Brewing Success

If you live in Jakarta and need a reliable cup of coffee tailored to local tastes, chances are Kopi Kenangan is nearby. From malls and office towers to neighborhood coffee shops, this homegrown brand has become a dependable part of the city’s daily routine. Serving millions every day across Indonesia, Kopi Kenangan is a go-to staple that is simply everywhere. 

Spearheading its success is Edward Tirtanata, whose journey from struggling entrepreneur to CEO and founder of not one but two recognizable food and beverage brands has been defined by resilience, grit, and critical thinking. When his commodities business folded in 2015, he became more determined than ever to “build something more durable: a business that creates value through brand, product, and experience”. 

Out of that pledge came Lewis & Carroll Tea, a fine dining concept centered around artisanal tea that now boasts three locations across Jakarta. Despite this success, something continued to tug at him. Indonesia, he realized, was globally known for producing exceptional coffee and tea, yet they usually left the country as raw commodities rather than as recognizable brands. At the same time, the coffee available through international chains often came at a high price.

“That bothered me [...] A cup of coffee from global chains can cost around 30% of a daily minimum wage in Indonesia. That doesn’t make sense. Coffee should be high-quality, but it should also be accessible,” Edward explains.

This became the starting point for Kopi Kenangan, which was born in 2017 with the mission to “bring quality and consistency to more people, at a price that actually fits the market”.

What began as a response to a market gap has since grown into Indonesia’s largest coffee chain. And following an ambitious expansion plan, Kopi Kengangan now operates more than 1,300 stores across six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and India. This year, a further 40% percent growth, fueled by higher digital penetration and productivity, is expected to lead to about 550 additional locations.

Looking back, Edward can trace the mindset that helped him build his success to the lessons and perspective he gained at JIS. He concedes his time there was brief, arriving in Grade 11 to complete his final two years of high school, but it proved to be impactful. He especially remembers being inspired by the JIS’s multicultural environment, which taught him how to adapt to “different backgrounds, cultures, and ways of thinking”, and later, helped him instill a globally-minded culture within Kopi Kenangan. 

We reconnected with Edward to learn more about the experiences that shaped his approach to business, the journey behind Kopi Kenangan, and the role JIS played along the way.
 

What are some of your strongest memories from your time at JIS?

I actually came to JIS quite late — Grade 11 — so I was playing catch-up socially. But I remember being immediately impressed by the teachers. A lot of them were real experts in what they taught, and they didn’t just “deliver content”; they pushed you to think, debate, and present your point of view. Looking back, those two things—critical thinking and communication—are basically the job description of a CEO.
 

Were there particular teachers, classes, or activities at JIS that influenced how you think about leadership or business?

One teacher who really shaped me was Mr. McGill in History. His class trained me to evaluate evidence, recognize multiple perspectives, and form informed opinions. It wasn’t just about memorizing facts; it was about learning how to think. That approach has stuck with me, especially in business, where the “right answer” is often unclear and you have to make judgment calls based on incomplete data.
 

How did being in such an international community shape your perspective as an entrepreneur today?

Before JIS, I was mostly in environments that were more homogeneous. JIS opened my mind in a very real way. I learned how to work with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and ways of thinking. That perspective has been essential as Kopi Kenangan became a more global-minded Indonesian company, working with international partners, investors, and teams across multiple countries.
 

Looking back, what lessons from JIS have stayed with you in building and leading Lewis & Carroll Tea and Kopi Kenangan?

Two things stand out. First, how to think — critical reasoning, questioning assumptions, and being comfortable with nuance. Second, how to communicate, because leadership is ultimately the ability to create clarity, bring people along, and make decisions understandable. Those two skills compound over time.
 

You started your career very differently before moving into the F&B industry with Lewis & Carroll Tea. What inspired that shift?

Before Lewis & Carroll, I actually started in the commodity business, and it went bankrupt in 2015. The core reason was simple: coal prices fell from over USD 110/MT to around USD 45/MT. That experience taught me a hard lesson: commodities are rarely enduring businesses because pricing is largely out of your control. As Warren Buffett famously said, in commodities, you can only “sell a dollar for 90 cents” if you’re not careful. I was at the mercy of the world’s pricing. 

After that, I became determined to build something more durable: a business that creates value through brand, product, and experience, not just to ride price cycles.
 

What advice would you give young people — like JIS students about to graduate — who want to start their own venture?

I’d say this: Talent helps, but it’s not the deciding factor. The real differentiator is grit. School is hard, but it’s also structured — there’s usually a correct answer. In the real world, most problems are messy. Sometimes it’s one step forward and three steps back, and even the smartest people will feel lost.

There’s a quote from Calvin Coolidge I like: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.” If you can stay determined and execute with discipline over a long period of time, you give yourself a real chance to build something meaningful. And I learnt grit, especially during my time in the varsity basketball team.