The Government would find
it difficulty to register Kopi Luwak brand at home at home because the word
Luwak was a common noun not a brand, so the name “Kopi Luwak” could not be
patented although the Government was still trying to find a niche in the aspect
of international trading. The case of Kopi Luwak was the same as the legal
problem in intellectual rights (HKI) of the Kopi Thiam coffee brand. There were
companies at home who were in dispute over the use of the word Kopi Thiam so
The Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industry (AEKI) expected
there should be no party who protested or claimed “Kopi Luwak” as an Indonesian
original coffee. “Coffee Thiam is a general name which literally means “coffee
shop”. Unless there is any prefix or suffix next to “Kopi Thiam” which
indicated it’s a brand, Kopi Thiam cannot be regarded as a brand” Pranoto
Soenarto of AEKI told Business News sometime ago.
The word “Kopi Luwak” once appeared on packaging of some
branded coffee, of local and overseas products particularly Malaysia. So far
there had been no legal dispute of the related parties. On the other hand many
Luwak coffee with attribute of white coffee and Malaysia were in circulation in
Indonesia’s domestic market. “They (the producers) saw that the word Kopi Luwak
was just a common noun, not a brand. Kopi Luwak can only be portended if there
was any other word attached to it.” Pranoto said.
About the coffee commodity itself, AEKI saw that there
were other aspects which were more important. Indonesian coffee was renowned in
the global market, so branding was necessary, including packaging, labeling
etc. Some promotional events like cupping competition, Miss Coffee etc. were
some of the efforts of brand building of Indonesian coffee. The Jury for
cupping competition in coffee producer countries Brazil and Colombia
unanimously agreed that Indonesian coffee was doubtless in terms of quality, so
the Jury who tested Indonesia’s coffee could only test coffee up to the last 10
cups. This means that the Indonesian coffee which took part in competition
cannot further be blended because the taste had reached the point of Jury’s
satisfaction. “Perhaps the last 50 cups the Jury still could take, because I
myself was one of the Jury members invited to Brazil and Columbia” Pranoto was
quoted as saying.
The coffee industry abroad, especially America and Italy
were already very familiar with the nooks and cranny of Indonesian domestic
coffee, so when the Indonesian Cupping Competition was on, they deliberately
blocked exposure of Indonesian coffee to the world. Without exposure,
Indonesian coffee would be weak in terms of brand image and consumers
awareness. “The coffee industry in America avoid paying premium price, while
they know quality of Indonesian coffee is excellent” Pranoto remarked.
AEKI also felt sure that Coffee Shop in Indonesia was not
inferior to foreign franchise like Starbucks, because in every mall Indonesian
coffee shop franchise were active and highly competitive and were never ran out
of visitors. The coffee industry in America were highly protective about their
domestic products so they restricted import of coffee as finished products. The
America coffee industry had the policy to protect their processing industry but
were customized about serving different tastes and flavors. “Supposedly 60% to
70% of Indonesian coffee exported to America, Italy and other European states
are in the form of finished products – but
protection in America is extremely tight, they tolerate only below 60%”
Pranoto said.
Labeling was also focused by AEKI in the effort of
promoting coffee industry in Indonesia. In overseas countries, the policy
adopted in the trading sector was extremely tight especially about label
examination of imported products including Indonesian coffee. In Indonesia, the
Directorate of Standardization and Consumer’s Protection (SPK) of the Ministry
of Trade had launch several raids on products and services in the domestic
market. Many of the products from China entering Indonesia did not comply with
the Law of Consumers (UUPK) “But in China the Government strictly control
products circulated in the market. They prohibit labels in the form of stickers
and labels must be in printing, so Indonesian coffee products in the form of
finished products are still facing obstacles in terms of labeling”.
Business News - August 15, 2012
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