The Coffee Questionnaire, Indonesia
Mitch Richmond, planning manager at our mill in North Sumatra, offers answers from origin — and a reminder that, when asked by Vanity Fair for a six-word description of paradise, Johnny Cash answered: “This morning, with her, having coffee.”
Name: Mitch Richmond
Location: Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Title: Planning manager, i.e, “trouble-shooter, mover and shaker” at the Volkopi mill
During the last two weeks, what made you feel good about the work you do?
At the moment, it’s the harvest of the main crop, which is also the most popular time for roasters to visit Indonesia. Last week we had a visit from a roaster who has been working in coffee for eight years and had never been to origin before. It was an absolutely magical experience for him. It was great taking him through the entire supply chain, from the farmer to the final step of loading a container. For me, specialty coffee, and especially our own coffees, are very personal, so it always makes me proud to show and explain to our clients what we are doing here on the ground at Volkopi.
What was the weather like for this crop? Was it as you hoped?
In the final stage of cherry development, we got hit with a drought — not encouraging, when it’s rain you need. This caused a delay in the coffee flow, but fortunately we’re seeing solid qualities despite the conditions.
Is there one thing you’d like roasters to know, either about coffees from Indonesia or the work that you do?
I am working on cataloging as many varieties in Indonesia as possible. This includes documenting everything about the trees, locations, growing patterns, history and finally the pure and unblended profile of a single variety. Coffee has been in Indonesia for over 300 years, and therefore has so many different varietals, stories and myths to go with it.
Tiny or big, can you tell me a success story?
We managed to find a turkey for Thanksgiving in Medan! But the coffee success story is that we’re getting more and more of a reputation as a high-end specialty producer. This is due to better quality procedures, relationship building with farmers and a better understanding of what all the different (micro) roasters are looking for. It also helps, of course, that there is a lot of passion for coffee in Volkopi and specialty is like a hobby!
What was the last great cup of coffee you had?
For work, I often cup hundreds of cups per day, all from different suppliers and areas. Sometimes I come across something that is so different from the Sumatra profiles I normally come across. Last week we cupped an absolutely beautiful coffee. When something like that happens, we start researching the terroir of the coffee, hoping it isn’t an anomaly and that we can get a yearly flow of that quality from that particular area.
Today, I had the chance to taste the Red Mocha Haraaz from Peet’s, and that is a beautiful coffee. In general, every first cup of the day is a great cup of coffee. I think Johnny Cash’s quote about coffee describes the perfect cup. •
This interview was lightly edited and condensed by Michelle Maisto, content and social media manager for Genuine Origin in New York. To learn more about The Genuine Origin Coffee Project, please visit our site, order green coffee samples or say hello on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
