Dedi asks traders in Ciwidey-Pangalengan to stop selling sachet coffee

Bandung (ANTARA) - West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has requested traders in the Ciwidey and Pangalengan tourist areas to cease the dominance of sachet coffee and switch to selling local tubruk coffee to build a characterful tourism identity.

This step is taken in light of the irony occurring in Bandung Regency as the largest Arabica coffee producer in West Java, yet factory-made sachet products dominate the stalls at tourist sites more than local produce.

“Bandung produces the best coffee, but people drinking Bandung’s characteristic coffee have not truly experienced it. Therefore, in Ciwidey and Pangalengan, especially kiosks selling packaged sachet coffee, they should sell Bandung forest-ground coffee,” said Dedi in a statement in Bandung on Tuesday.

The man familiarly known as KDM emphasised that the shift to local coffee is not just about taste, but an effort to strengthen the people’s economy and create recall for tourists through the distinctive local aroma.

Based on data from the West Java Plantation Office, Bandung Regency is the “king” of Arabica coffee with a production trend that continues to rise. In 2024, its production reached 8,567 tonnes, a significant jump compared to 5,277 tonnes in 2017.

In addition to coffee, Dedi also highlighted the potential of Malabar tea from Ciwidey and Pangalengan, which should become the main offering for visitors.

According to him, authentic culinary experiences such as enjoying ground coffee, local tea, and authentic regional lotek will create an emotional bond for tourists.

“That will build recall. When visiting there, the coffee tastes different, the tea aroma is different. That’s what must bind the people who come,” he stressed.

Previously, Dedi had proposed restrictions on the sale of packaged sachet coffee in a plenary session of the Bandung Regency DPRD as a commitment to protecting local plantation products from the onslaught of mass industrial products.