The increasing trend of coffee consumption in Indonesia has altered in the type of coffee consumed. Coffee consumers began to be interested in specialty coffee. Indonesian people themselves benefit because Indonesia is one of the largest specialty coffee producers in the world. Therefore Indonesia has many types of specialty coffee.
The development of the specialty coffee began with the end of the international coffee agreement in 1989. This increased the opportunity for international coffee roasting companies and international coffee retailers to diversify their products, which became known as the specialty coffee market. The specialty coffee market continues to grow because specialty coffee has a higher price than other coffee. The price of specialty coffee is more influenced by the quality of coffee, both physical and taste, and also consumer confidence in specialty coffee products. The retail company sells the coffee according to the name of the region where the coffee is produced or cultivated. In addition, the specialty coffee also has product certification.
Some specialty coffees produced in Indonesia are Gayo coffee – Aceh, Mandheling coffee – North Sumatra, Java coffee – East Java, Toraja and Kalosi coffee – South Sulawesi, Bajawa coffee – Flores and so on. Even one of Indonesia’s specialty coffees, Toraja coffee, has been the most expensive coffee in the international coffee market because of the quality of the coffee flavor. The high price of specialty coffee has encouraged Indonesia to develop exotic types of coffee that have a distinctive taste. The latest specialty coffees that recently developed are Solok coffee – West Sumatra and Preanger coffee – West Java. Generally, this specialty coffee is produced from wet processing (Wet Process/WP) or half wet (semi wash process).
Although Indonesia is a large specialty coffee producer, but the level of specialty coffee consumption in Indonesia is not high enough. Most of the specialty coffee consumer countries are developed countries. In 2000, retail sales of specialty coffee beans earned USD 2.5M. While sales of specialty coffee drinks earned USD 5.4M. This number continues to increase because in the last 15 years specialty coffee has become a lifestyle in many countries in the world.
This specialty coffee trend then makes the coffee shops no longer only serve latte or cappuccino but also specialty coffee. Excelso Café as one of the leading coffee shops in Indonesia has a variety of specialty coffee menus. Starting from abroad such as Jamaican Blue Mountain and Brazilian Santos, then Indonesian specialties such as Sumatra Mandheling, Java Arabica, Kalosi Toraja, to the much-sought specific coffee, Luwak Coffee.
Source: Kopi “Sejarah, Botani, Proses Produksi, Pengolahan, Produk Hilir dan Sistem Kemitraan”, Pusat Penelitian dan Kakako Indonesia.
