Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) stated that the coffee industry is one of the strategic sectors capable of creating business opportunities and expanding market access for MSMEs.”By facilitating participation in this exhibition, the MSMEs Ministry seeks to reconnect entrepreneurs with the market, expand business networks, build partnerships, and enhance the competitiveness of their products,” Assistant Deputy for Medium Enterprise Market Expansion at the ministry, Harun Adama Sume, said while opening the Indonesia Coffee Expo (ICX) Medan on Friday.The ministry's participation in ICX 2026 is part of the MSME Revival program, which aims to accelerate the recovery of market access for coffee entrepreneurs affected by disasters in Sumatra in 2025.”The coffee industry is one of the sectors capable of creating numerous business opportunities for MSMEs. Through ICX, we hope more coffee entrepreneurs will be able to expand their business networks, improve product quality, and access broader markets,” he said.Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) for Digital Business at state-owned bank BTN, Thomas Wahyudi, said strengthening the coffee industry must be accompanied by a financial system capable of accelerating the digital transformation of MSMEs.According to him, support for the digital ecosystem is one of the key factors in improving the competitiveness of business players.”Growth in the coffee industry must be supported by a stronger ecosystem, including financial services and digital transactions. BTN's participation in ICX is part of our efforts to support transaction digitalization while strengthening the competitiveness of MSMEs,” he said.The exhibition is running until August 2, 2026, featuring 54 exhibitors comprising MSMEs, coffee farmers, roasteries, coffee shops, coffee machine and equipment providers, as well as various supporting industries.Carrying the theme “Brewing Business, Shaping Lifestyle, and Coffee Excellence,” ICX Medan serves as a collaborative platform for stakeholders across the coffee industry, from upstream to downstream.