I want to make the brand "FARO" spread its wings in the coffee industry. The story of a café in the port town of Yokosuka, filled with owner Kaori Tanabe's way of life

FARO TOKYO Co., Ltd.Representative / Ms. Kaori Tanabe


The brightly colored sandwiches that catch the eye. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the store. The seasonal decorations and sundries make the store even more colorful.
This is the cafe "FARO Yokosuka Port Market", which was born in the fall of 2022. It is a new FARO store born in the port town of Yokosuka.
Once you enter the café, you will feel as if a sea breeze is blowing through the air, making you forget that you are in Japan and giving you a foreign resort atmosphere.

The owner, Ms. Kaori Tanabe, greeted us warmly with a bursting smile.

As the representative of FARO TOKYO, a company that produces and operates cafes, stores, and product development, she and her staff of 25 continue to take on new challenges while expanding the number of stores.

FARO offers items that make you smile with the keywords "beautiful, fun, and healthy. What is the thought behind the opening of "FARO Yokosuka Port Market"?

Energetically involving the people around her, she is constantly communicating the world she wants to create.
We listened to the story of the birth of "FARO Yokosuka Port Market," a café in the port town of Yokosuka that is filled with Tanabe's way of life.
As a singer, she lived in a mirror ball world.
I understand that you originally had other jobs before launching FARO.

That's right. I have always been a singer. I was a child who loved to sing, influenced by the fact that everyone in my family was a music lover. You have been performing on stage since you were a student.

I seem to have a louder voice than other people. I have a voice that is as loud as that of people from other countries. I was appreciated for this, so I started singing mainly house music (a genre of music that originated in Chicago, U.S.A.).

I was allowed to sing in front of foreign artists at clubs and at U.S. military bases. I have always lived in the glamorous world of the mirror ball.

How did you go from there to the launch of FARO?

When I graduated as a singer, I thought, "I want to open my own small store. That is how FARO's first store, "Yoyogi Honten" came to be. I wanted to create an at-home atmosphere, like a small café in a foreign resort, even though it is located in the city. I wanted to create a store with a homey atmosphere, like a small café in a foreign resort, even though it is located in the city.

For Ms. Tanabe, FARO was a new beginning, wasn't it?

That's exactly what it is. Handmade sandwiches that are healthy for both mind and body. Coffee that is our specialty. As I served them to customers, I became more and more involved in the management of the café.

At first I called it a "small shop," but I wasn't satisfied with that (laughs). We wanted more! We opened our second store, "Yokohama Takashimaya", and then our third store, "FARO Yokosuka Port Market". Step by step, we have been expanding the circle of FARO delivery.

From being a singer to running a café. Some may find it strange when they look at my resume, but in my mind, everything is connected: the "day sun" and "night moon" symbols in the FARO logo represent myself with a "day face" and a "night face.

I am sure that my father's influence is a big part of the reason why I have been able to expand my field across genres and industries. He was a man of many talents, and I think I grew up watching his back. The essence of singing, coffee, and management are all the same. I just have to stick to the path I have chosen at the time. While changing fields, I think I am now able to express myself through FARO.

FARO Yokosuka Port Market, the perfect cafe for Yokosuka, a port town
Among them, "FARO Yokosuka Port Market" seems to have more of a foreign atmosphere with its sophisticated blue interior color. Please tell us about your particular taste.

I wanted to open a shop in a port town, which was my long-cherished dream. That is why I wanted to create a restaurant that fits in with the city of Yokosuka. The concept was to create a California-Italian atmosphere. I wanted to give customers the feeling of a breeze blowing through their hearts when they go to a resort. That is my hope.

You also value the affinity with the port town location, don't you?

That's right. I have always loved foreign countries, and when I was singing in clubs, we had customers from the U.S. military, so I was familiar with foreign cultures. Although it is a small detail, we aim to create a "store that lifts your spirits anytime you come in" by placing natural wood in the store interior and changing the decorations and sundries we carry according to the season.

If you could naturally bring out the appearance of a cute woman who eats a lot in a healthy way...
Speaking of FARO, sandwiches are also popular, aren't they?

Thank you. Sandwiches are nutritious, one sandwich will fill you up, and the colorful ingredients are so good that you could eat them every day and not get tired of them. You can enjoy looking at it, eating it, and tasting it.

I'm also wondering if women are a bit cautious about these voluptuous sandwiches on dates. They may not be able to lift their mouths and eat well.

But I think "A girl who eats a lot of food looking delicious is the cutest!" .

FARO's concept is "beautiful, fun and healthy". We want people to enjoy meals and café time that make them smile. We make sandwiches with this in mind.

That is a wonderful thought. I heard that you are using our brand ORIGAMI latte bowls at the "FARO Yokosuka Port Market".

That's right. I had always wanted to use ORIGAMI, so my wish came true! I love using it. I love using it.

Since turquoise is the concept color of the store, it fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the store. It is also popular among customers, who often say, "It's so cute! We often receive comments such as, "It's so cute!

I want to make the brand "FARO" spread its wings in the coffee industry.
Thank you very much. Finally, what are your goals for the future?

We would like to take on the challenge of expanding overseas. I want people not only in Japan but also around the world to enjoy both sandwiches and coffee. As for sandwiches, since we use Japanese bread, I would like to take on the challenge of spreading Japanese food culture.

Of course, we are not yet as well known as the major coffee makers, and no matter how good the coffee we offer, it is often difficult to get the word out. To be honest, I am not sure if I can do it or not.... I often worry about this.

However, the opening of the "FARO Yokosuka Port Market" store, ORIGAMI's latte cups, and the encounters with each and every one of our staff members were all connected by fate and have brought us to where we are today. I am keenly aware of this fact. In order to connect these relationships to the future, I would like to take the initiative and open up new paths.

I want to make the brand "FARO" spread its wings in the coffee industry!

PROFILE

FARO TOKYO Co., Ltd.

Representative / Ms. Kaori Tanabe


Prev Article

Who can brew the best coffee using the ORIGAMI Dripper? ORIGAMI CUP" Competition Report + Interview with Mr. Terada of Hazeru Coffee

Next Article

Japan Brewers Cup 2022" winner Hikaru Ono brews coffee on the world stage. The path of a barista pioneered in Australia and Hong Kong