EduAsiaNews, Gaithersburg — Indonesian furniture, coffee and other value-added products are gaining access to the United States market through long-term business partnerships and trade promotion initiatives, including a collaboration with US furniture company Country Casual Teak Corp.
Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United States, Indroyono Soesilo, presented the 2026 Prima Duta Award in the Indonesia Export Strategic Partner category to Country Casual Teak Corp. President and CEO Dana Goldstein at the company’s office in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Nov. 13, 2026. Trade Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., Ranitya Kusumadewi, accompanied the ambassador.
The award, originally presented at the 2026 Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) in Jakarta in October, recognizes the company’s contribution to bringing premium Indonesian furniture to American consumers.
Founded in Maryland in 1977, Country Casual Teak began with a focus on English-style garden benches before expanding into outdoor furniture, including benches, dining tables, lounge chairs and sofas for residential and commercial spaces.
Indonesia has played an important role in the company’s development. Since the 1990s, Country Casual Teak has shifted part of its production to Indonesia, using legally sourced teak from plantations in Java. Over the past two decades, it has also built partnerships with furniture manufacturers and exporters, particularly in Cirebon and Semarang.
The collaboration has helped Indonesian producers move beyond supplying raw materials to manufacturing higher-value furniture for international markets. The production chain also provides employment and opportunities for Indonesian workers and craftspeople to serve global customers.
Beyond furniture, the Indonesian Embassy in Washington has facilitated business agreements covering medical gloves, coffee, processed food and herbal products.
The 41st TEI, held in 2026 under the theme “The Ultimate Hub for Global Sourcing,” recorded potential transactions worth US$22.94 billion, exceeding its US$17.5 billion target by 31.1 percent. The exhibition brought together 1,873 exhibitors and 9,600 registered buyers from 151 countries, attracting more than 45,287 visitors.
Among the business deals facilitated through the embassy were a US$30 million medical glove agreement with BASIC Medical Technology Inc., a US$15.03 million Arabica coffee deal with Royal Coffee, and a US$5 million coffee agreement with Armenia Coffee Corporation.
Other agreements included US$350,000 worth of dried sweet potatoes and fried shallots with Exotique Foods, as well as US$150,000 in herbal products with Dynamic Supreme Corp.
The Exotique Foods partnership also supports the S’RASA, or Rasa Rempah Indonesia, programme, a collaboration involving six Indonesian ministries and agencies to develop domestic food and beverage products and expand their access to overseas markets. The initiative connects Indonesian producers with importers and distributors to help bring their products to international consumers.
Meanwhile, cooperation with Dynamic Supreme Corp., a transportation and logistics company, forms part of a partnership with the West Java provincial government to promote regional products, particularly herbal goods and processed food, in the US market.
Coffee exports also involve producers and exporters supported by strategic partners, including Bank Indonesia and the Indonesia Export Financing Agency (LPEI). The collaboration combines business development, product promotion and efforts to open access to international markets.
The United States remains an important destination for Indonesian exports, ranging from established products such as coffee and furniture to higher-value goods, including medical equipment, cosmetics and processed food.
However, exporters face challenges from changes in US trade policies and competition from other supplier countries. Continued improvements in product quality, market readiness and business partnerships will be important for Indonesian companies seeking to strengthen their position in the American market. (*)
