“Everyone drinks coffee at different times.
My perfect day enjoying a Nespresso cuppa is after lunch because it suits the rhythm of the day, giving off a boost of energy to tackle anything,” enthused Mark Senior, the Country Manager of Nespresso Indonesia during a chat with Indonesia Expat.
Hi, Mark! We’d like to know more about you.
I’m Mark Senior from the UK, and have been working in Asia for 25 years – four years in Indonesia. My admiration for the Nespresso Brand made it an easy decision to join the company whilst my love of scuba diving drew me to Indonesia. I’ve been scuba diving in my spare time for 25 years, 12 as an instructor. It’s fun to take friends out and introduce them to scuba diving. Indonesia is probably in the top five countries in the world with stunning dive sites!
As the Country Manager of Nespresso Indonesia, tell us how Nespresso has grown since 2019.
Our first store in Plaza Indonesia opened in January 2019. Today we have 20 stores in seven cities across Indonesia. The latest store opened was in Makassar, South Sulawesi. Another big change has been focusing on B2B by supplying key hotels, restaurants, and cafes in Jakarta and Bali. Still, a lot more is to come!
Nespresso’s coffees are often called Grand Cru. Why adopt this wine industry agricultural concept?
The factors affecting the quality of coffee are very similar to wine. Grand Cru reflects that both coffee and wine are highly dependent on the environment they grow in.
A specific grape in wine grown in two different places results in completely different products. This applies to coffee as well. The types of coffee, Arabica and Robusta, are distinctive depending on where they’re harvested. Different profiles are embodied from those in Colombia compared to those in Indonesia based on the quality of the soil, weather, altitude, and so on.
Nespresso is committed to quality, sustainability, and productivity. What’s the process like?
Nespresso has about 100,000 farmers globally. It’s crucial for us to build a long-term relationship with them. Over 400 agronomists work together, educate on the best way to not exploit and damage the environment, and grow the best quality beans by using the right amount of water in the harvesting process.
Sustainability is embedded from the beginning to the end of the process. Nespresso was one of the first coffee companies to realise this early on. The Nespresso AAA program delivers a sustainable holistic model across our supply chain from ensuring the farmers receive a fair wage, training, development, and livelihood education (for example, Nespresso introduced the concept of pensions to farmers in Colombia). They’re guided on ways to protect the environment while still maximising their crop yield.
Take Indonesia. The farmers carefully pick, wash, and submerge the beans in water or left sundried for a certain flavour. They then seal the beans to be transported to Nespresso’s factory in Switzerland for quality control. Having different factories may risk inherent sort of discrepancies in maintaining the quality, and we don’t want that. With the high-tech operations, the beans are processed and packed into 100 percent aluminium capsules, to finally be distributed to the stores here. Customers can take part in our sustainability effort by returning the capsules in stores or dialling our call centre to book a time slot for our drivers to pick them up.
Where does harvesting quality from the best terroirs lie in Indonesia? Any future possibilities to expand?
Not many coffee-producing countries in the world exist because coffee requires a very specific set of environmental requirements. For Nespresso, West Java, around Bandung, and North Sumatra, around Aceh, are the two main areas in Indonesia.
Indonesia is essential for Nespresso. We do a dedicated range of five countries; Colombia, India, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. We’ve also done limited editions. One of the key ones this year was Aged Sumatra from the Aceh region.
Nespresso conducts a costlier process in terms of time and money, but that’s not a problem. Justify.
Yes, for consistent results. Nespresso simplifies the coffee-making experience therefore anyone can consistently enjoy their favourite coffee at home by dropping a capsule and pressing a button. Nespresso’s founder, a Swiss engineer, was adamant to produce the finest quality coffee given that his Italian wife would often tease “Italian coffee is the best”. He challenged himself to replicate an Italian espresso experience at home by building what became the first Nespresso prototype machine. He constructed a sufficient amount of coffee mixed with a precise amount, temperature, and pressure of water – similarly to the art of a barista in your favourite coffee shop.
Aluminium capsules are utilised to ensure aroma. What are the reasons behind this?
Firstly, aluminium is the best material to seal in the freshness of the coffee. The coffee itself comes with a one-year best-before date – dissimilar to an expiry date which’s a common misconception. Coffee will be 100 percent guaranteed fresh within a year, even if consumed on the last day of the year from when it was produced. Aluminium is the best material to support that. Secondly is the sustainability element, given that it’s entirely recyclable and is zero plastic.
What capsules, machines and accessories can customers purchase at Nespresso? Where can they purchase?
We have a full range of machines for every need. Starting off at the entry level are the easy-to-use machines that focus on black coffee, whether it’s espresso or a long coffee. Our more premium machines add the milk option, allowing customers to create great cappuccinos, lattes, etc. at the touch of a button.
There are 30 core ranges of coffee capsules, each having various flavour profiles. Limited editions from around the world are also rolling throughout the year for a short period. Furthermore, plenty of accessories are offered to complement the experience such as milk frothers, mugs, capsule holders, dispensers, etc.
Three boutiques, or flagship stores, are found in Jakarta and Surabaya. Alongside them are 17 smaller open concepts across Indonesia, carrying the same range of products. Nespresso encourages customers to come and enjoy a sampling experience. Anyone can visit and request a cuppa or more all for free. We’re confident that once people try the quality of Nespresso’s coffee, they’ll be interested to make a purchase. Customers can also have their picks delivered to their homes through our app available for Android and iPhone, as well as our website.
Say troubleshooting a machine needs to be done. How can a customer do so?
Nespresso’s after-sales service sets us apart. Simply contact the call centre. A technician will collect your machine and replace it with another whilst it’s repairing. Once fixed, your machine is returned and the replacement machine is collected. This way no interruption halts you and your coffee experience.
Are you a coffee lover, Mark? What’s your favourite Nespresso coffee?
Yes! Funnily, I wasn’t. Thanks to this job, my eyes opened to the world of coffee and its complexity levels that I was unaware of.
My favourite tends to vary on the day. On some days it’s something mild whilst on others, I crave a stronger one. Our coffees come in intensity range from four to 13. I like those that are somewhere in the middle. Arpeggio is definitely my go-to!
What’s next for you and Nespresso?
Registered customers become club members. We want them to feel and engage in the Nespresso community by ensuring the latest communication in terms of updates, promotions, activities, etc. are well-received. Over 30,000 members are listed and we’re growing rapidly. Location-wise, we’re looking into possible more top-tier cities to make our mark. B2B as well as our online presence are also noted to continuously improve.
Hopefully, I’ll continue to be a part of “my baby’s growth”. I love and am delighted to be living in Indonesia, and hope to eventually retire here.
How can our readers get in touch?
Our call centre is 1500498 or visit www.nespresso.co.id!