Indonesia’s free nutritious meals program is already on the track to surpass McDonald’s in the number of meals served daily, highlighting the initiative as both a major social intervention and a new driver of economic growth.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has said the country’s free nutritious meals program is already on the track, surpassing McDonald’s in the number of meals served daily, highlighting the initiative as both a major social intervention and a new driver of economic growth.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday (Jan. 22), the president said Indonesia’s current development strategy combines social protection, downstreaming of natural resources, and efforts to achieve food and energy self-sufficiency, all supported by strong oversight and capable leadership.

“In the first two months of my administration, we carried out a vigorous efficiency programme,” the head of state said.

“We saved 18 billion U.S. dollars by stopping inefficient and dubious programs from our budget, and redirected these funds to projects that directly improve livelihoods and impact all of the society.”

One of the flagship programs funded through those savings is the free nutritious meals initiative, which officially began on January 6, 2025, targeting pregnant and lactating mothers, infants, children, and elderly people living alone.

He noted that the program started modestly, with 190 kitchens producing around 570,000 meals per day. Within a year, however, it has expanded rapidly across the archipelago.

“Today, in one year, we have achieved 21,102 kitchens serving nationwide,” he said, adding that “as of last night, we are producing 59.8 million meals for 59.8 million children, mothers and elderly living alone. They receive these meals every day”.

He added that within about a month, Indonesia’s daily meal production would exceed McDonald’s global output of around 68 million meals per day, underscoring the unprecedented scale of the government-run program.

“To put this into context, in about a month’s time, we will surpass McDonald’s,” the president said, noting that “this year, we aim to serve 82.9 million meals a day”.

According to Presiden Prabowo, all Indonesian children benefit from the program, from the prenatal stage through the age of 18. Meals for pregnant and lactating mothers, as well as elderly individuals living alone, are delivered directly to their homes.

Drawing a comparison with the global fast-food giant, he said that McDonald’s opened its first kitchen in 1940 and took several decades to reach its current scale.

“To reach 68 million meals, it took them five decades more. We will reach 82.9 million, I hope, by the end of December 2026,” he said.

Beyond its social impact, the president emphasized the program’s contribution to economic growth. He said more than 61,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives are now integrated into the supply chain.

“We are creating more than 600,000 jobs just at the kitchens,” he said, adding that at peak operation the program could generate up to 1.5 million direct jobs, including those for vendors and suppliers.

He expounded that more than one million additional livelihoods are expected to be supported.

“This is why I am convinced that our growth will reach impressive numbers,” President Prabowo said, concluding that the free nutritious meals program is strengthening both Indonesia’s human capital and its economy.

Reporting by Indonesia Window