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Kerta Semaya Samaniya (KSS) cooperative
Cocoa growing in Indonesia/Bali
Cocoa growing is a relatively recent phenomenon in Indonesia compared to other countries. It intensified in the 1970s, with the country becoming the 3rd largest producer worldwide in 2010. Today, Indonesia is the 7th largest cocoa-producer in the world. Most of this product is carried out by small growers, whose agricultural systems vary widely from one region or island to the next. Cocoa fermentation is a fairly recent practice, as well. Most cocoa produced in Indonesia is just dried, with little or no fermentation involved.
Cocoa growing began in Bali in the 1980s. Nestled between volcanos and the Ocean, the “Island of the Gods” is the perfect place for growing cocoa. The plantations are based on an agroforestry system that includes banana trees, cocoa palms, clove trees and vanilla orchids, alongside livestock for fertilization and weed control purposes.
Our partnership with KSS
The cooperative Kerta Semaya Samaniya (KSS) was founded in 2011 and includes over 400 cocoa growers. It was the first Indonesian cocoa cooperative to receive an export license. With the help of local NGO Kalimajari, this dynamic cooperative aims to promote good agricultural practices among growers to guarantee a long-term sustainable future for cocoa growing in the province. KSS also aims to improve the cocoa beans grown in this region’s unique soil through fermentation, winning the Cacao of Excellence silver medal in 2023.
The cooperative has also receive several certifications, including the Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and Organic certification.
We first met with KSS in 2013, and Valrhona received our first shipment from them in 2015. In 2023 a 5-year partnership agreement between KSS and Valrhona was signed.
