Indonesia Expat had the chance to visit the XTRAT factory as the latter showcased its first-rate technology for coffee and beverage manufacturing solutions.
For us Indonesians (and, let’s face it, most people all over the world), drinking coffee has become a daily ritual. Some may feel like they must drink a nice, warm cup of joe before they begin their day. Others may feel like a nice, warm cup of joe is the only effective means of recovery after a long and exhausting day. No wonder that coffee has now turned into a mammoth industry further bolstered by technological advancements as well as innovations. Furthermore, huge growth results in huge business opportunities as well.
In the era where anyone could launch their own business, perhaps there are more than a few aspiring tycoons and movers-and-shakers out there who have started setting their sights on the lucrative business opportunities in the coffee industry. However, even the most ‘layman’ person would figure out that to launch a successful business, working with a capable and reliable business partner is paramount.
That’s when XTRAT comes into the picture.
What is XTRAT, exactly? Quoting from its official website, XTRAT is a leading company specialising in beverage manufacturing solutions. With a finger on the pulse of trends as well as a passion for creativity, XTRAT focuses on customisation, quality, and sustainability. In addition, XTRAT offers a comprehensive range of services that make it the ideal partner for potential clients out there seeking efficient and high-quality beverage manufacturing as well as packaging solutions.
On the 11th of March, Indonesia Expat was invited to visit the XTRAT Factory located in Jatiuwung, Tangerang City, Banten. The managing director, Thomas Jasman, gave us a tour around the factory while providing some explanations about the machinery and the overall technology being used to manufacture XTRAT’s coffee products.
One of the impressive technologies that XTRAT utilises is the grinding system. One of the products that XTRAT puts together is coffee capsules, which means that to make the smoothest coffee possible, as expected from first-rate coffee capsules, the most advanced production machinery is crucial. For the coffee itself, XTRAT would usually procure from its sister company, Coffee Beyond Borders.
“The roasting process is important to develop the aroma and the flavour,” Thomas explained. “And then, we proceed with the next step, which is the grinding. This grinding system is also quite unique because we utilise a Swiss-originated technology which enables us to control the particle size in a very consistent way. And when you grind, it usually has friction and gives off a lot of heat. However, this particular technology immediately cools down the coffee, so it doesn’t emit latent heat or such.”
Furthermore, production-wise, XTRAT pays attention to the subtle things that most people would not likely take notice of, such as the natural freshness of the coffee product itself. In this case, an innovative use of nitrogen comes into effect.
Thomas continued, “We have a nitrogen tank that we purchased from a third-party supplier. The nitrogen would be injected into the coffee, and because nitrogen is heavier than the ambient air, it will go down easily. Nitrogen can make coffee last for up to 18 months. As long as there’s no leakage on the coffee package, 18 months later, when you drink the coffee, it will be as good as freshly roasted coffee.”
And of course, at the XTRAT factory, quality control is a must as well.
“One of the quality controls that we do is that we make sure in each of every one of our capsules, the level of oxygen is below 2%,” Thomas added. “Because oxygen is actually what makes coffee stale. Hence, by removing the oxygen and replacing it with nitrogen, you ensure that there are no chemical changes in the coffee itself.”
Out of curiosity, how many coffee capsules that a single XTRAT machinery can produce?
Thomas’ answer: “For one machine, the maximum capacity, based on one shift alone, is 250,000 capsules per month. This means two units of machines can generate half a million coffee capsules.”
XTRAT also makes sure that they are one step forward when it comes to the kinds and shapes of coffee that all coffeeholic and javaphiles can enjoy. In this day and age, many consummate coffeeholic and javaphiles might have already been aware of coffee capsules and coffee drips. During our visit to the XTRAT factory, Thomas introduced us to something quite unusual, but ground-breaking: steeped coffee (or, in Indonesian, kopi celup). Imagine a teabag, but instead of tea, it’s coffee.
Another side hustle by XTRAT is chocolate milk production.
“I was basically helping the family business,” Thomas divulged. “We happen to be running one of the biggest cocoa processing manufacturers in Asia, and we have the capability to process cocoa beans into powder and butter. We would, afterwards, mix the cocoa with dairy, sugar, and malt to create the premix. Finally, we serve the retail and hospitality markets.”
Thomas understands that, when it comes to beverages, taste can be subjective as it is fundamental. He assured us that whatever taste and texture the clients wish to achieve, XTRAT is always on deck.
“For any interested client or partner out there, we can also accommodate your own original recipe, if any. Perhaps you want to make the beverage more chocolatey. Perhaps you want to make it more malty. Whatever it is, we are able to help realise your vision. If needed, we can also sign an NDA to ensure that the recipe will always belong to you,” he affirmed.
So far, the list of clients that have trusted XTRAT with their business has been impressive—from premier hotel chains like Pullman and Aston to popular coffee-shop franchises like Anomali Coffee and JJ Royal Coffee. XTRAT has also developed its own brands: XMACHINE (for coffee brewers), XPRESSO (for coffee), and XOCOLLAT (for chocolate milk). In addition, XTRAT has proven its commitment to health and sustainability, proven by its ISO 22000 certification, Halal certification, and BPOM certification.
“For instance, let’s just say that there’s a client who aims to supply beverages to a five-star hotel—which usually has a very high requirement on quality—as well as export their brand to other countries. If that’s the case, they can rest assured because we, as the manufacturer, always put quality at number one,” Thomas asserted.
Meanwhile, XTRAT’s commitment to the utmost quality can also be seen in how the factory approaches cleanliness. Thomas showed us how XTRAT puts together the coffee capsule packaging as an example.
“The capsules for the coffee would go through UV light for sterilisation,” he pointed out. “The UV light, as a result, will sterilise the empty capsule before they dose in the ground coffee at 5.2 to 5.8 grammes.”
Last but not least, XTRAT has recently formed a partnership with Waste4Change in an initiative billed as the “Recycled Aluminum Capsule Program”. This means that clients can also contribute to helping make a greener and healthier Earth by simply partnering up with XTRAT as their manufacturer. Any businesses who wish to partner up with XTRAT can also feel comfortable with the environmental impact of their product as well.
“Aluminium capsules are usually for single-use. This means if the consumption is big, the resulting waste will continue to grow rapidly. That’s why, once a month, we will collect all the used capsules and send them to Ways4Change. Then they will recycle—or upcycle—those capsules to make sure that we carry our ‘green’ responsibility,” Thomas enthused.
When all is said and done, what is XTRAT’s ultimate goal? Simply put, they wish to help transform Indonesia into a powerful force in the global coffee landscape.
“We are developing this business not for now or for the next two years,” Thomas asserted. “We want to develop the Indonesian coffee market, and to do that, we also need to create the ecosystem. That’s why we don’t only produce for ourselves—we also aim to try and create for other brands who wish to enter the industry as well. It’s also important to send a message out there that we can develop together. Our focus here at XTRAT is not coming up with an alternative to coffee manufacturing. What we wish to accomplish, instead, is the future of coffee manufacturing.”
XTRAT
- WhatsApp: +6281119518000
- Instagram: @xtrat.co
- Website: xtrat.id