.06% of the country's creative economy gross domestic product, making it one of the sector's largest contributors.

Sasa Inti, founded in 1968 under the Rodamas Group, is an Indonesian food and seasoning FMCG company best known for its MSG, seasoning flour, coconut milk, condiments and seasoning mixes, with a presence in both domestic and international markets.

Discover what's next in Indonesia's fast-moving digital landscape at DMA Indonesia 2026 on 13 October in Jakarta, where marketing leaders will explore how AI, creator ecosystems, social commerce, and omnichannel strategies are reshaping customer engagement and business growth.

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