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Krakakoa wants to make Indonesian chocolate a global taste
Amid Indonesia’s industrialization fervor, Krakakoa founder Sabrina Mustopo recognized untapped potential in processing the country’s natural products, like cacao.
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Krakakoa sources its cacao beans mainly from Lampung and West Sulawesi, while also collaborating with established cooperatives in Bali and Aceh. (Courtesy of/Krakakoa)
“Thinking big means recognizing Indonesia’s unique position fueled by abundant natural products that can still make a significant impact,” Krakakoa founder Sabrina Mustopo told The Jakarta Post on May 3, reflecting on the genesis of her chocolate company 11 years ago.
Amid Indonesia’s industrialization fervor, Sabrina recognized untapped potential in processing the country’s natural products, such as cacao.
The beans were an often “overlooked” commodity for value creation, she said, while stressing regard for pressing issues such as climate change and ethical production.
Indonesia was the world’s third-largest producer of cacao, after the Ivory Coast and Ghana, yet its chocolate remained obscure on the global stage, Sabrina said.
This lack of recognition for local produce while high-end chocolate was being imported from Europe fueled Sabrina’s vision: “As an Indonesian, I wondered: where’s all the Indonesian chocolate?”
The vast majority of the world’s chocolate was created by large-scale foreign producers using big machines and creating uniform flavors, she explained, while Indonesian products with cacao sourced from various regions of the archipelago remained less popular.
Sabrina tried to explain why Indonesian cacao beans were considered inferior to African varieties, but added that it was a complex issue and that “it’s hard to judge.”
