Instant noodle boom in Indonesia : A commodity chain analysis study

This commodity analysis chain study aiming to understand the trajectory of food transformation particularly instant noodles in Indonesia. Without cultural relation to the country’s food tradition instant noodle success to become one of the most consume food after rice in. This study identifies politic, economic and environmental aspects within each node through history and time. The initial creation of instant noodle was highly related with the postwar food regime lead by the US and political view shifting in the country. Post the era, the commodity being politicized and monopolized by certain actors namely the president, government body of logistic affairs and private sector. This monopolized enable by nepotism practices occurred in almost all node of the commodity chain. Instant noodle then success to establish itself in Indonesia food culture even after the loss of its monopolistic nature in the era of market liberalization. The effect of this commodity to the environment, particularly carbon emissions occur within logistic process materialized in the noodle production and distribution and retailer node. Annually this practice contribute at least 0.005 percent of carbon emissions to the total global emissions.