Grab urges QSRs to serve affordability demand

Indonesia’s shifting economy requires brands to innovate around low-cost meals and evolving customer behaviour.

As macroeconomic pressures reshape Indonesia’s consumer landscape, affordability is emerging as the dominant trend in the quick service restaurant (QSR) space, according to Rizkie Maulana Putra, Director of Commercial at Grab Indonesia.

“One of the main keywords I've been hearing from many analysts and many stakeholders in the industry, especially for the Indonesia market, is affordability,” Putra said. “We know all the macroeconomics say that the middle class is shrinking and the lower class is getting bigger.”

Putra urged QSR brands to shift their focus and rethink how to serve price-sensitive segments. “How can we tap into that market?” he asked. “Affordability is the main keyword that we need to look around and then try to capitalise from there.”

But affordability presents its own challenges. “It might be challenging, because affordability means you need to sell a very affordable product. Means low AOV, which is not a guarantee that the volume will be huge,” he said.

Putra stressed the role of R&D and partnerships to make low-cost innovation feasible. “The homework is on how you can create a meal that can serve the purpose… with an affordable price,” he said. “Working with platforms like us and the other delivery platforms… we can bring value to the partners.”