Years ago, long before I was slurping my way through a table of coffee samples or slinging lattes behind an espresso machine, I used to work in a non-profit organization where I facilitated international exchanges for working professionals. These programs were meant to connect folks in similar fields so that they could share ideas, or maybe even find ways to collaborate with one another. I loved being able to make those connections for people, but I had always wondered what it would be like to be a participant in one of the programs. So, you can imagine my excitement when I was lucky to experience a similar diplomatic program through the Consulate of Indonesia. In an effort to raise more awareness of Indonesian coffee, Andytown, along with a few other coffee businesses, was invited to a trip to Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi to learn about their coffee production.
While the main purpose of the trip to Toraja was to learn about coffee, it was also just as important for us to learn about the local culture and do some sight seeing. The Torajan people are known for their elaborate funeral rites and rituals, and here, we are near the Loko’ Mata stone burial. (For those of you wondering, we made sure we were not standing on a grave when we took this photo!). Left to right: Kevin from Blue Bottle, Corazon, Evan from Royal Coffee, Rizka and Nursiani from the Consulate of Indonesia.
On this trip, I had the opportunity to visit coffee estates, processing stations, meet with farmer cooperatives, and tasted a lot of excellent coffee. If there’s anything that I wanted people to know, it’s that the flavors of Indonesian coffee are as rich and diverse as the many cultures that make the Republic. Upon returning to San Francisco, we started putting more effort into sourcing Indonesian coffee. And this year, we’re happy to have three offerings!
More than 40 guests including officials from the State of California and City of San Francisco, members of diplomatic corps, and business persons in SF Bay Area attended this event. Park visitors and Andytown regulars also stopped by to try some coffee and snacks!
I’ve kept in touch with the Consulate, and when I told them about what we’ve been able to accomplish, they wanted to celebrate our collective efforts in bring Indonesian coffee to the forefront. On Monday, September 19th, they hosted a small public gathering at the Salesforce Park next to our 181 Freemont café. The Transbay Joint Power Authority (TJPA) partnered with us and made sure we had plenty of space, tables, chairs and electricity to help make this event a success. Visitors were able to taste all three Indonesian coffees on our menu, alongside tasty Indonesian pastries provided by NUSA.
The event also featured a traditional Balinese dance! At this event, Consul General Simon D.I. Soekarno shared that his time in San Francisco is coming to end, and he’ll be starting his new assignment soon. I wish him the best of luck, and give my sincerest thanks for inviting me to Indonesia. I’m so grateful for the cultural and educational experience, and I’m glad that it’s given me the opportunity to connect with coffee producers in Indonesia. I’m excited to see our relationships with Belift Green Beans and Poda & Goodel Indonesia, and to continue to spread the world about Indonesian coffee in the coming years.
Sometimes, sourcing coffee from specific countries like Indonesia and building relationships can be a few years in the making. But it’s well worth the effort, and it’s so exciting when we finally see things come to fruition!
