It’s the people and culture that carry the romance of coffee,” said Kelly Goodejohn, Starbucks director of Ethical Sourcing. “Unique semi-washed processing isn’t the only thing that sets this origin apart, though that aspect is fascinating. Through the Origin Experience, partners gain an understanding and appreciation for the passion that goes into each cup of coffee Starbucks sells. This is the backdrop for the most recent Starbucks Origin Experience for partners (employees) in Sumatra – an island in western Indonesia that is the sixth largest in the world with a population that tops 50 million. And the mystery of Indonesia is perhaps best represented by one of its oldest inhabitants – the Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard.

The scent of cloves and numerous spices fills the air. Thick bamboo groves abound, as well as rice paddies, homes on stilts, dense jungle and tigers. It is a nation of varied communities that speak more than 350 different languages with Ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples as well as Muslim mosques throughout the country. Volcanoes, more than 300 in total and some still active, dot the landscape. The country is comprised of 17,000 islands. To understand the challenge of describing Indonesia, consider its topography.

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