Coffee + Culture = Kinta

Coffee shops have always been more than just places to drink coffee. People choose to work there, and special interest groups often meet over coffee and snacks. The coffee shop is part of the culture of many towns and cities. The Kinta Coffee Shop in Mataram is no exception.

Yudistira Arista Raharja (James), the founder and owner of Kinta and a certified SCA barista, agrees.

‘For some people, coffee shops are like their second home or a place to ‘get away’ for a while’

James was born and raised in Lombok. His father owned several shoe stores and James worked in one of them for a few years. He was keen to learn on the job and looked for challenges.

‘I remember asking “Do you have any stores that are struggling right now? Let me take that one”. So I did! I got to experience what a struggling business was like and I increased sales by 200%’.

When the earthquake hit Lombok in 2018, he was put to work in the office.

‘Sitting behind a desk was one of the hardest things for me. It was not how I wanted to spend my time’.

That was the turning point.

He had been considering starting up his own business. The idea of coffee was a recurring one. From his father, whose ‘hobby’ was making and drinking coffee, he’d learned a lot. Sembalun coffee, a particular Lombok robusta variety, wasn’t well known. He decided a coffee business was the right choice and his goal would be to promote coffee culture and Lombok coffee.

Location, location

It hasn’t always been easy to find good coffee in Lombok. James wanted the hands-on experience of building a coffee shop that also provided a great experience for customers – from professional workers to casual travellers and from connoisseurs to those who simply wanted a good cup of coffee.

Kinta has been part of the rise of the coffee culture in Mataram. Now, more shops, and more people, are into specialty coffees.

It’s important to have the knowledge to serve a good product in an appealing way. One bad coffee experience can mean a loss of customers.

The right location was essential, too. James chose one in Mataram’s Jalan Langko area, a financial, commercial and entertainment hub that attracts government professionals, shoppers, students and tourists.

While the building was in preparation, he spent several months in Kinta’s first incarnation, in the Pasar Cakra, and used the time to learn about the basic aspects of running a small coffee shop.

The name for his business was adapted from Kintamani in Bali, a place he associated with drinking good coffee.

Challenges, challenges

Human resources – finding the right staff and the money to pay them– is a recurring problem for new businesses.

‘When I first opened in Cakra’, says James, ‘I and one other employee did everything, including cleaning the floors and the bathroom. the floors and the toilets’.

He chose the ‘blank canvas’ approach, training staff who had no prior experience. Another priority for James has been to choose staff who know about the product and who can deliver the best customer experience.

Was Lombok ready for a specialty coffee shop? James thought probably not and, therefore, educating customers more accustomed to ordering juice and ice-cream about fine coffee was another challenge.

Right product, right environment

For its house blend, the café uses only coffee beans from a plantation in Indonesia. James and the grower have been friends for several years, and Kinta is guaranteed access to new types of beans and the best available.

‘We also use Coffee Beyond Borders for other products. It’s a responsible supplier that treats the farmers well’, James adds.

‘We also roast beans from Coffee Beyond Borders in-house and we supply coffee to other shops in Mataram and Kuta Mandalika and on Gili Air and Gili Trawangan.

One of Kinta’s signature coffees, which customers keep coming back for, is sweet, iced coffee – kopi Sus. Constantly looking for ways to be inventive, the team has three popular ‘stand-out’ flavours: cheesecake, tiramisu and macchiato.

A point of difference

To stand out is one way of achieving success.

At Kinta the focus is on specialty coffees. Although many coffee shops prepare good coffee, Kinta aims for great coffee with the full specialty experience.

It starts with a high-quality product. James is proud to say he was one of the first to introduce infused coffee. Coffee beans and fresh fruit are sealed in a barrel for a number of days to allow the beans to take on the flavours of the fruit before roasting.

An unusual way of packaging take-away coffee is another innovation. The kopi sus is available in cans, with a specially designed label for each flavour. It’s pretty and it’s practical: sunlight is the enemy of coffee.

The overall aim of Kinta is to satisfy all five senses.

Obviously, the coffee is about the taste. It’s also about how the coffee – and the café – look. Choosing the music and attention to acoustics mean the ears are also happy. The sense of smell must be able to appreciate the aroma of coffee and food, without unwelcome intrusions. And, finally, the tactile – the feel of the chairs, pleasant-to-hold glasses and mugs, the air temperature.

That’s the attention to detail that sets Kinta apart and makes it appealing and memorable for everyone who walks in.

Constantly adapting to stay relevant, Kinta has been ‘rebranded’ this year. It’s never easy to switch direction, but James recognised the need. The logo has been redesigned and will feature a mountain – a symbol of strength – which stands on its own but, like everything in nature, is constantly evolving.

Rewards, success

Janes sees, as the best reward, Kinta’s growth in becoming the company it can be. He takes pride in his customers’ smiles, when they are served well. He takes satisfaction from his staff’s skill development, knowing he has made a contribution.

His learning is its own reward. He has grown, too, as a business owner – genuine, braver and more confident.

‘I’ve learned to take more risks’, he says, ‘to go against the current, to adapt but hold on to my identity’.

What about success?

‘For me, the measure of success is the freedom to do whatever you want’.

In the future, success will mean being recognised within the coffee industry in Lombok as an innovator. It will involve menu additions and new concepts, including a revamped semi-outdoors area, where customers can enjoy the tropical settings in comfort and sheltered from the hot sun.

Success for James is also about Kinta being remembered – for excellent coffee, the best experiences and great company.