{"id":9713,"date":"2022-11-18T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/global.typica.jp\/?post_type=roasters&p=9713"},"modified":"2025-05-13T23:46:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T14:46:32","slug":"peloso-coffee-roasters","status":"publish","type":"roasters","link":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/narratives\/roasters\/peloso-coffee-roasters\/","title":{"rendered":"PELOSO COFFEE ROASTERY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In 2010, Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r opened Peloso Coffee Roasters (Peloso Coffee) in Taipei, Taiwan. Partners not only in business but also at home, the cafe embodies their philosophy of combining work with life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r founded Peloso Coffee in their 20\u2019s, with the limited funds and knowledge they could pool together. Back then, it was a micro cafe in a space no bigger than 10 meters squared. Now, more than 10 years on, it has grown to include a roastery with a takeout bar, and a team of 10. As the business evolves, and Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r spend more time on management responsibilities and less on customer interactions, they have begun to envisage the next step in their future. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A home from home<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While Starbucks can lay claim to branding the coffee shop as the third place – somewhere to relax other than home or work – no place could be more fitting that description than Peloso Coffee, more of a room in a house than a cafe.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe all need a place to be alone and I think a cafe is perfect for that. At Peloso Coffee, we don\u2019t go over the top with the decor. We want our customers to feel comfortable and relaxed here, so we prefer to use wood and natural materials in our interior. Occasionally, I\u2019ve seen customers taking a nap at their table. I like that. It\u2019s nice that they feel so safe in this environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone\u2019s come in because they need a break, maybe they feel unwell, then we\u2019ll show them to a quiet corner, bring them a glass of water and let them rest and take the time they need to recover. And if someone comes in wanting to chat, then we will always take the time to listen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a shame that even though there are cafes popping up all over Taiwan, few of them encourage interaction between the customers. I think that a lot of people come to cafes for the social aspect and we are always trying to understand our customers, and make a connection with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r, that does not mean putting the customers\u2019 needs in front of theirs, but finding a way to merge them. From the hundreds of books that line the bookshelves to the cafe music that changes from day to day, it is all the couple\u2019s favorite things that make the cafe so inviting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe cafe is not so much a business as an extension of our lives. Roasting beans and serving customers is our job, but working in an environment that feels like home makes it easier for us to give our best performance.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Bringing work and life under one roof<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r met in 2008 when Kankan, then a graduate student, got a part-time job at the roastery cafe where Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r was working.  The cafe was way ahead of its time, serving Italian espresso and specialty coffee before it was popular in Taiwan. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt wasn\u2019t exactly love at first sight,\u201d says Kankan, talking about when she first met Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r. \u201cHe\u2019d been working at the place longer than me so he\u2019d teach me about roasting and other techniques, and we\u2019d talk about our coffee philosophy. As time went on, our friendship grew and we became closer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I like about Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r is how he\u2019s always pushing to get the best possible quality, but at the same time is very humble and honest. There are a lot of people who are overly confident in the quality of their coffee, and it means they might not see where they could improve. But Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r is always evaluating himself objectively and looking for ways to get better. And that\u2019s what drew me to him.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair had followed different paths in school, with Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r majoring in history and language, and Kankan a researcher in the field of natural science. Yet after graduation, they both found themselves without a clear direction, and chose to stay on at the cafe while they considered their future. As they thought about what they enjoyed, and how much sharing coffee with other people was a part of that, they realized that opening their own cafe was the natural thing to do.  <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe cafe was more about our love of sharing moments and experiences with people through coffee, than it was about the coffee itself. We\u2019d always wanted a way to bring our home life and work life together, and a coffee shop was the perfect way to do it, and something we would be able to do for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from their part-time job at the cafe, neither of them had any specialist coffee knowledge or experience of running a business. However, while they had some doubts, Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r believed that the best way to learn was on the job, and after mulling it over, decided to open Peloso Coffee. That was in 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were really lucky to have the support of the manager at the cafe we were working at. After we opened, they were always willing to help with any questions we had, and generous with sharing their knowledge about methods and everything. Having that support really gave us the confidence we needed to go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Taking risks to grow<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For the first few years after founding the cafe, and until they moved to the next location, Peloso Coffee had a roasting machine, a bar counter, and seating for up to 15 people in a space of only 10 square meters. The cafe\u2019s location – a residential area with little industry – coupled with the fact that neither did much promotion meant that business was slow in the early days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kankan can still vividly remember the first six months after opening. There were many days when all they did was read books and listen to music, while the cafe stood empty of customers. It was not until two and a half years later that they were finally making enough money to support themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe thing is, we were never worried because it was what we\u2019d expected. We\u2019d made a commitment and we were ready to see it through no matter how hard it got. Later, we were helped by the fact that coffee started to become popular in Taiwan, and people started looking for decent places to drink coffee nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, as specialty coffee wasn\u2019t that well known, people were able to accept us without any stereotypes or expectations of what it should or should not be. This meant we could adapt the lineup to the tastes and reactions of people coming into the cafe, and I think that helped us grow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specialty coffee is generally characterized by small, independent shops. Growing the business means being able to serve more customers, but comes with the risk of losing a handle on quality and purity. With a 3 kg roaster and a seating capacity of 30, Peloso Coffee was already a mid-sized business and Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r had to make a decision – size up or stay micro. