Name

Saza Coffee

Legal name

SAZA COFFEE Co., Ltd.

Website

https://saza.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa) (AFAGACAI), Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee retail
• Coffee roasting services
• Artisanal baked goods
• Direct trade coffee
• Single-serve drip coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Tsukuba

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Shop Sales: Revenue from 17 directly-operated coffee shop locations across Japan. Stores offer dine-in coffee service, take-out beverages, and food items including cakes and Saza-pan baked goods. Locations include major train stations (JR Shinagawa, JR Omiya, JR Katsuta, JR Mito) and commercial centers.
2. Coffee Product Sales (Beans, Cup-On, Liquid Coffee): Sale of roasted coffee beans, drip coffee packs (cup-on), and liquid/cold brew coffee products through direct retail stores, online shop, Amazon, Rakuten, and JRE Mall. Premium products include Panama Geisha varieties, Shogun Coffee, and seasonal limited editions.
3. Baked Goods (Saza-pan): Production and sale of frozen baked goods including croissants, breads, and pastries under the 'Saza-pan' brand. Products sold at Saza Coffee stores, through the online shop, and via subscription (頒布会 monthly delivery service).
4. Wholesale/Distribution: Wholesale distribution of coffee products to retail partners including Kasumi (40 stores), AeON Retail (19 stores), and Seven-Eleven (270 stores in Ibaraki). Products include gift sets, coffee beans, cup-on products, and liquid ice coffee.
5. Coffee Equipment and Technical Services: Technical guidance and support for cafe/shop开业 (opening) and coffee-related business support services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saza Coffee is a Japanese specialty coffee roaster and retailer that sells premium roasted coffee beans, single-serve drip coffee, and ready-to-drink cold brew through 17 company-owned stores, e-commerce, and wholesale to convenience stores and supermarkets. The company owns and operates coffee farms in Colombia (approximately 26 hectares in Cauca) and roasts on-site using German PROBAT equipment combined with a proprietary scientific aroma-preservation methodology. Complementary offerings include the Saza-pan baked goods line and gelato.

Product overview

Saza Coffee operates a multi-format specialty coffee business combining retail coffee shops, e-commerce sales, and food products. The core product portfolio centers on premium specialty coffees including signature blends (将軍珈琲 Shogun Coffee, a French-style dark roast developed with the Tokugawa family), Panama Geisha varieties from renowned farms, and the company's own Colombian farm-sourced beans. The Weekly Geisha Series provides rotating limited-edition Geisha coffees from global farms. Supporting products include ready-to-drink liquid iced coffees, single-serve cup-on drip coffee, and the specialty food line featuring サザぱん artisan breads and pastries, castella cakes, and gelato. The company also offers regional and university collaboration products, and maintains an official app for loyalty programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Saza Coffee: Core specialty coffee brand encompassing coffee shops, bean sales, and drip coffee products.
• 将軍珈琲 (Shogun Coffee)
• サザぱん (Saza-pan)
• サザジェラート (Saza Gelato)
• サザカップオン (Saza Cup On)
• ゲイシャハンター (Geisha Hunter)
• Weekly Geisha (ウィークリーゲイシャ)
• Princess Shogun Coffee (プリンセス将軍珈琲)
• サザ農園 (Saza Farm)

