Butter Baby, a Jakarta-born bakery and dessert brand, unveiled a permanent 50-foot chrome-plated sculpture at Terminal 3 in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta on Friday.
The monumental installation, marking Butter Baby’s most ambitious project to date, establishes a new landmark within one of Southeast Asia’s busiest airports and represents the next phase of growth for the rapidly expanding Butter Bay universe as the brand sets its sights beyond Indonesia.
The unveiling was accompanied by a large-scale performance and activation that transformed the airport into an immersive “Butterlandia” experience. The event began with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and unveiling of the statue by founders Nick and Henry Burch (Tory Burch’s sons), alongside Teuku Riefky Harsya, the minister of creative economy of the Republic of Indonesia.
The Butter Baby scene at the airport.
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“We welcome this creative installation as a symbol of intellectual property, ready to grow and gain recognition around the world,” said Harsya.
Following the big reveal, six hostesses emerged from the newly opened Butter Baby store carrying chrome trays topped with doughnuts. During the final lap, one hostess appeared to trip and spill them across the floor in a choreographed theatrical fall, abruptly stopping the celebration and startling onlookers.
Moments later, a gong signaled a fictional airport announcement informing guests that the scheduled flight to Butterlandia had been canceled and directed them to a Butter Baby check-in counter for a complimentary gift. As whispers of “Butter Baby” spread through the crowd, hundreds of performers in bright yellow suits emerged throughout the airport and gathered around the sculpture in a choreographed ritual chanting to the music. The performance culminated with the arrival of the Butter Baby mascot, who was welcomed by the performers at the center of the gathering. The performers then dispersed throughout the crowd interacting with guests and posing for photos.
The 50-foot chrome-plated sculpture.
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The activation drew thousands of guests and further cemented Butter Baby’s growing cultural presence in Jakarta and globally.
“Jakarta is not where Butter Baby’s story ends. The departure gate is where Butter Baby’s story begins — and global expansion starts,” said Shane Lewis, chief executive officer of Butter Baby.
The 50-foot chrome statue, fabricated by Co-Museum, weighs 7 tons and is made of stainless steel.
“Seeing Nick and Henry’s vision for Butter Baby come to life at this scale has been incredibly rewarding. What began as a creative idea became a yearlong journey involving more than 20 specialists working together to realize a 7-ton stainless steel sculpture,” said Chaw Wei Yang, founder of Co-Museum.
Hostesses were giving out Butter Baby doughnuts.
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The statue’s unveiling follows Butter Baby’s viral pop-up, “Better Than You Know What” held in Los Angeles in December, which featured exclusive collaborative doughnuts and merchandise with influencers.
Butter Baby’s culinary team includes former food and beverage leadership from Aman Resorts and world-renowned pastry chef Dedy Sutan, with offerings spanning doughnuts, salt bread, soft serve, drinks, coffee, tea and cold brew.
Long-term plans include expanding Butter Baby beyond food into a broader universe encompassing toys, collectibles, and consumer products. Upcoming projects are planned across South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
One hostess appears to trip and spill doughnuts in a chroreographed theatrical fall.
Courtesy image
Friday’s event was attended by creators, artists, cultural figures, and fans from across the world and locally, including NCT 127 member Jaehyun, Thai actor and musician Bright, Japanese musician and creator Tokyo Sims, content creators Sean Solo and Jay Guapõ, alongside Indonesian celebrities such as Luna Maya and Willie Salim.
The activation drew thousands of guests.
To commemorate the grand opening, Butter Baby has released Blind Box Series 1, featuring seven collectible characters in different outfits and moods that capture the playfulness of the viral character. Fans can also enter an online drawing for an opportunity to win one of only 10 signed charms by NCT 127 star Jaehyun.
