Normal spacing for smallholders is about 2x2.5 metres, with approximately 1000-1600 plants per hectare. The average yield per plant is 2-8 kg of cherries, depending on the harvest and the farming practices.

Farmers usually prepare their own seedlings, and do their own planting, weeding and pruning. They replant 10% of the farm annually due to diseases. In some farms, pruning is a common practice and on others it is not. Chemical fertiliser is not commonly used for coffee production. Most farmers do not have a wet mill, but instead have a small, manual pulper.

With an expert background in various agricultural practices, the members of Frinsa Estate prioritise high-quality cherry selection, paying attention to varieties, the right amount of shade, picking, and sorting.

Wet hulling was introduced to the market in the late 1980s, as traders needed volumes at a faster pace. This means that smallholders pulp their coffee and ferment it in bags overnight. They then dry it from a few hours to a day, and sell it as wet parchment to local middle-men. For the parchment to crack, the middle men then dry it for one more day, aiming to reach moisture levels of about 36%. It is then considered to be ready for hulling (removing parchment) while still wet. It is either dried again before being sold to an exporter or it is sold wet. Commercial coffees are generally exported at moisture levels of around 14%.

Only a few producers in Indonesia produce clean, fully washed coffees properly dried in parchment – and Frinsa Estate is one of them. They also do some wet-hulled, naturals, and special preps. Their coffees are always separated in lots by field location, cultivar, and date of picking. The parchment is stored in plastic bags with LDPE liners.

After harvesting, the coffees are pulped and dry fermented in small tanks for 15-18 hours. They are rinsed and soaked under water for another 10-12 hours, and then washed under clean water.

For the special preps, the Frinsa team is not afraid to experiment. They have been trying different techniques with fermentation for years, producing crazy funky flavours with brown spices, syrups, cookies, and super overripe fermented fruit. They sometimes use probiotic bacterias like Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces.

Most coffees are pre-dried on beds for 1-2 days in greenhouses. Then, they are transferred to the patios. Drying can last for 14-20 days, depending on rainfall levels. The use of a greenhouse at Frinsa Estate is a game-changer for the Indonesian climate, as it can ensure uniform drying for a more consistent outcome.