Products and services

• Shogun Coffee (将軍珈琲) French-style dark roast coffee developed with the Tokugawa family, blending Indonesian Sumatra deep roast with Ethiopian coffee, sold as whole beans, cup-on single packs, and 5-packs.
• Panama Geisha Coffee Premium Geisha variety coffee from Panama auction farms, including Esmeralda Mario, Esmeralda Green, and other auction lots, sold as 50g beans and cup-on servings.
• Saza Cup On (Single-Serve Drip Coffee) Single-serve drip coffee packets for convenient home brewing, available in multiple blends and sold through convenience stores, supermarkets, and online.
• Liquid Iced Coffee (Shogun Cold Coffee) Ready-to-drink cold brew coffee produced using the Nelson drip technique, including Shogun Cold Coffee and other varieties, available in bottles and multipacks.
• Geisha Hunter (ゲイシャハンター) Signature house blend combining Geisha varieties from Panama, Ethiopia, and Colombia, sold as beans and cold brew.
• Weekly Geisha Series Weekly rotating limited-edition series featuring rare Geisha coffees from various global farms and origins, sold in 50g bean format with limited weekly quantities.
• Saza-pan (サザぱん) Frozen Baked Goods Subscription-based frozen baked goods line including croissants, French bread, filled breads, Shogun-pan with micro-ground Shogun Coffee, and seasonal varieties, sold via monthly delivery service and in stores.
• Saza Gelato (サザジェラート) Artisanal gelato made with coffee and seasonal ingredients, including coffee-based varieties and Colombian tradition gelato, sold at Saza Coffee retail stores.
• Castella Short Cake Signature cake using Okukuji eggs and premium strawberries, featuring castella sponge cake layered with fresh cream and fruit, sold at Saza Coffee retail stores.
• Saza Farm Colombia Coffee (サザ農園コロンビア) Estate coffee beans cultivated at the company's own Colombian farm in Cauca at 1,950m altitude, featuring Geisha and other specialty varieties processed using various methods.
• Saza-pan Subscription (頒布会 Monthly Delivery Service) Monthly recurring subscription service delivering frozen Saza-pan baked goods around the 25th of each month, with seasonal selections and various bread and pastry items.
• Saza Coffee Shop Service (Retail Cafe Operations) Dine-in coffee shop service across 17 directly-operated locations offering brewed coffee, espresso beverages, take-out drinks, cakes, Saza-pan baked goods, and gelato.
• Cafe Opening Support and Coffee Business Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Roasted coffee shelf life extended from 3 years to 5 years through proprietary technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dr. Edgar Moreno (Finca Los Tres Edgaritos)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Dr. Edgar Moreno, former Quality Director of Colombia's National Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), serves as co-operator of Finca Los Tres Edgaritos (21 hectares) and quality advisor for Saza Coffee's Colombia operations. Partnership began 2008 when Dr. Moreno joined as business partner to expand variety breeding and farm management.
• Tokugawa Yoshitomo (Tokugawa Yoshikado Family)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTokugawa Yoshitomo, 4th generation head of Tokugawa Yoshikado family and great-grandson of the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu, personally developed the 'Shogun Coffee' product. He trained as a roaster at Saza Coffee for approximately 10 years (2004-2014) and contributed to the authentic reproduction of Edo-period French-style coffee.
• Esmeralda Farm (Hacienda La Esmeralda), PanamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaza Coffee has been bidding on and winning top lots at Best of Panama auctions since 2009, including multiple #1 positions. The Peterson family's Esmeralda Farm is recognized as the birthplace of modern Geisha coffee fame after discovering its exceptional flavor in 2004.
• Keisei Department Store / Hitachi LocationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSaza Coffee products are sold at KEiSEI & sole shop located at SEA MARK SQUARE in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, expanding retail presence in the Hitachi region.
• JR East (Japan Railway)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple Saza Coffee stores operate within JR station premises including Shinagawa, Omiya, Katsuta, and Mito stations. Additionally, JR East Mito Branch collaborated on limited-edition '常磐線特急コーヒー' (Joban Line Express Coffee) product sold at JRE Mall.
• Lotte Japan (FamilyMart Ice Cream Collaboration)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSaza Coffee collaborated with Lotte on 'Lotte Waffle Cone Shogun Mocha' ice cream product sold exclusively at FamilyMart convenience stores nationwide.
• Tsukuba UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership includes Saza Coffee Alliance store operation within Tsukuba University campus, joint research on coffee quality preservation with the Agricultural and Food Processing Laboratory, and collaborative product development including 'Tsukuba University Ariantha Estate Coffee' developed with Brazilian Ariantha Farm.
• Ibaraki UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaza Coffee operates library cafe within Ibaraki University Mito Campus, conducts barista seminars, and collaborated on 'Izura Coffee' product development inspired by Okakura Kakuzo's coffee history connected to the region's cultural heritage.
• Oarai Town (大洗町)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of 'Oarai Coffee' branded product with Oarai Town, featuring 5 varieties with packaging inspired by Oarai's mascot character 'Araippe'. Certified as Oarai Town brand product.
• Various Coffee Farms (Panama, Colombia, Ethiopia, Brazil, etc.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect relationships with multiple specialty coffee farms worldwide including Panama (Los Lajones, Janson, Lerida, Altieri, Carmen, Elida), Colombia (Saza Farm, Gloria), Ethiopia (Gesha Village), Brazil (Ariantha), El Salvador, Guatemala, and others. Relationships built through direct sourcing visits and ongoing quality partnerships.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Onibus Coffee: Tokyo-based specialty coffee roaster operating roastery-cafes with direct farm relationships in Brazil and Guatemala. Comparable to Saza's model of combining direct sourcing, cafe operations, and roastery in a Japanese urban market.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-founded specialty coffee roaster with direct trade relationships, cafe operations, and wholesale distribution. Comparable to Saza in direct-sourcing, roastery-cafe model, and emphasis on origin storytelling for premium positioning.
• % Arabica: Japan-founded premium specialty coffee roaster with a global cafe footprint, focused on single-origin and Geisha coffees with minimalist brand aesthetics. Directly comparable to Saza in product positioning (specialty/Geisha focus) and cafe-retail hybrid model, though with more aggressive international expansion.
• Glitch Coffee & Roasters: Tokyo-based specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain known for championship-winning baristas and competition-grade coffee. Comparable to Saza in championship pedigree (multiple Japan competition wins), cafe-retail model, and premium positioning.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain (Nestlé-owned) with strong design-led brand and global footprint. Comparable to Saza in single-origin specialty positioning, cafe-retail model, and direct farmer relationships, though at much larger scale.
• Maruyama Coffee: Long-established Japanese specialty coffee roaster with multiple cafe locations and direct farmer relationships. Comparable to Saza's heritage (operating since the 1980s), premium positioning, and roastery-cafe hybrid business model.
• Kurasu Kyoto: Kyoto-based specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with strong design identity, direct sourcing relationships, and both retail and e-commerce channels. Comparable to Saza in product range, cafe-plus-roastery model, and Japanese domestic focus.

Broad incumbents

• UCC Ueshima Coffee: Japan's largest coffee company with full vertical integration from farm to can, operating canned coffee, RTD beverages, and cafe operations. Comparable as a Japanese coffee incumbent with farm ownership, though competing in mass-market rather than specialty tiers.
• Key Coffee: Long-established Japanese coffee company with direct farm ownership in Hawaii, Colombia, and other origins; produces both retail beans and food service. Comparable to Saza in farm ownership heritage and Japan retail presence, though serving broader mainstream segments.
• Doutor Coffee: Japan's largest domestic coffee chain with integrated roasting operations and convenience-oriented cafe format. Comparable to Saza as a Japanese coffee company combining roasting and cafe retail, though Doutor operates at mass-market scale versus Saza's specialty focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/saza_coffee
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCax0LWJfq3CuGvkrgN3AlQA
• Facebookfacebook.com/sazac.events
• Instagraminstagram.com/sazacoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saza-coffee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Saza Coffee