Key takeaways
- Indonesia’s espresso consumption has tripled because the pandemic.
- Inexpensive home chains are bridging road stalls and premium espresso.
- Specialty espresso tradition is spreading past Jakarta to main cities.
- Indonesian espresso codecs are gaining traction in worldwide markets.
Indonesia, presently ranked the world’s fifth-largest espresso producer with plans to surpass Vietnam, is consuming extra espresso. Its consumption has tripled since earlier than the pandemic, making Indonesia the world’s fifth-largest espresso shopper.
Traditionally, a lot of the espresso Indonesians drank was removed from specialty-grade. Decrease-quality robusta was sometimes roasted darkish to masks overly bitter flavours. Sweeteners, condensed milk, sugar, and spices had been frequent additions, significantly in conventional kopitiam cafés, the place these drinks stay well-liked at present.
The second wave of espresso arrived in Indonesia within the early 2000s, and style preferences started to shift. Massive worldwide chains launched customers to espresso-based drinks, however initially, a single cup usually value greater than 30% of the median day by day earnings.
With Indonesia posting its quickest financial progress within the final three years, nonetheless, demand for higher-quality espresso is rising quickly. Home chains have bridged the hole between road stalls and premium manufacturers, providing better-quality espresso at accessible costs. Kopi Kenangan, based in 2017 with the idea of “third-wave espresso style at second-wave costs,” had expanded to roughly 900 shops nationwide by early 2025.
“With the brand new wave of specialty espresso and Indonesia’s financial progress, extra customers, particularly youthful generations, began to embrace espresso as a life-style, supported by the rise of reasonably priced native espresso manufacturers and trendy cafés,” says Kangmin Kim, the Mission Supervisor at Exporum, an occasion organiser, which organised World of Espresso Jakarta in 2025.
“On the similar time, urbanisation, rising incomes, and handy codecs like grab-and-go and ready-to-drink espresso have made espresso an on a regular basis behavior somewhat than an occasional deal with.”
You may additionally like our article on how specialty espresso is taking up in Turkey.
Indonesia has emerged as a espresso powerhouse
Indonesia is among the world’s most established espresso producers. It grows each arabica and robusta espresso, contributing round 5% of worldwide espresso exports and producing over US$1.5 bn in export income.
At present progress charges of round 5% a yr, it’s additionally Asia’s fastest-rising espresso consuming market, projected to achieve a possible worth of US$12.6bn by 2030.
Its deep-rooted espresso consuming tradition established a strong basis for this explosive progress. “The nation additionally has a excessive Muslim inhabitants, so espresso is the drink of selection for many individuals,” says Moelyono Soesilo, the founding father of PT. Sumber Kurnia Alam, a specialty espresso exporter in Indonesia.
Historically, consumption was centered round warungs (small street-side distributors), house gatherings, and kopitiams (native espresso homes that provide meals), which usually serve lower-quality espresso. Nevertheless, as small cafés and home chains have proliferated throughout the nation, significantly in main cities, extra folks have been uncovered to higher-quality choices.
“Indonesia has one of many highest numbers of cafés and low stalls on the earth,” Moelyono says. “Extra began opening following the discharge of a 2015 movie Filosofi Kopi, which follows two buddies managing a specialty espresso store in Jakarta.
“It made the barista career extra interesting to youthful generations, and extra folks began speaking about single origin espresso,” he provides. “Round 40% of the inhabitants is younger, between 20 and 40 years outdated, they usually have greater spending energy to purchase higher espresso.”
Specialty espresso takes root
Jakarta’s specialty scene, specifically, has moved properly past accessible chain espresso. The capital is now house to internationally recognised cafés, roasters, and baristas which might be pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Mikael Jasin, the 2024 World Barista Champion and three-time Indonesia Barista Champion, owns Omakafé in Jakarta, an omakase-style espresso boutique that showcases multi-course specialty espresso experiences.
Jasin can be Chief of Espresso Innovation at Fore Espresso, one in every of Indonesia’s most profitable specialty espresso chains. Fore raised Rp 353.44bn (roughly US$21m) in its preliminary public providing on the Indonesia Inventory Change.
