Exceptional Coffee. Measurable Impact

Only 20% of Indonesia’s original lowland rainforests remain—precious habitat that once allowed orangutans to roam freely across Sumatra. As these forests shrink, both wildlife and the people who depend on the land face increasing pressure.

Our mission is to protect the remaining rainforest while strengthening the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers in the Gayo Highlands. For every kilogram of exported green coffee, a 50-cent premium supports farmers who follow strict organic and conservation practices. The same premium directly supports the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program, a collaboration between the Indonesian foundation YEL, the Swiss foundation PanEco, and the Indonesian government. Through this dual approach, every purchase helps safeguard orangutans and sustain the communities that share their home.

Transparent, Sustainable, Traceable

Our closest partners are the 350 smallholder farmers who cultivate high-quality coffee in accordance with EU organic standards. Their commitment to protecting the rainforest and its wildlife forms the backbone of our work. We support them through training, certification, and long-term collaboration that ensures full traceability and upholds both social and environmental sustainability.

With guidance from coffee experts—and thanks to the contributions of our OUC roasters and enthusiasts who boosted our crowdfunding efforts—we continually improve post-harvest processes and infrastructure. These investments elevate coffee quality, strengthen local communities, and deepen our collective impact on conservation.

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Every cup of Orangutan Coffee delivers exceptional quality and helps preserve one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems by supporting organic farmers and orangutan conservation.

Grüezi us de Schwiiz

Greetings from Switzerland. Meet the people behind the Orangutan Project.

Regina Frey

Swiss biologist and founder of the Orangutan Project, Regina has dedicated her career to orangutan conservation. She co-established the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, which Orangutan Coffee supports through its premiums, and oversees coffee production in Sumatra.

Holger Welz

As co-founder of Orangutan Coffee, Holger brings over 25 years of experience in the coffee industry. Formerly responsible for the international growth of Dalla Corte espresso machines, he now focuses on business development for Orangutan Coffee. He is also the founder of TONE Kaffeemaschinen AG in Switzerland.

Timo Drews

Timo ensures Orangutan Coffee’s quality meets specialty standards. A member of the Speicherstadt coffee roastery team, he has extensive experience across the global coffee industry and a deep understanding of sustainable, high-quality coffee.

Nils Erichsen

Responsible for finance and controlling, Nils brings decades of experience in management and investment. A former Managing Partner of Mahlkönig, Ditting, and founder of Hemro AG, he now leads UBE Erichsen Beteiligungs GmbH, a Hamburg-based consulting and private equity firm.

Heinz Trachsel

As Orangutan Coffee’s ambassador, Heinz uses his extensive coffee industry network to promote the project among European roasters. A certified sales manager from Bern, Switzerland, he spent 30 years in management at Schaerer AG and played a key role in the Specialty Coffee Association’s development and international training programs.

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