EXTENDING INDONESIAN GASTRODIPLOMACY:BLENDING GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (GI) AND "KOPI INDONESIA"

Abstract

This paper explores how coffee can contribute to the development of Indonesian gastro-diplomacy. Specifically, it investigates whether 5 incorporating Geographical Indication (GI) and the "Kopi Indonesia" (Indonesian Coffee) logo can strengthen Indonesia's nation brand (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika or "Unity in Diversity"). One of the goals of gastro-diplomacy is using food commodities as symbols of a specific identity. Thus far, Indonesian coffee branding has emphasised local identity over national identity. This paper argues that the coffee GI represents the uniqueness of coffee from regions within Indonesia and reflects the country's diversity. At the same time, the "Kopi Indonesia" brand places all of these regional variants under the same umbrella to make coffee products from Indonesia more recognisable on the global market. Unlike previous studies, which view GI and the Kopi Indonesia brand as solely related to marketing and protection of intellectual property rights,  this research shows that the unification of GIs and "Kopi Indonesia" has broader implications. Indonesia has utilised coffee as a tool of gastro-diplomacy, and the policies that the government has implemented around the coffee trade are tied to how the country wants to be perceived on the global stage.