TYPICA Lab Bolivia Documentary Film Out Now!
We’ve released the first of our TYPICA Lab documentary film series. In this project, we follow roasters from around the world as they travel to coffee producing countries and explore a sustainable coffee industry, together with coffee producers. Seven roasters from across Japan participated in the first round of TYPICA Lab to Bolivia, which took place in September 2022.
The seven roasters reunited in December 2022 to look back on their experiences and share their takeaways, along with a coffee that left a particularly strong impression on them during the trip. Each of the roasters gave their coffee a name to show how it inspired them.
At the end of the film, the roasters shared their renewed take on what “specialty” means. And there was a surprise message from the Bolivian producers, too.
Ahead of the film’s release, we launched a Lab Notes interview series, where roasters reflect on their experiences during TYPICA Lab and discuss how the project reshaped their perspective on their work. Leaving the comfort zone of their daily life, each participating roaster took the opportunity to have a candid, in-depth conversation with coffee producers, as well as with their inner self.
Each member confronted the subject of coffee not just as a coffee professional or business owner, but as a human being. Some pondered the ideal relationship between roasters and producers, and others debated what they can do to advance the coffee industry.
Lab Notes interviews with the seven roasters are available now.
They are:
Yusuke Matsuki from KEYAKI COFFEE
Breaking Limits and Rediscovering Purpose
To create a “relaxing space” in the hometown, Sendai City ~I believe in the power of coffee~
Yudai Hashimoto and Yuri Hashimoto from COFFEEMAN good
Micro and Proud. Making an Impact When You’re Small
Connections are created through coffee. A small community coffee stand in Aomori prefecture.
Kensuke Sakashita from QUILT COFFEE
Terroir Comes from Producer’s Identity
“I am still just a coffee fan even after becoming a coffee professional.” The yearnings of the owner who believes in a peaceful world.
*Sakashita set up QUILT COFFEE in February 2023 after leaving his previous roastery. The information provided in the articles below is current as of the time of the interviews.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Lab Notes series, as roasters are returning home from Ethiopia and another group gears up for the next round of the TYPICA Lab trip to El Salvador and Guatemala later this month.