CIRCLE CHANT, Indonesia

The Bloom Coffee Project represents a significant shift in Indonesia’s specialty coffee sector, driven by the urgent need to improve quality and sustainability amidst a changing industry landscape. Centered in regions such as Aceh Tengah in North Sumatra, the initiative moves away from traditional wet hulled processing and encourages experimental methods including washed, honey, and natural techniques. These efforts have produced coffees with greater clarity and complexity, gaining attention from increasingly discerning international markets.

At the core of this transformation is Mr Asman Arianto, founder of the Ribang Gayo Musara Cooperative. Originally from Palembang and having relocated to Aceh Tengah in 1998, Mr Arianto has built a cooperative that now includes over 350 smallholder farmers. His leadership has been instrumental in guiding them toward sustainable farming and modern processing methods. Recognition came in 2019 when a coffee from Pantan Musara placed third at the Sumatra Prestige Cup, achieving a notable score of 88.44. His work stands as a rare success in a region too often overlooked or marginalised.

The Bloom Coffee Project and its partners, including Mr Arianto’s cooperative, regularly participate in global industry events such as World of Coffee Jakarta, offering cuppings to highlight the distinct profiles of Indonesian coffee. Their output is increasingly sought after by specialty roasters abroad, appreciated for flavours that include apricot nectar, tangerine and cane sugar. While progress is being made, the project underscores a deeper truth: that genuine advancement in the coffee trade demands not only innovation, but also a reckoning with long-standing inequalities and systemic neglect.