Coffee, Culture, and Connection: The 2025 Starbucks Origin Experience in Sumatra
Join our partners as they explore Sumatra on the Coffee Origin Experience 2025.
In May 2025, over 100 Starbucks partners (employees) across China, Japan, and Asia Pacific embarked on a journey to the heart of coffee’s origin—Sumatra, Indonesia. This immersive Origin Experience offered partners a rare opportunity to walk the same soil where Starbucks coffee begins its journey, deepening their understanding of the bean-to-cup process and the communities that make it possible.
Journeying to North Sumatra, the experience was more than a field trip—it immersed partners in the people, practices, and purpose behind every cup of Starbucks. From harvesting ripe cherries by hand to planting new coffee trees, partners engaged directly with the land and the farmers who nurture it. As one partner reflected, “One shot of espresso is 25 hand-picked cherries. To hold that in your hand and understand that every cup started like that is very humbling.”
A highlight of the journey was the visit to Starbucks Farmer Support Center (FSC) in North Sumatra, established in 2015 and one of 10 centers around the world. The FSC serves as a hub of innovation and collaboration, and partners had the opportunity to meet with the team and gain firsthand insight into how Starbucks supports local farmers with agronomy expertise, disease-resistant coffee varietals, and sustainable farming practices. The work of the team there is vital in helping farmers improve crop quality, increase yields, and adapt to the challenges of climate change.
For Ronald, a 22-year partner from the Philippines, the experience was nothing short of magical. “Tasting Sumatra in Sumatra will always be touching,” he shared. “It was inspiring to be with fellow passionate partners. I felt a ‘larger than life’ accountability being a purveyor of the finest coffee in the world.” His words echo the sentiment of many who left the trip with a renewed sense of purpose and pride in their craft.
Nelson, a partner from New Zealand, found inspiration in the diversity of the group itself. “Meeting partners from other markets—different roles, languages, and cultures—was one of the highlights,” he said. “We shared a common goal: to share the story of coffee.” He also noted how the experience deepened his appreciation for Starbucks’ global training programs and the scale of its impact at origin. “It was eye-opening to see the scale of business and production. We’re on the right track, and there’s so much more we can do for our producers.”
The 2025 Origin Experience built on the legacy of past journeys across the globe and unites partners through a shared love of coffee and a commitment to ethical sourcing, sustainability, and community impact.
As partners return to their stores and support centers, they carry with them not just memories, but a deeper connection to the story behind every cup—and a responsibility to share that story with customers, one conversation at a time.
