LOS ANGELES, U.S. — Tentera, a Los Angeles-based company, launched its premium, all-natural, single-origin, on-the-go, Indonesian pour-over coffee bag line today. In early 2016, Michael Riady founded Tentera, a brand that aims to follow its extended meaning: ‘good causes’.
Tentera is a brand that uses artwork on household products to raise awareness of global issues. Tentera accomplishes its outreach by partnering with local contemporary artists to design its packaging.
They treat each unique piece of artwork on each individual product as a form of communication, relaying that which is critically influencing our world and opportunities for consumers to come together for global relief. Tentera believes that with more worldly awareness via household products, Tentera, and its consumers, can help create a more educated, safer, united world.
As a start, two percent of all Tentera coffee sales will be donated to their official partners, including the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to fund their global conservation projects, as well as 1% For The Planet.
“I wanted to build a brand that could use its packaging on an elevated level, as a powerful communication platform. Homes are filled with staple products, but unfortunately, consumers often take the distribution of these commodities and its packaging design for granted. In this lapse, I saw an opportunity to redesign what packaging design could and should be: a method for worthwhile messaging. I wanted to pave the way to promote good in a cost-effective, creative, thoughtful method,” said Riady.
“Americans consume about 400 million cups of coffee every day. Coffee, as a household product, truly knows no boundaries. It reaches everyone, and at all points of the day, beginning in the wee hours of the morning, continuing through the workday afternoon lull, and picking back up as a post-dinner nightcap. Tentera hopes to use coffee and its packaging to spread the message of endangered species and create sustainable awareness. Every time a coffee cup is sold, a recurring income generated from a percentage of sales will go toward conservation projects. This will secure our partners a consistent source of significant alternative funding,” added Riady.
Riady, an entrepreneur at heart, desired to launch a line of coffee products in the U.S. that supported a social mission that he stood behind – to support endangered species, wildlife, and rainforests. He started with what he knew. In Indonesia, a place he calls his first home, Riady grew up amid islands, rainforests, and wildlife, and always knew he wanted to help with their preservation. Secondly, he liked coffee. As a businessman who is always on the go, Riady deeply desired readily available coffee that required no equipment. In Indonesia, the answer was single cup pour-over coffee bags, a concept he was surprised to find that was still foreign to consumers in Los Angeles. Thus, Tentera’s first pour-over coffee collection was born.
Tentera’s collection features all-natural coffee beans, sourced from selected small co-op farmer-owned plantations across Indonesia. Tentera’s secret lies in its process – an easy-to-use pour-over bag design and handcrafted coffee. Picture a tea bag filled with premium single origin ground coffee. Now imagine that this bag is not dropped into your mug, but rather sits cradled in an ingeniously folded paper filter stand, which suspends itself over your mug. Once the pour-over coffee bag is fastened, coffee aficionados may simply pour hot water over their Tentera individual filtered bag.
Within sixty seconds, they will have a freshly brewed cup of coffee that requires little to no effort. Along with its artisanal and delicious taste, Tentera is convenient, allowing drinkers the perfect one cup on demand. Consumers can easily store an individual packet in their pocket or purse and be on their way. The packaging also dons stunning and inspirational custom designs by local and up-and-coming Indonesian artist, Darbotz. Each individual box cover displays a wildlife illustration, which focuses on the brand’s ultimate passion and mission to raise critical awareness and protect endangered species.
Tentera’s specialty pour-over coffee bag is available for a suggested retail price of $4.95 to $38.50, contingent on box size (available in three options), and can be purchased or subscribed to at www.tenteracoffee.com, or found at specialty retailers in and around the Los Angeles area. The brand intends to extend its product offerings with other beans and cold brews in early 2019.