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAfter talking it over, we decided to try and grow the business because we realized it would be easy to take on new challenges if we had more capital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, they began the next stage of their journey. They wanted to be sure that the demand was there before investing so they began by loaning a roaster for six months. Once the business felt stable, they purchased a 15 kg roaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They soon realized that with the increase in green beans they would need more storage room, and in 2020 established the Peloso Coffee Roastery. With the roastery located in an industrial area, they decided to add a takeout bar for people to grab a coffee on their way to work. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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At the same time, they began a coffee consultancy for wholesalers. The consultancy offers advice on problems shops face when serving the coffee, maintenance issues, and other support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe feedback that we get allows us to improve the quality of our coffee, and the wholesalers have more confidence in their product, which in turn has a great impact on our business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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A love for coffee is the secret to success<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When they first started out, neither Kankan nor Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r imagined that the business would grow to this scale. There is no time for sitting around reading now. But with growth comes more responsibility and Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r have found that they spend more time managing their team of 10 than they do interacting with the customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe like how Peloso has evolved and we want to keep it at the size it is now. But talking with customers is one of the things we really love about running a cafe. I think in around 15 years time, we\u2019d like to open a much smaller place. In the last ten years, we\u2019ve changed our way of thinking and we\u2019ve gotten some new ideas.  The new shop might have a totally different interior and music. But whatever direction we decide to take, it would always be a place to bring our life and work under one roof. \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Once something becomes a job, it becomes a responsibility, and the need to earn a living can often overshadow every other aspect. For many, this is enough of a reason to keep their passions separate from their professions. But not for Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe keep growing and evolving because of our passion for coffee and if we didn\u2019t have that, we wouldn\u2019t be able to do our job as well as we can. So we\u2019re always conscious of making sure we stay true to the feeling that brought us here in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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While happy times may help a relationship form, it is the tough times that make that relationship strong. Sharing a life and business together, Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r have had their share of ups and downs running Peloso Coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen something happens at work, whether it\u2019s good or bad, we always talk about it, and try and be as rational as possible. Since we opened the roastery, it\u2019s more important than ever because we\u2019re often working at different locations. It\u2019s not all smiles, and sometimes we get annoyed with each other, but that\u2019s natural I think. We\u2019ll often continue the discussion at home, but I think we both try to get our thoughts in order and know exactly what we want to do before we start the conversation.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re lucky in that we have a lot in common and share similar tastes. But in the end, we are two individuals and there are going to be some things we disagree on. But it doesn\u2019t have a negative effect on our relationship as a couple. Communicating your ideas and thoughts to another person takes a lot of effort. Disagreeing with each other and having these discussions is how we learn more about one another, and how to be more understanding of our differences. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I like to think of our relationship as a cup of coffee. Coffee has both good and bad qualities, but how you see these qualities depends on the person. It\u2019s subjective. If we share our likes and dislikes, we can learn more about coffee and take our enjoyment to a different level. It\u2019s not healthy to lock away your negative feelings or ignore them. It\u2019s better to put it all out there and deal with it head on. So we try to find a balance and always find time to talk about coffee.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does not take long for humans to get used to their surroundings. Familiarity turns to comfort, comfort to complacency, and before you know it, you are coasting on auto pilot through a monotony of day in day out. Or, we can choose not to forget our passions. Choose to hold on to what brought us here in the first place. And even though that may be the harder choice, there is no doubt that if they had to, Kankan and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r would make that choice again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text: Tatsuya Nakamichi<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":9718,"template":"","prefectures":[903],"roasters-category":[878],"cut_article_video":[979,983],"roasterss_area":[984,987],"acf":[],"toolset-meta":{"roasters%e7%94%a8field-group":{"roaster-kvmode":{"type":"radio","raw":"2"},"image-roaster":{"type":"image","raw":"https:\/\/typica.jp\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Peloso_00.jpg","attachment_id":null},"name-roaster":{"type":"textfield","raw":"Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r \/ Kankan"},"roaster-copy":{"type":"textfield","raw":"A Blend for Life and Work"},"roaster-shopname":{"type":"textarea","raw":"PELOSO COFFEE ROASTERY"},"roaster-shop-image":{"type":"image","raw":"https:\/\/typica.jp\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Peloso_SIGN.jpg","attachment_id":null},"roaster-oncup":{"type":"textarea","raw":"My favorite coffee is when on our days off, we sleep in till late morning and I brew a cup for me and Sh\u00ed\u2019\u00e8r with what we have in the house. Even if it\u2019s just regular coffee, it always tastes extra special."},"roaster-favorite-farm":{"type":"textfield","raw":""},"roaster-favorite-beans":{"type":"textfield","raw":""},"roaster-ec":{"type":"url","raw":""}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters\/9713"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/roasters"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters\/9713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13678,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters\/9713\/revisions\/13678"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"prefectures","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/prefectures?post=9713"},{"taxonomy":"roasters-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters-category?post=9713"},{"taxonomy":"cut_article_video","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cut_article_video?post=9713"},{"taxonomy":"roasterss_area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasterss_area?post=9713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}