Fired from my company due to an epileptic seizure

Became an owner of an African coffee farm

Subsequently, Kamei became the owner of a coffee farm in Rwanda, Africa, through an introduction from an acquaintance.

"The people working there earn surprisingly low wages compared to us. That's why I wanted to support the workers."

Coffee cultivation is primarily concentrated in countries near the equator, meaning very few Japanese people have actually seen a coffee tree.

"Very few people who run coffee shops have actually gone to these countries and seen coffee trees. That's why I wanted to go and experience the local situation firsthand."

He says that it takes an immense amount of effort and time for coffee to reach Japan.

"The journey coffee takes to become that fragrant cup is actually a very long one. Especially when you consider farms in Africa, it's filled with the tireless efforts of farmers.

First, it starts with 'cultivation.'

Seeds, which are beans encased in a parchment shell, are planted in a nursery. After they sprout, they are carefully nurtured in the nursery for about six to nine months before finally being transplanted to the farm. Coffee trees don't bear fruit immediately; it takes about three to five years after planting before the first harvest. Small, jasmine-like white flowers bloom, which then get pollinated and mature into red or yellow coffee cherries.

↑Coffee cherries on a coffee tree

"And finally, it's time for 'harvest.' The tricky thing about coffee cherries is that they don't all ripen at once. So, to produce truly high-quality coffee, only the ripe ones must be hand-picked, one by one. This is the basis of specialty coffee. In Africa, since many farmers are small-scale, it's common for them to bring their harvested cherries to a nearby processing plant (washing station) to sell them.

Next is the 'processing' stage, where the most character is developed.

Here, the pulp of the cherry is removed to extract the bean inside. The most common method is the washed process. After the pulp is mechanically removed, the remaining slimy mucilage is soaked in water or fermented to remove it. This process brings out the clean acidity and flavor inherent in the coffee bean. After that, the beans are dried while still encased in a parchment shell."

"Once drying is complete, the next step is 'hulling, sorting, and bagging.'

From the dried parchment coffee, the hard shell (parchment) is removed, and it finally becomes what we see as green coffee beans. The color is not the brown we usually see, but cream-colored and odorless. In Japan, you can sometimes find green beans for sale at specialty coffee shops that do their own roasting.

After that, defective beans and foreign matter are thoroughly removed, either by machine or by hand, based on criteria such as color, shape, size, and density. In some countries, strict grading by a national exchange may occur at this stage. The selected green beans are then packed into jute bags, sewn shut, and await shipment."

"Finally, there's 'export and transport' to Japan and the rest of the world.

The bagged green beans are loaded into containers and transported by truck to the export port. From here, it's a journey on a grand scale. They are loaded onto cargo ships and cross the sea for several weeks to several months. Once they arrive in Japan, they are temporarily stored in a port warehouse before finally reaching the hands of roasters who will roast the coffee beans.

However, it is common for mold to grow on beans during this entire process. Therefore, it is necessary to remove mold when the beans arrive at our company.

Our staff members at Gokujo Kabi Nashi Coffee carefully hand-pick and remove moldy beans one by one.

In this way, the cup of coffee we drink is filled with a story of growth in fertile lands, passing through many hands, and undertaking a long journey."

From social contribution in developing countries to "zero health issues" activities

Kamei went on to support developing countries other than Africa. For example, he has supported children in slums in Bhutan, India, and Rwanda.

"When I travel overseas, I realize how blessed Japan is. I spent a long time lacking confidence due to my chronic illness, but I realized that my worries were trivial."

And then Kamei began to confront his own illness. He realized the importance of health and the gratitude of being able to live daily life without inconvenience, and began activities to promote health.

"My life changed, for better or worse, because of my illness. That's why I want to eliminate all diseases from the world, whatever they may be. Coffee is said to be optimal for physical health. So, I really want people to drink coffee."

However, Kamei warns that mold in coffee beans can have a counterproductive effect.

"Compared to other developed countries, Japan tends to have more lenient mold standards for imported coffee beans. Our company's coffee prioritizes minimizing the risk of mycotoxins by thoroughly managing quality from the selection of green beans.

To ensure our customers can enjoy our coffee with peace of mind every day, we focus on clear flavor and high safety. Customers tell us things like, 'I used to add milk and sugar, but now I can drink it black,' and 'Even when it cools down, the unpleasant sour taste doesn't change.' The clean taste without impurities and the rich aroma are perfect for daily relaxation.

What we spread to the world is important. Therefore, I believe it's necessary to spread our coffee to achieve zero health issues."

↑Thanks to Japanese support, children in the Indian slums are attending school.

Freed from interpersonal and work stress, his condition has stabilized.

Kamei, who achieved a complete turnaround from being a reclusive NEET, is now working towards new goals.

Safe and secure coffee for the world through future activities

"Now that I've graduated from being a NEET and become a company owner, I wanted to engage in activities that benefit society. It was then that an acquaintance introduced me to a support organization, and after participating, I started promoting health. Perhaps it's because I've experienced various setbacks since my teenage years, but I finally feel a sense of purpose in life now that I can help people."

It seems that Kamei himself has found a purpose in social contribution, as his epileptic seizures have reportedly decreased.