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Sydney-based coffee roaster and café group Single O’s love affair with Japan continues to flourish with the opening of a new coffee bar in one of the country’s busiest cities, Shibuya.
The new take-away only store puts the group’s presence in Japan on an equal footing to Australia with three retail outlets in each country.
Founded with a single store at Surry Hills in 2003 by Emma and Dion Cohen on a mission to responsibly source coffee beans and better the environment, Single O has been operating in Japan for the past decade as both a wholesaler and retailer to local cafes and restaurants.
The launch of the Shibuya outlets follows the April opening of its new Ryogoku Roastworks and marks its third Tokyo location.
Single O Shibuya is located in the new Shibuya Axsh office building located near the famed Shibuya Scramble, amid a thriving dining and art scene.
The venue spills out onto a large triangle forecourt with concrete steps, as a place to savour a coffee, with Single O banking on the take-away model to better service Japan’s capital.
“After a decade in Japan, we’ve come to appreciate more than ever the thriving coffee scene across Tokyo and Japan,” says Mike Brabant, CEO of Single O.
“Our clients are testament to this, with cafes such as Dandelion Chocolate Japan, Hey Oval Welcome, Tone, and Bills brewing our beans to the highest standard here in Tokyo.
“We're excited to open our first Single O location in West Tokyo, and push the envelope with our most compact Single O store yet.
“Our new coffee bar brings a unique takeaway-only coffee experience that combines Japan’s love of convenience and high quality coffee to the bustling heart of Shibuya.”
In line with Single O’s commitment to sustainability, the new cafe is introducing a two-pronged approach to responsible takeaway service with a discount for reusable cups and a surcharge on single-use takeaway cups.
The café also has a strong input from Sydney talent with a striking awning artwork, titled “In Awe of Coffee”, which has been created by Sydney-based Japanese artist Kentaro Yoshida.
The artwork is inspired by the key stages of coffee, from growing, to picking and processing, to roasting and brewing.
The venue also features a fit out by Sydney-based architecture and interior design firm Luchetti Krelle, paying homage to the brand’s roots, with sustainable materials also used throughout.
The Cohens, who established their first café at Surry Hills, first ventured into Japan after falling in love with the local culture and the Japanese eye for detail.
Japan is a country that Single O says has been punching above its weight in coffee culture, but the founders found a gap in specialty coffee offerings, seeing an opportunity to source import and roast single origins to suite the Japanese palate.
Single O’s Japan operations are headed by Yu and Mamiko Yamamoto, who spearheaded the latest launch. Yu Yamamoto has been with Single O for more than 15 years, joining the team on overseas exchange through Single O’s Surry Hills cafe.
The three Tokyo outlets join Single O’s two outlets in Sydney at Surry Hills and Carriageworks, and one in Brisbane at Newstead, along with the group's existing Australian wholesale operations.
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