{"id":12230,"date":"2025-02-01T09:52:49","date_gmt":"2025-02-01T00:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/?page_id=12230"},"modified":"2025-02-01T09:52:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T00:52:50","slug":"shota-matsushita","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/shota-matsushita\/","title":{"rendered":"Rekindling the Initial Spark: A Focused Drive Toward the Ideal Future<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Rediscovering pure passion<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Since 2019, TYPICA has been reshaping the coffee industry, enabling direct trade starting from just one 60kg bag. Initially catering to micro-roasters with up to a few dozen employees, the company has expanded its focus since 2023 to mid-to-large-scale roasters. Matsushita, as a core member of the Coffee Expert Team, is instrumental in driving this expansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me, client communication goes beyond just discussing coffee quality and pricing. It\u2019s about building a shared vision and bringing like-minded partners on board to shape the future together. I often tell them, \u2018The only way to solve the coffee industry\u2019s so-called 2050 crisis is to support small-scale producers in continuing to grow coffee. Together, we can ensure coffee remains a beverage loved for generations to come.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Matsushita first started reaching out to mid-to-large-scale roasters, many wouldn\u2019t even entertain the idea of switching suppliers. Their sourcing channels were set, and the barriers felt insurmountable. But in recent months, the tide has started to turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we secure deals with companies that recognize the urgency of sustainability or the need to regain their competitive edge, it feels like real progress. It\u2019s moments like these that make me truly feel we\u2019re shaping a new era. Even in the early stages of discussions, just brainstorming the kind of future we want to create, and the one we believe is within reach, fills me with excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming from 15 years in a highly structured corporate environment, Matsushita knew that joining a startup would be a complete shift. He understood that past norms wouldn\u2019t necessarily apply and approached his new role with a strong willingness to learn. Today, he finds that some of the most insightful ideas come from colleagues who joined after him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom day one, I was struck by the sheer enthusiasm and clarity of purpose among the team. Everyone was moving in the same direction, with no room for negativity. It\u2019s refreshing to be in an environment where the team\u2019s vision and mission are well-defined, and every member truly believes in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our daily meetings as community managers, we don\u2019t just talk about sales strategies \u2013 what to sell, where, and how. Instead, we keep our focus on the bigger picture: What kind of world are we trying to build? Being in that kind of environment brought me right back to the raw passion I had at 20, when I first knew I wanted to work in coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Out of pure love for coffee<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Coffee first became Matsushita\u2019s life in high school, though at first, coffee itself was just an afterthought. What really mattered were the moments \u2013 chatting with friends at Starbucks, going on dates, or cramming for exams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he spent more time in caf\u00e9s, Matsushita began noticing subtle differences in flavor. It was the early 2000s, and the term \u201cspecialty coffee\u201d was just beginning to emerge. Forward-thinking roasters and caf\u00e9s were introducing traceable coffee, making him wonder: Why does coffee from the same country taste different from farm to farm? How can I brew it better? Before he knew it, what started as curiosity had turned into an obsession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, Matsushita developed a theory: While roasting and brewing are crucial, the real determining factor in coffee\u2019s flavor is where and how it\u2019s grown. He was particularly inspired by a store manager of Horiguchi Coffee, a pioneer in direct trade, whose passion for coffee origins resonated deeply with him. It was then that his dream took shape \u2013 he would become a coffee professional and, one day, open his own caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When searching for a job as a student, Matsushita had one clear goal: to visit coffee farms. He believed that understanding production was key to making great coffee. He focused on roasters and trading companies with direct farm access, only applying to those that could take him to origin. When he finally secured a position at a company that aligned with his goals, he felt like he was on the right path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter joining the company, I was full of curiosity, asking my senior colleagues countless questions. So when I finally visited a coffee farm in my second year, it was an unforgettable experience. The heat of the blazing sun, the rich scent of the soil and trees \u2013 everything felt alive. Since then, I\u2019ve visited many farms, and each time, I\u2019m reminded that coffee is a gift from nature. Working in Japan, it\u2019s easy to lose sight of that and start seeing coffee as just another manufactured product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But over time, the dream of opening his own caf\u00e9 began to slip away. As he worked with roasters and caf\u00e9s caught in price wars, he found himself catering to market needs rather than pursuing his passion. At some point, he came to a hard truth \u2013 love for coffee alone wouldn\u2019t sustain a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGetting married in my late twenties and having two children also made me more stability-focused and pragmatic. In that sense, although I had no hesitation about joining TYPICA, it was still a bold decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Making game-changing impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It was the fall of 2022 when TYPICA first caught Matsushita\u2019s attention. While walking through SCAJ, Japan\u2019s largest coffee trade show, he came across their booth, and something about it stuck with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The booth had the energy of a startup but none of the rough edges. It was polished, well-organized, and left a lasting impression. Matsushita began visiting TYPICA\u2019s website now and then, and found himself increasingly drawn to their focus, not just on coffee, but on the people behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By coincidence, Matsushita was in the middle of his own global expansion efforts. He had started working on bringing Japanese-roasted coffee to international markets, aware that Japan\u2019s shrinking population meant domestic demand would only decline. But inside his company, few seemed to share his sense of urgency. The project felt more like a side task than a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though his company provided a comfortable working environment, Matsushita couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that his contributions weren\u2019t fully recognized. As he started exploring new opportunities, he found himself attracted to companies with a global vision \u2013 bringing him straight to TYPICA.