Indonesian coffee attracts $10.8 million in potential deals at Belgian trade fair

Foreign buyers assess Indonesian specialty coffee

Indonesian coffee suppliers generated potential transactions worth $10.8 million, equivalent to Rp194.2 billion, during World of Coffee 2026 in Belgium, according to Indonesian news agency ANTARA. The Ministry of Trade said 87 foreign business representatives expressed interest in pursuing further cooperation with Indonesian companies. These expressions of interest are business leads rather than completed sales, but they give participating exporters a pipeline of prospective European customers.

The Indonesian Pavilion featured 11 coffee businesses. They presented specialty arabica coffees from Aceh, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, West Java, East Java, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi. The selection allowed buyers to compare coffees with different textures, levels of acidity, body and aftertaste, while linking each product to a specific Indonesian growing region.

Fajarini Puntodewi, director general of national export development at the Ministry of Trade, said European exhibitions provide an opportunity to promote Indonesian coffee and develop the Belgian and wider European markets. She identified coffee as Indonesia’s largest export commodity to Belgium and described Belgium as a distribution hub serving other European destinations.

Europe offers scale but recognition remains limited

Europe accounts for 24% of global coffee consumption and is the world’s largest coffee market, according to Indonesian Trade Attaché in Brussels Lusyana Halmiati. She said demand for specialty coffee is increasing alongside the expansion of specialty coffee shops and the habit of brewing coffee at home. These trends create opportunities for suppliers able to offer distinctive origins, quality consistency and products suited to smaller premium segments.

Indonesian coffee, however, is not yet as widely recognized in Europe as coffee from the world’s other major producing countries, Halmiati said. Potential buyers visiting the pavilion welcomed the chance to taste coffees from several Indonesian regions. According to the trade ministry’s account, many considered the samples balanced in flavor, distinctive in character and supported by compelling origin stories.

For Indonesian producers and exporters, converting interest into contracts will depend on follow-up with the 87 prospective buyers. The range of origins displayed in Belgium can help exporters address different buyer requirements, but regional variety also places importance on repeatable quality, clear product positioning and reliable commercial supply.

Belgium anchors Indonesia’s European coffee trade

Indonesia exported $320 million of coffee to Belgium in 2025, while its coffee exports to the European Union reached $752 million, ANTARA reported. The ministry presented Belgium’s large share of the EU total as evidence of the country’s role as a gateway to the broader European market. The figures mean that developments in Belgian demand, warehousing and distribution can affect Indonesian suppliers seeking customers elsewhere in Europe.

The coffee promotion took place within a wider bilateral trade relationship that produced a substantial Indonesian surplus. Total Indonesia-Belgium trade reached $878.2 million in January-May 2026. Indonesia exported $689.9 million of goods to Belgium and imported $188.3 million, resulting in a surplus of $501.6 million.

In 2025, bilateral trade totaled $2.41 billion. Indonesian exports to Belgium were valued at $1.90 billion, while imports from Belgium stood at $505.8 million, giving Indonesia a $1.39 billion surplus. Indonesia’s principal exports to Belgium included footwear; coffee, tea and spices; iron and steel; mineral fuels; and electrical machinery and equipment. The coffee leads from World of Coffee therefore build on an established commercial route, but their final value will depend on how many expressions of interest advance to confirmed orders.