Experience the Richness of Bean to Cup at Starbucks: Savor Blissful Coffee with Majestic Mount Sinabung as Your Stunning Backdrop in North Indonesia!
North Sumatra, located near the Equator, boasts a tropical climate characterized by sudden rains that keep temperatures moderate while enhancing humidity levels. This unique weather fosters a lush, verdant landscape ideal for coffee cultivation, making it a hotspot for coffee enthusiasts. The journey to the Starbucks Farmer Support Center (FSC) in Dolat Rayat, a two-hour drive from the bustling city of Medan, reveals colorful roadside stalls. These vibrant vendors offer a diverse array of local fruits, from durian and avocados to snake fruit and betel nuts, alongside cozy coffee shops reminiscent of India’s beloved chai stalls.
Upon arriving at the FSC, the welcoming team presents an array of fruits, including sweet mangosteen and passion fruit-both noted for their exceptional flavor. However, our main focus quickly shifts to coffee. A brief walk from the fruit display leads us to a coffee nursery, where we encounter a goat pen. The goats thrive on the farm, particularly the playful kids, who eagerly engage visitors for leafy treats. One particularly affectionate kid stands out, enjoying head scratches and gently nibbling on hands.
At the nursery, we observe the intricate life cycle of coffee beans, from seed to sapling. Following this introduction, we participate in a coffee cupping session led by Brittany Zeller, coffee development lead for Global Coffee and Sustainability at Starbucks. The process of cupping-a technique akin to wine tasting-focuses on recognizing the drink’s aroma, flavor, and texture. Zeller emphasizes that personal tasting notes may vary, stating, “Your notes need not match mine. It all depends on what flavor palate of yours is awakened at the moment.”
During the session, I detect a medley of fruity and spicy notes, including jackfruit, banana, and peach, influenced by the coffee’s fermentation process. After analyzing the coffee’s flavors, we set out to witness its growth firsthand, visiting a first-generation coffee farm in Cimbang owned by Ngamanken Pelawi and his wife, Junita Br Surbakti. The farm, situated just 14 kilometers from Mount Sinabung, showcases dragon and snake fruit orchards, where avocado trees grow as abundantly as neem trees do in India.
The couple’s journey into coffee farming was shaped by adversity; their mandarin orchard was devastated by the volcanic eruption of Mount Sinabung in 2016, burying it in ash. However, a nearby untouched farm inspired them to explore coffee cultivation through Starbucks’ sapling distribution program. Pelawi promptly acquired saplings, and his success with the crop was undeniable. Within just four years, they experienced a significant harvest, and in ten years, their farm’s income had grown tenfold. Junita aptly expresses the benefits, saying, “To me, the coffee plantation is like going to the bank-you harvest, you earn.”
Starbucks’ support has continued to transform the couple’s farming practices through education in natural pest management, tree canopy pruning, and selecting appropriate support crops. Given the remote terrain of Sumatra, most coffee production occurs on small family plots, with decentralized processing where beans are dried and pulped locally before reaching regional mills.
As our visit concludes, Pelawi graciously walks us through the harvest and pulping stages before sharing a cup of freshly brewed coffee alongside ripe bananas from his garden. Interestingly, dragon fruits are cultivated using trellises equipped with light bulbs, which farmers activate on cloudy days or at night to simulate daylight and promote growth-a testament to their dedication to sustainable farming practices.
This insightful experience in North Sumatra underscores the region’s significance in the coffee world and highlights the transformative power of sustainable agriculture, especially within Starbucks’ initiatives.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/food/features/bean-to-cup-with-starbucks-in-north-indonesia-with-the-active-mount-sinabung-in-the-backdrop/article69730886.ece
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Publish Date: 2025-07-04 15:42:00
