Manar Elbaz
DUBAI: Kyoto’s beloved coffee shop Kurasu has finally expanded in the Middle East as it welcomed its first branch in Dubai on Friday.
Founded in 2014, the coffee shop originally started as an online shop that sold coffee equipment before it opened its first cafe in the founder’s hometown, Kyoto, three years later.
“I always wanted to do something that connected Japanese culture to people from overseas. I also personally loved coffee,” Yozo Otsuki, founder and CEO of Kurasu, told Arab News Japan.
“I don’t think there are a lot of coffee brands here from Japan that are doing coffee, so I think (Kurasu) is unique in that way. There are a lot of people here that are very appreciative of Japan and the culture we have,” he added.
Yozo Otsuki, founder and CEO of Kurasu (R) with IMANISHI Jun, Consul-General of Japan in Dubai (M) at the opening of Kurasu in Dubai. (ANJ)
Kurasu’s menu includes various unique drinks such as the Matcha Latte Espresso, Black Sesame Latte, and Rose Iced Tea. The cafe specializes in its hand-drip coffee collection that includes four different kinds of coffee. Through its drinks, Kurasu teleports guests to Japan, as all ingredients are imported from Kyoto.
The cafe’s goal is to create an evergreen community that truly loves and appreciates coffee. “We never want to be just a hype-based brand,” the founder said. “We want to build a loyal customer base and we always want to be humble about that. Our focus for the first few months will be that—just being authentic about who we are.”
Otsuki plans to continue expanding the Japanese coffee shop in other Middle Eastern countries, namely Saudi Arabia. “It is somewhere we are definitely hoping we can expand to. We know the coffee culture is booming there.”
“We have always been interested in the region. We have so many customers from the Middle East visit our Kyoto branch and buy our products online so we have a pretty solid fanbase,” he added
Kurasu currently has three branches in Japan and various branches around Asia. The Dubai branch is located at Dar Wasl and opens daily until 10pm.
AloJapan.com