The Italian coffee brand illy, which Key Coffee operates in Japan, has been adopted by “bean by the bay,” a café that held its grand opening on March 18 at Hilton Tokyo Bay in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture.
Stefano Cavalieri, Senior Brand Manager of the illy Business Department at Key Coffee, said, “We can provide premium coffee while strengthening our partnership with Hilton Tokyo Bay, making this a win-win collaboration. illy is exported to more than 140 countries and has strong brand recognition, making it ideal for a hotel with many international guests.”
In addition to illy coffee, “bean by the bay” offers sandwiches that can be customized with a choice of breads and fillings, as well as ramen and other items. Takeout and room delivery are also available.
Hilton Tokyo Bay General Manager Sunit Rajan said, “We opened this new café with the hope that not only our staying guests but also local residents would visit. We encourage people to stop by casually.”
Regarding the deciding factors in choosing illy, Takashi Yoshimura, Manager of bean by the bay, explained, “We chose it because we felt an affinity with the brand’s heritage, its commitment to quality, and its approach to environmental consideration.”[1] Cavalieri said, “For this opening, baristas provided training covering everything from stories about coffee farms to practical skills. Rather than simply delivering coffee beans to the café, we also put considerable effort into ensuring that the service level met our standards. We would be delighted if the many people visiting the hotel from Japan and abroad enjoy illy coffee together with the food and cakes.”
At the café, cups and sugar containers featuring the illy logo are used, helping to communicate that customers can enjoy illy coffee and to foster trust in the hotel.
