Back in 1927, the company first set sail at Jalan Panggung
No. 9, Surabaya, as a home-grown business producing unbranded ground
coffee.
The idea for this new business came from Mr. Go Soe Loet. Mr. Go
Soe Loet was aware of a potentially big market opportunity and people’s
enthusiasm for coffee products, and felt the need to choose a brand
name that was suitable with the product’s image. The brand name chosen
was “Kapal Api” or “Steamboat”, because at the time the steamboat was
the most innovative and modern means of sea transportation that brought
new hopes for humanity in world trade. The steamboat was regarded as
the symbol of supremacy of modern technology, quality, fame and pride.
With the brand name Kapal Api more widely known amongst Indonesia’s
coffee lovers, the home industry grew rapidly. This business was then
passed on to Mr. Go Soe Loet’s sons: Mr. Indra Boediono, Mr. Soedomo
Mergonoto and Mr. Singgih Gunawan.
Always putting product quality as its number one priority, the
business started to show significant developments. Kapal Api coffee
dominated the market share in Indonesia and expanded to the
international market. Other coffee brands that were launched afterward
established Kapal Api as the market leader under the company PT Santos
Jaya Abadi.
The venture did not stop there. Mr. Go Soe Loet’s passion lived on
to inspire the next generation to expand to other food and beverage
businesses that include the founding of:
- PT Agel Langgeng which sells candies and is now expanding to biscuits
- Excelso Café which is the cafe extension of the coffee business and
- PT Fastrata Buana which serves to distribute coffee products and candies to all parts of Indonesia.
- To support the business of the group, three other companies were founded:
- PT Sulotco Jaya Abadi which operates a coffee plantation
- PT Santos Premium Krimer that produces non-dairy creamer and
- PT Weiss Tech that produces production machines and espresso machines.
Kapal Api Global was established in 2009 as a holding company
comprised of the seven business units with the motivation to be more
aggressive and professional in expanding Kapal Api Group business in the
future.
Kapal Api Global always stays true to its “Five Core Values” in
runing its business. The five core values are: customer focus,
integrity, team work, continuous learning and work excellence.