What Sarutahiko Coffee does

Sarutahiko Coffee (猿田彦珈琲) is a privately held specialty coffee retailer headquartered in Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan, operating a direct-to-consumer model that combines a proprietary Shopify-based e-commerce store (sarutahiko.jp), physical retail stores in Japan anchored by a flagship in Ebisu, and a subscription delivery service. The company sells a curated portfolio of specialty coffee including single-origin lots (Panama Geisha, Colombia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Brazil, Nicaragua), barrel-aged and decaffeinated coffees, signature blends such as Daikichi Blend (the No. 1 bestseller), Sarutahiko French, Himawari Blend, and Tokyo-themed SKUs, alongside drip bags, tasting sets, ready-to-drink chilled coffee, liquid cafe latte bases, and coffee-themed confectionery. A membership program, e-gift digital gift cards, branded merchandise (T-shirts, tote bags, notebooks), and proprietary equipment including the Drippen dripper extend the offering beyond green/roasted beans.

The customer base is entirely B2C, segmented into individual coffee enthusiasts (casual to serious) and gift buyers purchasing for corporate or personal occasions. Revenue mechanics mix one-time product sales with subscription recurring delivery (定期便) and in-store subscription (Coffee Pass), both offering exclusive subscriber-only products. Pricing is denominated in Japanese Yen (¥980-¥5,700 across major tiers), with free shipping on orders of ¥5,400 or more. The company markets through email, LINE, X, Facebook, Instagram, and SEO, and has executed brand collaborations with SUIT SELECT, STTOKE, and Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Feb 2025). No funding rounds, M&A, leadership changes, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; the company is operating, has no parent, and has no subsidiaries.

Name

Sarutahiko Coffee

Legal name

SARUTAHIKO COFFEE inc.

Website

https://sarutahiko.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sarutahiko Coffee is a Tokyo-based specialty coffee retailer selling single-origin and signature blend coffees, drip bags, ready-to-drink beverages, and branded equipment through DTC e-commerce, physical stores, and subscription services to Japanese consumers and gift buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Retail

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars (THAFADAD), Coffee & Tea Concentrates, Syrups & Extracts (CRADAHAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee retail
• Coffee beans and grounds
• Drip bag coffee
• Ready-to-drink coffee
• Coffee subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Coffee Beans, Ground Coffee, Drip Bags): Core revenue stream from selling specialty coffee products including single origin, blends, barrel-aged, and decaf options. Products sold as whole beans or ground, in various sizes from 50g to 500g.
2. Beverages (Chilled Coffee, Liquid Coffee, Cafe au Lait Base): Ready-to-drink chilled coffee products and cafe au lait bases sold in bottles, targeting consumers seeking convenient premium coffee at home.
3. Subscription Service (定期便): Recurring subscription delivery service offering regular shipments of coffee products with exclusive subscription-only product offerings.
4. E-Gifts and Gift Sets: Digital e-gift cards and physical gift sets for gifting occasions, including customizable recipient choice options.
5. Confectionery and Goods: Coffee-themed snacks, pastries, and merchandise including caneles, cookies, almond florentins, as well as coffee equipment and original branded goods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sarutahiko Coffee is a Tokyo-based specialty coffee retailer that roasts and curates premium single origin, blended, barrel-aged, and decaffeinated coffees sold as beans, ground coffee, drip bags, and ready-to-drink chilled beverages. The company operates a proprietary online shop (sarutahiko.jp), physical specialty coffee stores anchored by its Ebisu flagship, and recurring subscription delivery (定期便) services. Complementary offerings include the proprietary "Drippen" dripper, e-gift and physical gift sets, branded merchandise, and coffee-themed confectionery, all targeted at individual consumers and gift buyers in the Japanese domestic market.

Product overview

Sarutahiko Coffee is a specialty coffee retailer based in Ebisu, Tokyo, operating a multi-channel business combining e-commerce and physical retail. The product portfolio centers on coffee beans and ground coffee (offered as blends, single origins, barrel-aged, and decaf varieties), drip bags for convenient brewing, and ready-to-drink chilled coffee products including cafe latte and liquid coffee bases. The company also offers subscription services (定期便 and コーヒーパス), e-gift options, and complementary goods including confectionery, original merchandise, and brewing equipment. Key branded products include signature blends such as 大吉ブレンド (No.1 bestseller), ひまわりブレンド (seasonal), 猿田彦フレンチ, and TOKYO 'til Infinity. The company operates a proprietary dripper product called Drippen and provides starter kits for coffee enthusiasts. The e-commerce platform supports online ordering with free shipping on orders over ¥5,400.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coffee Beans / Ground Coffee (コーヒー豆/粉)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Sanfrecce HiroshimaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 February 2025Limited-time collaboration product featuring Sanfrecce Hiroshima × Sarutahiko Coffee blend (中深煎り). Seasonal limited edition product priced at ¥1,150.
• SUIT SELECTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on branded handkerchief products. SUIT SELECT × Sarutahiko Coffee collaboration featuring 4 types of branded handkerchiefs sold at ¥1,650.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Bottle Coffee Japan: US-origin premium specialty coffee chain (Nestlé-owned) operating cafés and DTC e-commerce across Japan. Most directly comparable peer — same premium specialty positioning, multi-channel DTC + café model, subscription-style loyalty in Japan.
• % Arabica: Japanese-founded specialty coffee brand with global store footprint and roastery. Comparable premium single-origin positioning, design-led brand, and café + packaged product model in Japan and abroad.
• Glitch Coffee & Roasters: Tokyo-based specialty coffee roaster and café operator. Same premium specialty positioning in the Japanese market with physical cafés and e-commerce bean sales, making it a head-to-head competitor in Tokyo.
• Onibus Coffee: Tokyo-based specialty coffee roaster with multiple cafés and online sales. Closely comparable DTC + retail model targeting Tokyo coffee enthusiasts with single-origin offerings.
• Bear Pond Espresso: Long-established Tokyo specialty espresso bar. Comparable premium neighborhood-anchored specialty coffee positioning in Tokyo, though with more limited product retail.
• Fuglen Coffee: Norwegian-origin specialty coffee and cocktail bar with Tokyo locations. Comparable premium café + retail hybrid targeting design-conscious urban consumers in Tokyo.
• Streamer Coffee Company: Tokyo specialty coffee company known for latte art with cafés and bean sales. Directly comparable premium specialty coffee brand with cafés and e-commerce in Japan.
• Maruyama Coffee: Japan specialty coffee roaster with multiple cafés and online retail. Comparable premium single-origin and farm-direct sourcing model with both physical retail and DTC channels.

Broad incumbents

• Starbucks Reserve Japan: Largest coffee chain in Japan operating Reserve specialty stores alongside core cafés. Overlaps with Sarutahiko in premium single-origin positioning but serves a much broader mass-market specialty audience.
• Tully's Coffee Japan: Major specialty-adjacent coffee chain in Japan (Doutor-owned) with packaged retail products. Broader incumbent with overlapping specialty retail presence and bean/beverage retail lines in the Japanese market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sarutahikoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/sarutahiko/?locale=ja_JP
• Instagraminstagram.com/sarutahikocoffee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sarutahiko Coffee