Rudy J. Pesik & and 2nd event of Putri Kopi Indonesia

Chairman and CEO of PT Birotika Semesta (DHL), apart from many other positions he holds, including the Vice President of Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce.

Donning a Manadonese ikkat shirt, Rudy J. Pesik welcomed me at Kopi Kamu, located on Majapahit street, Jakarta, this afternoon, to talk about a lot of things, and one of them was 2012’s Miss Indonesian Coffee pageant. Still vigorous in his 72 years of age, Rudy J. Pesik always looks energetic, despite his hectic life holding diversed managerial positions in his corporations, as well as being involved a bunch of social events. So don’t be surprised to see Rudy having hundreds of business cards with different positions – both local and international.

Image 2: Laskary Andaly Metal Bittitaca : Miss Indonesian Coffee 2011

Rudy started the conversation by telling me about the committee of the annual Miss World Coffee pageant in Colombia who asked him to send a candidate from Indonesia. In the past, other than being a businessman, Rudy J. Pesik had long been involved in beauty pageants to promote Indonesia in the international world. That’s why, as a member of many committees, he feels obligated to create the same event in Indonesia.

Thanks to his hard work, 14 provinces with 13 candidates participated in Miss Indonesian Coffee pageant, and Laskary Andaly Metal Bitticaca from Toraja – who was completing her Master’s degree at Bandung Institute of Technology – successfully became the second runner up in Colombia, last December 2011, as well as being honored with the title of the candidate with the most beautiful hair. “It was already much better than we expected,” said Rudy, while acknowledging the fact that Indonesian candidates who participated in similar pageants usually got overlooked by others.

Additionally, Indonesia has been the only country in Asia that organizes Miss Coffee pageant. Because of his position as a renowned businessman, Rudy was asked by the Colombian committee to help organizing a Miss Coffee pageant in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, India and Sri Lanka, as well as several other countries in Africa.

This coming July, together with the second Miss Indonesian Coffee pageant, another event called Pameran Kopi Internasional (International Coffee Exhibition) will be held – located at Pekan Raya Jakarta (PRJ). Akamedi Kopi Indonesia (Indonesian Coffee Academy) is also Rudy’s major plan, complete with accessible internet learning system but only in Indonesia, which is going to be officially launched in the same month. Under Yayasan Kopi Indonesia (Indonesian Coffee Association), it is planned that in 2015, the academy will have international merits and the lessons be presented in different languages.

“There are simply too many coffee terms in Italian,” said Rudy, while mentioning one of the biggest coffee franchises in Indonesia that does not own any coffee plantations but is able to sell Indonesian coffee. “I take it as a challenge, and this is my second year establishing this coffee company. I am always excited about coffee and everything about it is interesting to learn,” he continued. Rudy has currently succeeded in gathering 20 of the best Indonesian coffee suppliers. Indonesia itself lies on 1/8 of the equator, which gives unique characteristics to its produce, as well as making Indonesian arabica coffee a superior choice in the world. “That, I’m very sure of,” confirmed Rudy.

Still talking enthusiastically about the second Miss Indonesian Coffee pageant, Rudy is holding a national conference in a form of an open dialog between coffee businessmen and women in Indonesia. In this forum, the things that will be discussed are the obstacles that they are facing when trying to improve Indonesian coffee in the international market. Rudy hopes that related government ministers and departments can answer questions and handle complaints from the coffee traders.

Rudy has been a businessman since the 60s so he’s used to a lot of competitions and he is not one bit worried with the obstacles that he will face to introduce Indonesian coffee to the world. Interestingly, Indonesia is the only country that still owns DHL as a company, because the head office trusts their shares to Rudy, despite Rudy trying to offer it back to them.

The Coffee Pageant is planned to be held in Shangrila hotel, in Jakarta, exactly on July 15, 2012, and Rudy believes that this event will be successful and earn a lot of supports from many sponsors. Rudy still remembers when the late president Soekarno organized Asia Africa Conference in 1955 – an even that lost its momentum long ago. So Rudy was enthusiastic to organize Asian African Beauty Pageant in April 2013, in the month that the Asia Africa Conference 1955 was held, because he wants to relive the event back by making it as an international event. Even though it’s impossible to please everyone, Rudy always remains positive, especially will all the things that he has done in his career as a businessman.

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Rudy J. Pesik & and Pemilihan Putri Kopi Indonesia ke-2

Rudy J. Pesik, who is an expert in IT and telecommunication, rolls his sleeves and get into the logistic industry through DHL and Caraka Yasa, as well as many other companies in various fields. He is not the type of person who likes to sit behind a desk, as he is always active in looking for fresh ideas to expand his business. The Indonesian coffee world will soon feel Rudy J. Pesik’s touch through Kopi Kamu, Miss Indonesian Coffee pageant, Indonesian Coffee Academy, as well as the International Coffee Exhibition, which are all based on his love to the country’s superior produce – coffee.

Mengenakan kemeja dari tenun ikat Menado, Rudy J. Pesik menyambut saya di Kopi Kamu, Jalan Majapahit, Jakarta siang tadi untuk berbincang tentang banyak hal terutama agenda Putri Kopi Indonesia ke-2 di tahun 2012 ini. Masih segar diusianya yang 72 tahun, Rudy J. Pesik selalu tampak bersemangat walau ia selalu sibuk karena memegang berbagai tampuk pimpinan di korporasi miliknya dan setumpuk kegiatan sosial. Karenanya tak heran Rudy punya ratusan  kartu nama dengan berbagai jabatan yang sampai sekarang disandangnya baik di tingkat nasional maupun internasional.

