Hide Izaki

In 2014, he became the first Asian to win the World Barista Championship. As a coffee business consultant, he has worked with major F&B chains, including Luckin Coffee in China, SPC Group in Korea, and McDonald’s Japan, providing end-to-end consulting from product development to marketing. His mission is to create delightful coffee experiences worldwide, leading him to collaborate with national confectionary brands like Calbee, Lotte, and Fujiya, transcending traditional coffee boundaries.

He is also the founder of Cokuun, a renowned Coffee Omakase establishment, recognized globally for elevating specialty coffee through a fine dining concept, with collaborations extending to luxury resorts and brands. Additionally, he collaborates with celebrity chef, Hisato Hamada known as WAGYUMAFIA to craft coffee experiences for VIPs worldwide, viewing coffee as a broader culinary experience and conveying its appeal to diverse audiences.

Actively engaged in SDGs-related projects, he leads the Proud Liberica Project in the Philippines, which focuses on creating new revenue streams for farmers through innovative use of coffee by-products. Since 2016, he has actively contributed to the Specialty Coffee Association, serving on the WCE Qualified Testing Committee, WCE DC Policy Committee, and SCA CSC Committee, and acting as an Emcee for WCC events.