Solok Radjo Cooperative

West Sumatra, Jambi Province, Kerinci Regency, Sumatra

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Partner since: 2016 Traceable to: 500 Members Altitude: 1500 - 1800 MASL Varietals: Sigararutang

Supplier Structure:

Although wet-hulled is their most common process, Solok Radjo produces a variety of different products. Washing station and drying patios accomodate fully washed, honeys, naturals and wet-hulled

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Community Context

Solok Radjo Cooperative is made up of 500 members with 1-2 hectares each. They are a young, energetic group engaged not only in coffee production and export, but also in roasting, visiting cafes, brewing, agronomy, and more. They have 3 Q-certified cuppers/graders on staff and have cupping set ups at both the field location in Aie Dingin and the drying/mill location in Solok. They are checking moisture and roasting on site to check each lot and report back to our local staff in Medan.

The coop operates 8 collection stations across the region to reduce the distance farmers have to travel to deliver. Coop members are paid cash upon delivery of wet parchment thanks to pre-financing of the coop thanks to our local staff and production/export partner in Medan. This further incentivizes growing membership and participation in the group.

On the ecology front, this group is serious. They have a grant from the government to re-forest 2,000 hectares of previously cleared land (by illegal loggers) at the border of the National Park. Protection of this forest is globally critical–not just for carbon capture, but also for wildlife protection. Almost 40% of the world’s remaining population of wild tigers resides in this Park. Solok Radjo’s initial phase included planting trees across 150 hectares. They’re now expanding to additional hectares. They are growing both shade tree/forest seedlings and coffee tree seedlings at their coop nursery, and re-making this cleared land into forest land with coffee trees growing under the canopy. A few thousand dollars will support a hectare. We invite roasters to get involved and support this initiative alongside Crop to Cup.

Country Context

Sumatra is vast—larger than Texas and Florida combined—and defined by dramatic geography. At its center lies Lake Toba, the world’s largest volcanic caldera, whose presence drives rainfall unmatched by any other coffee origin.

Coffee here has deep roots. Marco Polo passed through Aceh in 1292, and by the 17th century Dutch traders had established Aceh and Java as the world’s first commercial coffee origins. Today, Sumatra remains one of Indonesia’s most diverse regions, home to over 50 languages across 170,000 square miles. Yet coffee still leaves through a single port, Medan—up to 24 hours by road from Kerinci in the south or 20 hours from Gayo in the north.

These distances shaped the hallmark of Sumatran coffee: giling basah, or wet hulling, where parchment is hulled at 30–50% moisture and dried later in transit. The result is the heavy-bodied, earthy profile the island is known for. Variety also plays a role: after leaf rust wiped out much of the crop in the early 20th century, hybrids like Tim Tim and Sigarar Utang became widespread alongside Bourbon-derived Jember and Onan Ganjan.

Today, a new generation of producers is redefining expectations. Washed coffees, naturals, honeys, and new cultivars are expanding specialty production across regions once known only for volume. Alongside this, coffees from neighboring islands such as Flores, Timor, Bali, and Sulawesi often pass through Sumatra, reinforcing its central role in Indonesian coffee.