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Overcoming Challenges: The Remarkable Journey of Sawai Coffee's Resurgence

Sawai Coffee, a prominent name in the online coffee market, faced significant obstacles over the past two years. Once a regular recipient of the Rakuten Market Shop of the Year award, the company found itself in a difficult position with increasing competition, rising raw material costs, and a stagnating online presence. However, through the implementation of effective team strategies, they not only reversed their declining fortunes but also achieved record sales in their eCommerce activities.

In an engaging upcoming free seminar hosted on February 17, 2026, participants will get an exclusive insight into how Sawai Coffee's structures and teamwork propelled them back to success. The guest speaker for this online event will be Riken Sawai, a senior executive at Sawai Coffee, who will share the secrets behind their remarkable turnaround.

The Adversity: A Critical Juncture

Up until two years ago, Sawai Coffee was feeling boxed in with few options. The company had lost its competitive edge, as escalating production costs for coffee beans saw prices doubling, while customer engagement lagged. Rigid product pages had not been updated in over a decade, leading to an outdated marketing approach. The team was stretched thin, with frequent stock shortages plaguing their efforts.

Amid this chaos, many leaders in the company were left contemplating, “What more can we possibly change?” The answer lay in shifting from an individual to a team-focused approach.

Shaking Off Isolation: A New Path Forward

Riken Sawai emphasizes that the pivotal change came from a collective mindset: “We stopped trying to do everything alone.” This shift towards a collaborative style of problem-solving unlocked new possibilities. Instead of individuals shouldering all the burdens, the entire team started to thrive with clear roles and responsibilities.

The results speak for themselves. In just two years, Sawai Coffee recorded an impressive reversal:

• - Their eCommerce sales peaked, setting a Guinness World Record with 630 million yen per month, surpassing previous years by 15% on Rakuten Marketplace.
• - The team significantly reduced advertising costs by over 10 million yen without sacrificing customer acquisition. For instance, the inflow from Rakuten search increased by 46% in December alone.
• - Profits rose sharply despite cost increases, thanks to strategic price adjustments and reduced advertising expenditure.
• - They dramatically improved production efficiency, cutting back over 1,400 hours of labor during their busiest month.

A Free Seminar for Industry Leaders

The upcoming seminar is tailored for individuals passionately involved in eCommerce, especially those in leadership positions who may feel overwhelmed by current challenges. It will cover the exact strategies and structures put in place at Sawai Coffee over the last two years.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from Riken Sawai, as well as from Satoshi Sakamoto, the founder of Commerce Design Inc., the firm assisting Sawai Coffee in navigating these changes. They aim to foster an environment of learning and application that can extend beyond their engagements.

Sakamoto highlights, “It's crucial that business leaders and teams understand that they can rely on one another rather than trying to shoulder every responsibility alone. By sharing successful practices, we can strengthen our teams and industries.”

The seminar will be structured as a 90-minute session, where attendees can learn through the lens of Sawai Coffee's transformative journey. Each segment will outline pivotal moments where decisions led to significant changes in impacting their success.

Looking to the Future

The environment surrounding the eCommerce industry is fraught with uncertainty, yet Sawai Coffee's narrative offers hope and proven pathways for other businesses facing similar challenges. This seminar is a rare opportunity to grasp real-world applications and insights that leaders can implement in their scenarios.

To wrap up, participants will be urged to consider exploring the company's products and even engaging with them on social media, thereby contributing to the broader community support essential in the industry. Together, the hope is to empower others within the eCommerce space.

This insightful seminar promises to motivate and inspire leaders to rethink how they collaborate and adapt to the ever-changing marketplace.

For further details and to register for the seminar, interested individuals can access the link below:
Join the Free Seminar Here

Event Overview

• - Seminar Name: Free Webinar - You Don't Have to Shoulder It Alone: Teamwork and Frameworks to Pave Your Path
• - Date and Time: February 17, 2026, 13:00 - 14:30
• - Format: Online via Zoom
• - Participation Fee: Free
• - Registration Deadline: February 16, 2026
• - Audience: Anyone involved in managing eCommerce operations, especially geared toward executives and leaders.