JP/Wasti Atmodjo

Despite the success of his family’s coffee business, Wirawan Tjahjadi hasn’t stopped to relax, but works hard developing not only his business, but also the local coffee industry.

Wirawan’s father handed him the reins of the Putra Bhineka Perkasa Company in Denpasar in 1993.

“Basically I have to be able to promote the business, both in terms of product taste and distribution. It’s true that this isn’t easy,” said Wirawan, generally called Wewe.

He took his responsibility seriously, setting out to learn everything about coffee, from the ecosystems in which it grows, to planting and harvesting, through to the final processing.

“I learned from zero, starting with the basics about coffee, up to the right way to pour boiling water on the powder. My father said that if I couldn’t distinguish the tastes of coffees and serve them, then how could I sell the product?” said Wewe, who deepened his marketing knowledge by studying at a US university.

“During the early stages my grandfather was a business pioneer. Then my father developed sales overseas so I have concentrated on building an image.”

To support his plans and add value to the business, Wewe built the Bali Coffee House in 2004.

Wewe believes that coffee is more than just a popular beverage with a long history, but also an continuously evolving art form, involving the world’s many varieties of coffees, all originating from two species, Arabica and Robusta.

“I don’t just know their names – I also know their stories,” he said of the beans. “That includes knowing how to make a coffee drink from the best of these many varieties.”

He pointed out that although coffee beans are a natural creation, the final product is a human innovation, as it goes through a long process driven by human creative energy.

“Believe it or not, my father gave me the task of tasting various types of coffee – for three years ... but I had to do that job. I was surprised because I had been living for 13 years in the United States when my father suddenly asked me to come back and take on that job.”

He still maintains that practice. Wewe also requires all his employees, especially the roasters and baristas, to taste every kind of coffee.

“In that way I know exactly how to produce good quality coffee, how long it must be roasted and at what temperature, how many times it needs to be turned and so on. If just a little thing goes wrong, the coffee grade will go down,” he said.

As a result, Wewe said firmly, it is not easy to become one of his workers. It also makes things difficult for potential competitors.

Indonesia is a superior coffee-producing country, he explained, with many varieties, such as Bali, Toraja, Sumatra and Luwak.

“The shame is that we lack people who know about coffee, including how to test for taste. Toraja Coffee and Gayo have been patented by foreigners and we just keep quiet,” he said.

These concerns prompted Wewe establish the Bali Coffee House to serve as a center to provide information and training on beverages and coffee-related merchandise.

He’s also developing organic coffee, having already looked into several local coffee producers, as a way to boost the local industry. He explained that farmers overseas can get a good price because they have sufficient knowledge about coffee, they avoid coffee plantations established through logging and they grow coffee without using chemicals.

“We must adjust to market trends,” he said. “Then later, we won’t have to import coffee beans to give people what they want.”

He added that coffee from Bali, which has a chocolaty taste, has not attracted much overseas interest.

“Coffee from Bali is still far from the quality found in Sumatra and elsewhere, and that includes overseas.”

He said one reason Balinese coffee was not developing was that farmers choose to plant cloves instead, as they fetch a higher price.

The family coffee factory began when Wewe’s grandfather opened a general grocery store in Denpasar, with coffee among its goods. As there were many coffee connoisseurs, he started to make his own coffee powder in small quantities. The business developed, and after Wewe’s father inherited the shop, its coffee sales grew rapidly. They started producing the coffee in big quantities, selling it to other cities and even abroad.

Twenty-five years ago, the factory had to be moved to the outskirts of Denpasar. “Although the business developed rapidly, my father always prioritized local customers and that policy continues.

We don’t depend on tourists, even though our coffees have now spread to hotels and restaurants, and many countries.”

In building his market network in the tourist industry, Wewe shares his knowledge about coffee with restaurants and hotels that have become his partners. He also regularly attends coffee exhibitions here and abroad.

He said that although sales in hotels and restaurants are quite good, local coffees still lack the right image.

“Many hotel guests still choose coffee beans from overseas, although our products are just as good and certainly fresher,” he said. “This is often because managers change frequently, with each manager having his own favorite coffee bean.”

He said Indonesians tended to prefer Robusta coffee, which is thick, black and bitter, whereas foreigners generally prefer the less bitter and black Arabica coffee, which has a lower caffeine content.

Success might not have brought Wewe time off, but, he said, it does bring prestige.

Signs of his success are gaining ISO certification in 2008 and patenting his own coffees, but also having other companies copy his products — not that he is bothered.

“Sooner or later people will learn for themselves what is good quality and original, and what isn’t,” he said.

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