While in Indonesia, I had the privilege of visiting an 81-year-old coffee factory in Bandung which is an institution in itself. The very existence of this company is like a finger to all the Starbucks outlets around the world. Not that the owner is that kind of a person.

The first thing that strikes you when you see the place, is that time has stood still. Nothing seems to have changed since the 1930s. Traditional equipment is still being used, and there is none of the commercialization that companies like Starbucks reek of (i.e. no mugs, baseball caps, or other similar merchandise). Instead, the only smell you get is that of coffee. Pure and simple.

In a nutshell, Koffie Fabriek Aroma (Coffee Factory Aroma, in Dutch) was started in 1930 by Tan Houw Sian, who learnt the ropes of the coffee business while working for a Dutch coffee plantation and factory. Suffice to say, the son of the founder now runs the place, and has been doing so since his father passed on the business to him in 1971.

Widyapratama is as proud of this 81-year-old establishment as a father of a newborn child…and rightly so, for the factory is rich in history and tradition. When we got there, there was a queue of people at the counter waiting to buy coffee, be it for personal consumption or for resale.

The only reason people can earn from that is because the price is really low, and that is something that Widyapratama is quite proud of as evidenced by his proclamation, “I am the producer and the seller. There is no middleman, that is why the price is so low.” And he was telling the truth, as the same pack of Koffie Fabriek Aroma coffee sold in a shopping mall had a pretty high mark-up.

That phrase is only one of a few that he kept repeating during the tour of the factory. The other being, “It’s all natural…no chemicals, no pesticides.”

Dressed in his standard matching brown shirt and slacks, the humble man welcomed us warmly and showed us around the place. From the outside, you wouldn’t think that the building housed such a large interior. From looking at Widyapratama, you wouldn’t think that he is a professor at a university. Widyapratama could easily afford not to run the factory. However, he is doing it not as a business, but to keep the tradition going…which also explains the low prices, and why he rebuffed the advances of Starbucks when they wanted to buy him out.

Widyapratama pointed to various machines and equipment…from the electrical panel to the bicycles hanging on the wall. “All original”, he said, “from my father’s time”. The bicycles were used by his father when he went around scouting for the best beans. The roasting machine was marked ‘Aroma 1936′. He patted another machine. “This machine separates the good beans from the bad ones.” The separator was made by a German company, Probat, and was probably as old as the other machines, if not older. How did it differentiate between the good and bad coffee beans, I asked. It was a valid question, or so I thought. I come from an age where computer controlled machines are precision engineered to make microscopic chips for electronic equipment. This machine did not seem that advanced. He looked at me, smiled and answered patiently, “By weight”.

Of course. I felt stupid after that.

He went back to the roasting machine which was rotating over a wood fire. He pulled out a metal rod with a hollow at one end, to show me how they tested if the beans were ready. Next to the machine was a large pile of fire wood. He held up a small log. “We only use wood from the rubber tree, because they burn evenly to give us the kind of fire we need. Gas is too hot and will destroy the beans.”

In the middle of the pile of wood was a metal drum which is the part of the roaster where beans are poured in. “This is an old new part. It’s old, but it is also new because we have not needed to use it to replace our existing machines.”

Widyapratma then led me to the warehouse where sacks and sacks of coffee beans were stacked almost to the rafters. The coffee beans are stored in the warehouse for up to eight years to mature before they are roasted. Arabica for five years, and Robusta for eight, to reduce the amount of acid in it. “First in, first out”, said Widyapratama. The newer bags of coffee were softer. You could press the beans through the jute sack with your hand. The older bags were rock solid. “We use jute” explained Widyapratama. “It’s more natural. Allows the coffee to breathe.”

The tour continued. “There are two kinds of coffee. Arabica, and Robusta. Robusta is for the morning, and Arabica is for the evening.” Pointing to me, he said, “You, young man, should not drink Robusta at night. Not good…” From pointing at my face, his finger moved to point at the spot below my belt. While I wasn’t sure how scientific that observation was, I am not about to take any chances. After all, he’s been in the business for 40 years…

He then took me out to the backyard where workers were sunning recently harvested beans in large flat rattan baskets. The beans are sunned for about seven hours before they are packed and stored. This is to allow them to mature correctly.

An employee called him to the phone. He asked me to take my time touring the place on my own, wished me the best of luck, bade me farewell, and went to take the call. Before he turned to go, he left me with one last quip. “I am the producer and the seller. There is no middleman, that is why the price is so low. And It’s all natural…no chemicals, no pesticides.”

I was left marveling at this humble man who has stuck to the principles and traditions that his father used to do business with 81 years ago. The same principles and traditions that will keep this unique piece of history and tradition going for years to come.

the sign on the outside of the building



the side window, from which
they used to sell coffee



recognition for Widyapratama’s efforts



an old cash register!
not sure if it is still working though…



ka-ching!



a modern stapler against an antique one



first glimpse of the interior, when you
get past the counter and packing area
(note the bicycle on the wall)

the warehouse stacked high with
sacks of coffee beans being matured



jute sacks



the 75-year-old coffee roaster



“Aroma 1936″



the furnace



gives new meaning to the phrase “burning rubber”!



checking to see how the roasting is coming along



close-up of the semi-roasted beans



rubber wood used as fire wood



a worker stops packing and poses for a shot
(note the old new drum for the roaster)



the ‘Probat’ separator



just two of the many containers of
un-roasted beans lying around the place



looks like they really believe in their own product



five-year-old Robusta



eight-year-old Arabica



another worker tying up bundles of rubber wood
(note the recently harvested beans sunning in the foreground)



more containers of coffee beans randomly lying around



roasted beans at the packing area,
just before being packed for sale



the coffee after being
packed into little paper bags

Koffie Fabriek Aroma is at:

Jalan Banceuy 51
Bandung 40111
Indonesia