Supriyanto is a farmer in the Ijen mountain range, where local farmers were once prohibited from planting Arabica coffee. This led to persecution and intimidation by big corporations.
After years of playing cat and mouse, local farmers were eventually allowed to plant Arabica coffee. However, big corporations still tried to monopolise the market by force-purchasing the cherries at a very low price before harvest, causing many farmers to go bankrupt.
Supriyanto and his family were pioneers in the Ijen mountain area, not only planting coffee but also processing it themselves. By processing the coffee cherries on their own, farmers could earn bigger profits and maintain consistent quality. This allowed them to overcome challenges posed by the big corporation and maintain their livelihoods.
We brought two types of coffee beans from Supriyanto. First, La La Laurina, a low caffeine variety as a result of crossbred between Laurina, Kartika, and Bourbon. Second, “Idjen Merdeka”, a coffee that is inspired by Supriyanto’s story of standing up against big corporations.