Rudy mengawali perbincangan saat penyelenggara acara tahunan Putri Kopi Dunia yang diselenggarakan di Kolombia menghubungi dirinya agar Indonesia mengirimkan duta kopinya. Sebelumnya selain sebagai pengusaha Rudy J. Pesik telah lama terlibat dalam kontes kecantikan untuk mempromosikan Indonesia di dunia internasional. Itulah sebabnya panitia kegiatan ini merasa berkepentingan untuk mengontak dirinya dan membuat event yang sama di Indonesia.

Jadilah 14 propinsi dengan 31 peserta mengikuti ajang Putri Kopi Indonesia yang mengantarkan Laskary Andaly Metal Bitticaca asal Toraja, mahasiswi S2 di ITB meraih gelar Putri Kopi Indonesia pertama.  Laskary berhasil menyabet tempat ketiga di Kolombia bulan Desember 2011 kemarin dengan gelar tambahan sebagai Putri dengan rambut terindah di antara seluruh peserta. “Hasil ini sudah melampaui harapan kami” kata Rudy mengingat berbagai kontes kecantikan posisi Indonesia tak selalu bagus.

Sebagai tambahan, Indonesia adalah satu-satunya negara di Asia yang menyelenggarakan Putri Kopi. Karena kedudukannya sebagai pebisnis yang sudah banyak dikenal hingga tingkat kepala negara, ia diminta oleh panitia di Kolombia membantu menyelenggarakan pemilihan Putri Kopi di Thailand, Vietnam, Philipine, Cina, India, dan Sri Lanka hingga ke beberapa negara di Afrika.

Pada bulan Juli mendatang bersamaan dengan pemilihan Putri Kopi Indonesia ke-2, akan berlangsung Pameran Kopi Internasional yang akan bertempat di Pekan Raya Jakarta (PRJ). Selain itu, Akademi Kopi Indonesia adalah rencana besar Rudy lainnya dengan sistem belajar melalui internet yang bisa diakses siapa saja, tapi masih terbatas untuk wilayah Indonesia, yang juga akan diresmikan pada bulan Juli ini. Di bawah Yayasan Akademi Kopi Indonesia atau YAKIN, rencananya sekolah ini akan lebih jauh dikembangkan ke tingkat dunia yang disajikan dalam berbagai bahasa pada tahun 2015.

“Saat ini banyak sekali istilah kopi dalam bahasa Italia” ujar Rudy sambil menyitir salah satu waralaba kopi dunia yang masuk ke Indonesia. Padahal mereka tidak punya pohon kopi, tapi bisa menjual kopi yang dikirim dari Indonesia. “Saya tertantang dan baru dua tahun membentuk perusahaan kopi ini. Saya selalu bersemangat dan semua hal tentang kopi jadi bahan pelajaran” katanya. Saat ini Rudy sudah berhasil terkumpul 20 sumber kopi terbaik Indonesia. Indonesia menduduki 1/8 garis khatulistiwa yang membuat karakteristik unik hasil bumi Indonesia dan membuat kopi arabika Indonesia diyakini sebagai unggulan dunia. “Saya sangat yakin akan hal itu” ujarnya.

Masih terus bersambung dengan pemilihan Putri Kopi ke-2, Rudy akan menggelar sebuah Konferensi tingkat nasional berupa dialog terbuka antara pelaku bisnis kopi se Indonesia. Dalam forum ini akan dibahas berbagai kendala yang dihadapi mereka untuk memajukan kopi Indonesia di pasar inetrnasional. Rudy mengharapkan agar berbagai departemen terkait bisa menjawab berbagai pertanyaan atau keluhan yang disampaikan para pebisnis kopi.

Rudy sudah mulai terjun ke dunia bisnis sejak tahun 60an hingga ia sudah terbiasa dengan banyaknya persaingan dan tak khawatir dengan berbagai ganjalan untuk mempopulerkan kopi Indonesia khususnya di mata dunia. Sebagai informasi, satu-satunya perusahaan DHL di dunia yang masih dipegang oleh bangsa sendiri adalah Indonesia karena pihak pinsipal masih mempercayakan kepemilikan sahamnya kepada Rudy walau ia sudah beberapa kali menawarkan kepada mereka.

Putri Kopi rencananya akan digelar di hotel Sharilla Jakarta tepatnya pada tanggal 15 Juli nanti dan ia meyakini bahwa kegiatan ini akan suskes serta mendapatkan dukungan banyak pihak. Rudy ingat benar saat Soekarno menggelar Konferensi Asia Afrika di tahun 1955 yang kini sudah kehilangan momentumnya. Makanya dengan tetap bersemangat ia akan menggelar Putri Asia Afrika pada bulan April tahun 2013 bertepatan dengan peringatan KAA. Ia hanya ingin mencoba memaknai KAA melalui sebuah event internasional. Tentu Rudy mahfum kalau tak semua pihak senang dengan langkah yang selama ini ia lakukan, tapi ia berusaha tetap berusaha positif.

Rudy J. pesik yang ahli IT dan telekomunikasi terjun ke bidang pengiriman barang melalui perusahaan DHL dan Caraka Yasa serta puluhan perusahaan lainnya diberbagai bidang. Ia memang tak bisa duduk di meja dan selalu aktif mencari banyak ide segar untuk kelangsungan bisnisnya. Dunia kopi Indonesia  telah dan akan merasakan sentuhan tangan dingin Rudy J. Pesik  melalui Kopi Kamu, Putri Kopi Indonesia, Yayasan Akademi Kopi Indonesia, serta Pameran Kopi Internasional yang kesemuanya didasarkan atas kecintaanya terhadap salah satu produk unggulan negeri ini, kopi.

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