Fab Meetup Kyoto vol.56 – Coffee Culture and Ethical Design

With a background in both business administration and design, Marius Disler brings a unique perspective to his role as the founder of Mikafi. Driven by a vision to create a company that fosters an ecosystem approach, he is dedicated to building strong partnerships with suppliers, distributors, and retailers along the entire supply chain. His goal is to create a seamless and sustainable coffee experience, one that prioritizes both the human experience and the health of the environment. With Mikafi, Marius Disler aims to redefine the industry and set a new standard for coffee excellence, both in quality and in sustainability.

Linkedin
Mikafi – Linkedin

He is in charge of production areas for “Umi no Mukou Coffee（海ノ向こうコーヒー）”, an overseas business of Saka no Tochu Co. He talk with producers in Asian countries to purchase high quality coffee, and also work to connect Japanese roasters and producers to help solve problems in the coffee producing regions.

[About Umi no Mukou Coffee（海ノ向こうコーヒー）]
Each coffee-producing region has its own people’s lives and culture, and each region has its own story to tell. At the same time, there are environmental issues such as deforestation, the outflow of young people to urban areas, and price competition due to the influx of the money economy. That is why we do not see ourselves as a producer-buyer relationship, but rather as a co-producer, working together with local farmers to improve coffee quality and help solve problems such as reducing deforestation and creating jobs in the mountainous areas. With this in mind, we regularly visit coffee-producing regions to review cultivation methods and refining processes to meet local needs, and provide financial and sales channel support.
https://uminomukou.com/

Born April 8, 1998 Lives and works in Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Covid19 made him rethink his lifestyle of mass production and mass consumption, and he developed a leather material from banana peels for his graduation project at an art college. After graduation, he continued to focus on the development of materials using scrap wood and product design utilizing the intrinsic value of materials.
In 2021, he will release “café au lait base” made from coffee grounds and milk, and in 2022, “resecco,” which utilizes waste plaster, and other new materials.
By transforming familiar waste materials into beautiful materials, the company is creating opportunities for people to experience the concept and possibilities of upcycling and to “personalize” social issues.
He is also the director of the Upcycling Laboratory, an upcycling development center established in 2022.
https://www.yukimurakamidesign.com/

Akira Onishi worked first as a fashion designer primarily in Europe and returned to Japan in 2012. In 2014, he started his work at FabCafe Tokyo as a director, lead barista, and community manager. Since 2012, Akira has launched several communities and projects alongside the diverse creators that gather at FabCafe.

[Projects]
bugology Space Mongology fruitful BUGOLOGY  beyond cacao  THE OYATSU  OLFACTORY DESIGN LAB