Case Study: Interview with Sascha Bayu Handojo, founder of MYBALI COFFEE

Founder Sascha Bayu Handojo was born in Germany, but his cultural roots lie in Indonesia. As the scion of a long-established Indonesian entrepreneurial family, he combines characteristics typical of that culture with classic German virtues to form an entrepreneurial personality. With his business model he proves that profit and humanity are not mutually exclusive, and in doing so decisively shapes the MYBALI corporate philosophy.

Sascha, with MyBali Coffee you have built a bridge between Bali and Germany. What was your motivation?

I wanted to do more than just sell good coffee. MyBali stands for an emotional connection – to the origin, to the people behind it and to an attitude to life. As a child of two cultures I have seen how much potential lies in fair, direct value creation – and I wanted to make that tangible.

Your model is based on direct trade. Why is that not only idealistic but also commercially sensible?

Because it creates trust – in both directions. For our partners in Bali it means fair prices, long-term purchase commitments and planning certainty. For us it means transparency, quality assurance and the opportunity to build a strong brand authentically. At the same time, in the medium term direct trade also reduces unnecessary margin losses to intermediaries.

How have you positioned yourselves in a market as competitive as Germany?

With clarity. We do not offer “the best coffee in the world”, but genuine, honest Bali coffee with a story. Our brand is emotionally charged, our design appeals to lifestyle customers, and our product delivers what it promises. Added to that are strategic partnerships in retail, in online sales and with brand ambassadors.

Sascha Bayu Handojo, founder of MYBALI COFFEE, on the importance of cash flow planning and liquidity

Where are the biggest challenges in this business model – especially when it comes to liquidity and cash flow?

That is a very important point. Our goods cycle is long: we pay the farmers in Bali directly after the harvest, before the coffee even arrives here – so with a lead time of several weeks, sometimes months. At the same time, many retailers in Germany only pay at the end of their payment terms – which puts a massive strain on our cash flow.

How do you deal with this tension?

Early cash flow planning is essential. We work with forecasts, scenarios and deliberately conservative assumptions. Tools like COMMITLY help us not only to keep an eye on current account balances, but to steer the future of our liquidity transparently. As a founder, that gives me the confidence that we remain able to act – even when growing or when customers cause delays.

How important is transparency in your finances to you, especially as an entrepreneur who is passionate about what he does?

Extremely important. Passion alone is not enough. If you want to grow, you have to understand your finances – not only at the end of the month, but every day. I want to see at a glance: how far does our cash go? Which open receivables are coming in? Which payments are due? That is not about control, it is a prerequisite for healthy growth.

What are your next goals with MyBali Coffee?

We want to develop our product portfolio further and at the same time expand our presence in the DACH region. Always with the same focus: sustainable, direct, fair. And economically stable.

Finally: what would you pass on to other founders who also want to work internationally?

Trust your vision – but never underestimate the importance of well-managed cash flow. With international sourcing in particular you have to understand: growth costs money. And liquidity decides whether you make it through.

Many thanks for your time!

BONUS:

Sascha has set up the exclusive voucher code commitly10 for COMMITLY customers. It gives you 10% off all products, subscriptions excluded. The code can simply be redeemed at checkout.

Here is the way to the shop: MYBALI COFFEE Shop

Credits: Photos by MYBALI COFFEE