Sumatra Mandheling is grown on the slopes of Mount Leuser, a volcano near the port of Padang, in the Batak area of Aceh. The Leuser Range is said to be home to one of the most ancient and bio-rich ecosystems on the planet.
Mandheling coffees are named in honor of the Mandailing people, an ethnic group in the Batak area who go by this second spelling.
Sumatra
Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, and Sumatra is the second largest of these. The islands were formed by volcanic activity, and their mineral-rich soil—fortified with volcanic ash and diverse plant life—have helped to make Indonesia’s coffees among the most famous and celebrated around the world. (Sulawesi and Java, which follow Sumatra in land mass, are also spectacular—and perhaps often lumped together in the public conception of “Sumatra.”)
Coffee trees were originally brought to Indonesia in the early 19th century by Dutch colonizers, who sought to break the Arabic monopoly on coffee cultivation. Soon afterward, coffee from Indonesia dominated the world market. By the end of that century, however, disease had completely destroyed the crops. Coffee trees were successfully replanted and quickly gained a large share of the world market until the plantations were ravaged again during World War II.
Giling Basah
Indonesia’s coffees have long been prized for a particular cup profile—a delicate acidity, creamy body and flavors from chocolate and red fruit to earthy, herbal, umami and sweet tobacco. The profile is the result of the country’s unique processing method, called wet hulled, or giling basah, in the Bahasa language.
Giling basah involves hulling the parchment at roughly 50 percent moisture content—versus 10 to 12 percent moisture, as is more common around the world). The parchment is then hulled and bagged and sent to rest—which is also unique to Indonesia. Elsewhere, hulling typically takes places just before the coffee is shipped to the port.
InterAmerican buys Grade 1 Sumatra coffees as Double-Picked (DP) or Triple-Picked (TP), referring to the number of times the coffee is hand-sorted for defects. This extra quality control measure further contributes to a very consistent cup that’ comprised of cherries picked at optimum ripeness.
Suppliers
We rely on a number of suppliers to ensure reliable delivery of certified coffees from Sumatra.
Utamagro
One newer supplier is Utama Sejahtera Agro, or Utamagro, which was created in 2002 and began exporting green coffee to international markets in 2017. It says its mission is to provide the best quality products to customers, and that it’s committed to improving employees’ competence, making its production processes more efficient and embracing emerging technologies.
Utamagro set up a cooperative in Aceh called Koperasi Utamagro Tani Gayo, which exclusively supplies coffee to Utamagro. Utamagro Tani Gayo engages youth from the district, who come from all backgrounds and experiences. The founders were motivated to form a youth initiative within the co-op to address the lack of economic opportunities for young people in the area. The co-op’s primary focus is to advance the economic welfare of its members, as well as to educate them in how to properly run the co-operative. This means looking out for “the welfare of members in particular and society in general.”
KSU Adil Wiladah Mabrur, Koperasi Gayo Mandiri
KSU Adil Wiladah Mabrur and Koperasi Gayo Mandiri are closely associated co-ops. With their Fairtrade premiums, each has purchased agricultural tools (such as weed cutters, machetes, shovels and saws) and invested in environmental education and training (such as erosion avoidance, soil conservation and proper waste disposal).
The co-ops also focus on social programs such as women’s empowerment. The latter has included supporting women during pregnancies by purchasing necessary medical tools, as well as courses to train women in financial management.
Buana Mandiri
Buana Mandiri was formed in 2014 and is still considered a new cooperative. Most of its board and members are young men. The last few years, they’ve been working hard to supply members with personal protective equipment, fertilizer, seedlings and young shade trees, promoting a focus on sustainable farming. They currently have around 1,300 members, whose farms, in the Bener Meriah region, are between 1,200 and 1,400 masl. The cooperative now also has its own mill in Bener Meriah.
Koperasi Petani Kopi Arabika
Koperasi Petani Kopi Arabika (KPKA) Cooperative represents smallholder in Kabupaten Bener Meriah, a regency in Aceh district surrounding lake Takengon. KPKA offers Indonesia Sumatra Mandheling G1 DP Rainforest Alliance. This Arabica Gayo 1 varietal coffee is grown 1200-1400 meters above sea level and harvested April-November.
Putra Tani Berkarya Producer Cooperative (KPPTB)
The Putra Tani Berkarya Producers Cooperative (KPPTB) is located in Aceh Province, in the Bener Meriah district. Established in 2021, the cooperative currently consists of 711 producer members from nine villages across Bener Meriah and Central Aceh. The cooperative has its own Processing Unit and prides itself on maintaining consistent, high-quality products each season. KPPTB has been certified Organic since 2022 and Fairtrade Organic since 2024. These credentials have not only earned them better prices for their coffee but have also improved plantation productivity and the livelihood of producer members.
Still another supplier is the women-owned and -run Kokowago Cooperative.
Cup Characteristics
Mandheling coffees pretty consistently feature notes of chocolate, cedar, sweet tobacco and spice notes, along with a mild or winey acidity and creamy body.
Caption: A coffee farm in Sumatra, photographed during a visit by InterAmerican SVP Kayd Whalen.