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe moment my mind was made up was during my online interview. Hearing TYPICA\u2019s vision of distributing 33% of Arabica coffee worldwide by 2030 was shocking in scale. But what truly pulled me in was imagining what the industry would look like if they actually made it happen. That was the kind of future I wanted to be part of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coffee futures market is inherently volatile. With hedge funds pouring in speculative money purely for profit, prices swing wildly. Matsushita, caught in this whirlwind, has been at the mercy of these unpredictable fluctuations, especially during the price spikes of 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving to apologize to customers and ask them to accept price hikes was disheartening, especially because they were caused by market forces completely disconnected from coffee itself. And on top of that, my bonus got cut, which directly affected my own livelihood. But there was nothing I could do. The only option was to keep monitoring the market, making predictions, and trying to minimize the impact as much as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until then, it never even occurred to me to question the way coffee prices are set. But if TYPICA\u2019s vision becomes a reality at a scale large enough to make an impact, it could be a game-changer. The idea of shifting price control away from speculative markets and into the hands of those actually involved in coffee started to feel like a real possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0Living authentically<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In business, there\u2019s often a gap between what people truly feel and what they say. Even those who start out with the purest intentions eventually learn that the world doesn\u2019t run on ideals alone. Many bury their true thoughts, playing the game to get by. After 15 years in the workforce, Matsushita had witnessed this firsthand, but he could never bring himself to simply go along with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the reason I was able to close deals was because I approached my work with a sense of sincerity. Sure, there were times I had to sell things I wasn\u2019t personally excited about. That\u2019s just part of the job. But I never tried to hook clients with discounts or flashy talk. I always tried to win people over by focusing on the real value of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the final months of his previous job, Matsushita took on a project that felt like the culmination of his 10-plus-year career. He had built a relationship with a large restaurant chain, and when the opportunity arose to create their original coffee blend, he proposed something he truly believed in. As a result, he secured a major contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my previous job, I focused on coffee\u2019s flavor, quality, and technical specifications. But at TYPICA, the focus is on the producers themselves. Rather than buyers dropping out when prices rise, I believe in fostering relationships where people continue to support each other, even in difficult times. If that shift becomes the norm, I think it could truly change the world. Of course, there are plenty of challenges, but I\u2019ve never felt discouraged because we\u2019re striving toward something bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll be 40 this year. In my younger days, I was often driven by pure enthusiasm, simply because I didn\u2019t know any better. Now, with knowledge, experience, and a clear understanding of what\u2019s needed, I can be more strategic, allocating resources where they matter most. After 15 years of battling volatile markets, I want to help bring coffee pricing back to what\u2019s fair based on real demand, ensuring a future where producers, roasters, and consumers all benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Meanwhile, transitioning from a mid-sized company with clearly defined roles to a startup has posed new challenges for Matsushita. At TYPICA, where everyone is encouraged to take full ownership of their work, the expectations were entirely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my previous job, my role was clear. I spent two years acquiring new clients or three years making a newly launched China office profitable. But at TYPICA, the approach is different. Instead of focusing only on immediate targets, I need to step back, consider the long-term vision, and work backward to determine what actions matter most today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put another way, it\u2019s not enough to just see areas where the company could improve \u2013 I have the opportunity to take action and drive real change. In day-to-day work, it\u2019s easy to become overly focused on hitting KPIs and unconsciously divide tasks into \u2018my role\u2019 and \u2018everything else.\u2019 But I want to move beyond that mindset and fully own my role as more than just a player. I want to lead with initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rediscovering pure passion Since 2019, TYPICA has been reshaping the coffee industry, enabling direct trade st…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12231,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-staff.php","meta":[],"acf":[],"toolset-meta":{"template-staff-narratives":{"staff-name":{"type":"textfield","raw":"Sthota Matsushita"},"staff-outline":{"type":"textarea","raw":"Driven by a dream to become a coffee professional and one day open his own caf\u00e9, Shota Matsushita joined the green coffee importer S.Ishimitsu & Co., Ltd. straight out of university. Over 15 years, he gained hands-on experience across the coffee supply chain \u2013 managing green coffee quality, cupping, establishing a Shanghai subsidiary, green sourcing, and sales, and even spearheading marketing for roasted coffee in the food service sector. In April 2023, he joined TYPICA, where he now focuses on expanding partnerships with mid-to-large-scale roasters as a member of the Coffee Expert Team.\r\n\r\nNearly two years have passed since Matsushita joined TYPICA, drawn by its ambitious vision: \u201c\u00a5400 billion in transaction volume by 2030, with 33% of all Arabica coffee beans worldwide traded through TYPICA.\u201d So, how does he feel now?"}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12230"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12230"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12253,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12230\/revisions\/12253"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}