KBRN, Yogyakarta: Nabati Nusantara, in collaboration with Bantul-based vegan culinary SME Simple Plant Kitchen, set a new precedent at JogjaROCKarta Festival 2025 by becoming the first food and beverage tenant dedicated to plant-based education.

Held at Kridosono Stadium on December 6–7, the initiative aimed to raise awareness among thousands of festival-goers about the benefits of plant-based eating for the environment, social justice, and animal welfare.

Operating under the tagline “Loud Music, Loud Impact, Zero Waste,” the Nabati Nusantara booth offered a 100% whole-food plant-based menu featuring modern, innovative dishes. The booth also highlighted how food choices contribute to the climate crisis, deforestation, and animal exploitation.

A strong commitment to sustainability was evident in its zero-waste approach. All serving ware was compostable, including corn-starch cups, sugarcane pulp plates lined with banana leaves, and wooden spoons.

Bandizt, bassist for Shaggydog, owner of Simple Plant Kitchen, and co-founder of Nabati Nusantara, emphasized the booth’s historic significance. “The presence of this booth is a historic moment, not only for JogjaROCKarta but also for large-scale music festivals in Indonesia,” he said.

He added that the initiative showed how music can align with a conscious, sustainable, and compassionate lifestyle. Notably, all menu items were prepared without palm oil, underscoring opposition to deforestation driven by palm oil expansion.

Angelina Pane, co-founder and Executive Director of Nabati Nusantara, addressed the ecological consequences of palm oil expansion, including shrinking rainforests and worsening floods in Sumatra.

“We invite the public, including musicians and music fans, to be more critical of policies that continue to push palm oil expansion amid the climate crisis, because everyone is affected,” she said.

The booth drew support from prominent musicians and public figures such as Stephanus Adjie (Down For Life), Melanie Subono, Paul (Rebellion Rose), Roy Agus (Death Vomit), Hendi “Skinhead Bop,” and Hasbi (The Glad). Videos of their endorsements were shared on Nabati Nusantara’s social media.

Humanitarian activist and vegan musician Melanie Subono praised the initiative: “What is good for the earth is definitely good for us.” She urged festival-goers to align their actions with their values. Adjie echoed this sentiment, warning, “There will be no music on a dead planet,” while applauding the booth’s climate-friendly menu and packaging.

The booth’s reach extended internationally when Whitfield Crane, vocalist of Ugly Kid Joe, requested its menu after performing. Crane, a plant-based advocate, publicly supported the movement, showing its resonance beyond Indonesia.

Adding an interactive element, Nabati Nusantara distributed educational booklets styled with a Helloween band theme, inspired by the group’s vegan members.

Reflecting on the event, Bandizt expressed optimism: “Music festivals can be a strategic space to spread awareness of a more just food future for humans, animals, and the earth. This movement must continue, and we are open to future collaborations.” ***