Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia facts for kids
The Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia (SCAI) is a group that helps everyone involved in Indonesia's coffee world. This includes coffee farmers, people who process coffee, those who roast it, baristas (coffee makers), traders, and even coffee shops. SCAI focuses on Coffea arabica coffee in Indonesia.
The organization started in 2007. By October 2020, it had more than 800 active members. SCAI's motto is "Excellence in Diversity." This is because Indonesia has many different kinds of coffee. The motto also shows that SCAI's members come from many different backgrounds. But they all share the same goal: to make Indonesia's coffee industry even better.
Indonesia's Coffee Production
Indonesia is one of the biggest coffee producers in the world. It is the fourth largest exporter of coffee. In 2017, Indonesia produced 648,000 metric tons of coffee. That's about 10.8 million bags of coffee!
About 70% of this coffee is sent to other countries. The rest is enjoyed by people in Indonesia. Of the coffee exported, about 25% is Coffea arabica. The rest is Coffea canephora, also known as Robusta.
The market for specialty coffee is a big chance for Indonesia's coffee industry to grow. Specialty coffee is high-quality coffee with unique flavors. In the U.S., specialty coffee has become much more popular. Its market share grew from 1% to 20% in 25 years.
Indonesian Robusta coffee also has a special taste. This makes "Fine Robusta" from Indonesia very popular among coffee lovers. Farmers are now carefully picking red coffee cherries. They process these cherries using special methods. This hard work pays off with amazing flavors and higher prices for their coffee.
What Does SCAI Do?
SCAI members export a lot of Indonesia's Arabica coffee. They export about 45% of it. This coffee is worth more than $65 million! This is based on an average price of $3,200 per metric ton for Indonesian specialty coffee.
More than 8,000 Indonesian farmers have joined SCAI. They do this through their local cooperatives. Coffee shops that are SCAI members often take part in barista championships. They act as judges and competitors. SCAI can even send its best baristas to compete in world championships.
SCAI encourages its members to join regular training programs. They work with international groups for these trainings. Members also take part in many events, both in Indonesia and around the world.
In 2017, SCAI started "Coffee for Earth." This project teaches local people near forests how to grow coffee without harming the environment. SCAI works with government groups, research centers, and private companies on this project.
For hundreds of years, Arabica coffee from Indonesia has been used in many coffee blends. For example, Mocha Java is a famous blend from the 18th century. It mixes Yemeni coffee with Indonesian coffee.
Sometimes, dishonest sellers mix Indonesian coffee with cheaper coffee from other places. This can confuse buyers. SCAI is working to stop this. They help create geographical indications for Indonesian Arabica coffee. These are like special labels that prove where the coffee comes from.
By 2020, there were more than 30 geographical indications for Indonesian coffee. More areas will get them soon. SCAI is also working on "Digital Traceability." This uses technology like Blockchain. It helps make sure consumers know exactly where their Indonesian coffee comes from.
SCAI also works with groups from other countries to make Indonesian specialty coffee even better. In 2008, SCAI hosted the Director of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). They provided training on how to certify coffee quality.
SCAI works closely with important groups in the coffee industry. In 2008, SCAI signed an agreement with the International Relations Council of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. In 2016, SCAI joined forces with other Southeast Asian countries in the ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF).
See also
- Indonesian coffee
- Arabica coffee production in Indonesia
