Indonesian Coffee Hits USD 3 Million of Potential Transactions in Thailand

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has achieved positive results in promoting coffee in international markets. Its participation in World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 generated potential transactions worth USD 3.89 million (approximately IDR 66 billion) through purchase commitments for hundreds of tons of coffee from buyers in various countries.

These preliminary agreements were formalized in a Letter of Intent (LoI) to purchase 337 metric tons of Indonesian coffee.

A total of 60 prospective buyers from Thailand, the Netherlands, South Korea, Canada, the United States (US), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Oman, India, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Finland, and Taiwan took part in the business discussions.

Indonesian Trade Attaché in Bangkok, Rafika Arfani, said the World of Coffee Bangkok event served as an effective platform to connect Indonesian exporters with potential global buyers.

“Visitors’ enthusiasm for Indonesian coffee was very high, as reflected in the numerous business commitments secured during the exhibition,” Rafika said in a statement in Bangkok on Wednesday, June 17, as quoted on the Ministry of Trade’s official website.

Ahead of the exhibition, Rafika highlighted several procedures required to bring coffee samples into Thailand, including permits from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Commerce, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and customs authorities. The same requirements apply to all coffee importers entering the Thai market.

The Indonesian Pavilion, initiated by Bank Indonesia (BI), the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, and the Ministry of Trade, featured 10 booths at Hall EH 99. The pavilion combined a coffee-drying area, product exhibition space, and business meeting facilities.

Barista demonstrations were also organized to showcase the characteristics and flavors of Indonesian coffee directly to potential buyers.

Twenty coffee businesses mentored by BI participated, representing producing regions from Aceh to Papua. They were selected through a rigorous curation process from 189 prospective participants conducted by the Coffee Laboratory 5758.

The pavilion was officially opened by Indonesian Ambassador to Thailand Hari Prabowo, who emphasized Thailand’s growing coffee market.

He noted that Thai coffee consumption nearly doubled in the past two years, from 180 cups to 340 cups per capita annually, while domestic production of 15,600 tons per year remains far below the demand of more than 90,000 tons.

“These conditions make Thailand a highly prospective market for Indonesian coffee to expand its export reach and strengthen its position in Southeast Asia,” Hari explained.

Business owners also benefited from the exhibition. I Komang Sukarsana, owner of Bali Arabica, said World of Coffee provided a strategic opportunity to expand networks and observe global coffee processing trends.

“Through World of Coffee supported by Bank Indonesia, we can connect directly with farmers and roasteries, making the supply chain shorter and more efficient,” he said. Bali Arabica products are already marketed in Kuwait, South Korea, Japan, and the US.

Titis Budi Prihatin, representing CV Mandiri Kopi from North Sumatra, said the Thai public’s enthusiasm for coffee was evident. “Through this exhibition, we met directly with traders, roasteries, and major importers who showed strong interest in Indonesian coffee,” he said.

World of Coffee, organized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), is one of the world’s most prestigious coffee exhibitions. It serves as a strategic platform for global industry players to build partnerships and introduce products to buyers, roasters, and importers.

SCA’s reputation as organizer of the World Barista Championship further strengthens the event’s standing in the global coffee industry.

During the exhibition, the Indonesian Trade Attaché facilitated a business-matching session between Indonesian participants and Café Amazon, Thailand’s largest coffee chain under PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (PTTOR).

Café Amazon expressed interest in exploring cooperation and coffee supply from Indonesia, including Gayo coffee from Aceh, which is well-suited to the Thai market. ***