Launching Product Team

We are thrilled to announce that TYPICA will launch the Product Team in August 2023. The team will be responsible for developing our online platform, one of the key elements of TYPICA alongside high-quality coffee and the roaster-producer community. We will aim to create a marketplace that truly brings roasters and producers together and helps them more proactively and seamlessly explore their full potential. 

It goes without saying that the coffee industry is grappling with substantial challenges. Coffee prices can fluctuate wildly due to the whims of supply and demand as well as influxes of speculative capital. Because of that, it can be challenging to earn a steady stream of income from coffee. Moreover, the impacts of climate change in recent years pose yet another significant risk. As a result, many coffee farmers are switching to alternative, easier-to-cash crops, or leaving the agricultural sector altogether. This trend has caused a continuous decline in the diversity of coffee origins.

Since its inception in 2019, TYPICA has been paving the way for everyone, regardless of their business scale, to engage in direct trade worldwide. We price the coffee beans traded on our platform at rates three to 30 times higher than those on the international market. Through our service that enables producers and roasters to simultaneously boost the value and price of coffee, we foster opportunities for consistent improvements in job satisfaction and quality of life.

To further grow our community, continuous innovation of our main product, the online platform, is essential. The newly launched team consists of an engineer with eight years’ experience managing the infrastructure of a mobile game platform at DeNA, another 7 years developing backend systems for gene testing services, and building the print platform at Raksul, a leading IT venture in Japan. Alongside him, we have a product manager who successfully identified the needs of New York’s roasters, leading to the creation of the TYPICA U.S. Office, and another engineer who has significantly contributed to the expansion of our current platform through his skillful internal and external coordination.

In late May, we conducted a team brainstorming session to outline our product’s vision. We covered a wide array of topics in this two-day dialogue, including the product’s purpose, experiential value, information management and access, communication, pricing and quality, transparency, and more.

We’ve already set in motion several projects that aim to actualize our vision. Among these projects is the establishment of a futures market – a place where you can trade coffee that will be harvested in the year ahead. The idea behind this came from one producer’s comment at the TYPICA Annual Meeting held in Japan in October 2022: “We’re happy to be able to sell our coffee globally through TYPICA, but it only makes up 5% of our total yield. I’m wondering if there is a way to offer the remaining 95% directly to a larger audience.” Our existing spot market is a platform where users can buy seasonal coffee from a single jute bag. The marketplace has created a new point of connection between producers and roasters across the world. However, it represents only part of what producers can potentially offer. We are working on a new model that serves the needs of both sides: producers who want to optimize their output and processes based on roasters’ preferences; and roasters who want to plan their next year’s sales and sourcing strategies based on their current performance. Through this new initiative, we believe we can unlock even more possibilities. Driven by this vision, we are pushing ahead with discussions and development work, aiming to launch the service in November 2023.

We believe that as the volume of direct trade coffee increases, allowing for steady transactions at stable prices, it will fuel incentives such as efforts to improve quality and expand employment. Ultimately, this can enhance the sustainability of the entire coffee industry. We envisage a future where the comprehensive value of coffee—encompassing the uniqueness of the coffee’s origin, the artisanal skills of the producers, and their dedication—is recognized and celebrated. Stay tuned for exciting developments to come.

Lastly, let us introduce our team members.

Kosuke

Hello, I’m Kosuke from the Product Team at TYPICA. 
I’ve been journeying through the tech world for more than two decades as a web engineer, helping develop various platforms and e-commerce solutions. With the evolution of technology, I have honed my skills as well. It was along this path that I stumbled upon TYPICA and was struck by what they aspire to achieve. I see my past experiences as stepping stones that have led me here, equipping me to advance TYPICA’s vision. 
I’m fully committed to creating a product that bridges producers and customers and increases the overall happiness of the world. I’m looking forward to this journey with you all.

Shota

Hi, I’m Shota, a member of TYPICA’s Product Team. 
I was the first engineer to join TYPICA two years ago. 
After dedicating eight years to maintaining and preserving liquid crystal TV manufacturing machinery at Sharp, I ventured abroad to study, ultimately pivoting to become a software engineer. 
My daily mission revolves around huddling up with my colleagues and designing an ideal system that can bring joy and happiness to everyone in the coffee community, from producers to roasters, and all coffee lovers.

Shu

My name is Shu, Product Manager. Currently, I’m juggling responsibilities between the Product Team and the newly launched US headquarters. 
My career history includes a stint at BizReach, a Japan-based direct recruiting platform, where I engaged in marketing, finding new clients and building strong client relationships.
I joined TYPICA because I craved fresh challenges in the global business landscape and hoped to help unearth untapped potentials across the world. I also wanted to be part of a company that not only solves societal issues but also fuels business growth.
Through TYPICA’s direct trade opportunities, I see a world blooming with endless possibilities. However, there are still countless producers and roasters out there, eagerly awaiting their chance to shine. With coffee as our catalyst and the power of technology, my goal is to create a platform that seamlessly brings the world together.

My favorite coffee is the one I savor on lazy Saturday mornings with my wife and our kid. I have a bad habit of going overboard and buying too much whenever I stumble upon a delightful bakery.