Following the itemizing, Fore launched a brand new idea retailer in Panglima Polim, South Jakarta, serving single origin espresso from a few of Indonesia’s most famous rising areas. Central to the outlet is a gradual bar, the place baristas educate clients on origin, flavour profile, and totally different brewing strategies.
Occasions are additionally supporting the expansion of Indonesia’s specialty espresso scene. World of Espresso Jakarta befell in Could 2025, marking the primary time a WoC commerce present was held in Indonesia. The subsequent version will happen in Bangkok, Thailand, from 7 to 9 Could 2026.
“What stood out through the occasion was the sturdy ardour for espresso and the speedy diversification of the specialty espresso scene, with an growing variety of manufacturers every taking a singular strategy,” Kangmin says.
Specialty espresso consumption can be rising exterior of the capital. Extra espresso retailers and roasters are opening in main cities like Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, and Bali. Specialty chains like Expat. Roasters are increasing quickly in these areas, introducing homegrown and imported specialty espresso to extra folks with airport and drive-thru places.
Progress is predicted to proceed
In line with knowledge from the USDA, Indonesia’s 2024/25 espresso consumption was predicted to rise by 10,000 60kg baggage to 4.8 million in complete, as each branded and specialty espresso retailers and roasters provide customers extra selection than ever earlier than.
“Curiously, progress isn’t restricted to high-end specialty cafés,” Kangmin says. “Inexpensive grab-and-go ideas, comparable to comfort retailer manufacturers like FamiCafé, are additionally increasing rapidly, displaying that Indonesia’s espresso market has important room to develop in a number of instructions.”
In the end, that is creating a posh, mature, multi-layered espresso market with room for additional diversification.
Indonesia’s success as a coffee-consuming nation has been inherent to its id. Prepared-to-drink merchandise, candy iced drinks, and kiosks have pushed progress simply as a lot as third wave espresso retailers. The pandemic supercharged these habits, with takeaway and on-line espresso gross sales rising by greater than 5% as customers embraced supply apps, and common orders leaping from one cup to 3 per transaction.
With stories that the nation’s espresso exports have declined lately (most notably as a result of decreases in espresso manufacturing), there are indicators that extra Indonesians are consuming higher-quality homegrown espresso – growing the potential for worth addition.
A rising worldwide affect
Because the Indonesian market matures, its affect can be spreading internationally.
Kopi Kenangan was among the many first to develop abroad, now working in India, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Different manufacturers like Fore have opened in Singapore, capitalising on Southeast Asia’s booming espresso market.
Extra Indonesian-inspired and owned specialty espresso retailers are opening within the US, which imports round 12% of Indonesia’s espresso – making it a key marketplace for worldwide attain. Cafés comparable to Kopiku in San Francisco, DUA DC in Washington D.C., and Hijau in San Jose are showcasing Indonesian espresso tradition and shifting perceptions past the acquainted Sumatran flavour profiles and kopi luwak associations.
“Globalisation and social media make it simpler for a worldwide viewers to find Southeast Asian meals and drinks,” Kangmin says. For specialty espresso retailers seeking to differentiate, menu objects comparable to kopi susu, pandan lattes, and palm sugar (gula merah) syrups are proving well-liked.
“By celebrating native flavours, tales, and consuming habits, whereas adapting specialty espresso to suit on a regular basis existence and value factors, Indonesia has proven that authenticity and accessibility can drive broad, sustainable progress,” Kangmin says.
Indonesian chains are starting to check regional waters, exporting their candy iced-coffee codecs to neighbouring markets the place palates align. With world shopper curiosity in Southeast Asian flavours persevering with to develop, those self same codecs carry potential properly past Asia.
Indonesia’s specialty espresso is prospering, taking maintain in cities past Jakarta, whereas homegrown chains check worldwide markets. Progress spans a number of value factors, from comfort retailer kiosks to omakase espresso experiences.
With a younger inhabitants, rising incomes, and a coffee-drinking tradition that predates specialty, Indonesia has the situations to maintain this trajectory. The query now isn’t whether or not the market will develop, however how far its affect will attain globally.
Loved this? Then learn our article on why India’s specialty espresso market reveals promise.
Picture credit: Exporum, Specialty Espresso Affiliation
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