About Maruyama Coffee
Maruyama Coffee is a speciality coffee company established in 1991, based in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Kentaro Maruyama, the owner of Maruyama Coffee, is well known as world’s most-participating cupper in the Cup of Excellence competitions, and some even call him legend. Kentaro Maruyama spends more than 100 days per year abroad to purchase coffee directly from the coffee producers. Now he sits as a vice president of Specialty Coffee Association of Japan.
Belief
Maruyama Coffee greatly respects its relationship with the coffee producers from around the world. Maruyama Coffee believes that their relationship will not only benefit both local economies, but trough direct and personal contact, further encourage them to continue producing the highest quality coffee.
From seed to cup
The Cup of Excellence auction is another way to provide the highest quality to customers.
Maruyama Coffee has made successful bids, sometimes at the highest price in auction history, one example being the Cup of Excellence Brazil 2002. Backed by the passion of the coffee producers, Maruyama Coffee manages the entire process from bean origin to the customer’s cup of coffee. They roast their specialty coffees with unique aromas and flavors, using well-established roasting techniques, and  have an excellent reputation with customers across the whole of Japan.
In addition, Maruyama Coffee heavily focuses on staff education. As a result, they have many top baristas who make and serve customers the best possible cup of coffee. In 2014, Hidenori Izaki from Maruyama Coffee became World Barista Champion, first in Asia.Â