November 2019 saw the opening of Gacha Gacha Coffee, a pop-up self-serve coffee experience at Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. Designed by design studio Nendo in collaboration with well-known roaster Maruyama, the experience is inspired by Gachapon – the capsule toy vending machines popular in Japan. The pop-up features 12 vending machines, and consumers can purchase a capsule filled with coffee beans for ¥500 (USD 4.50). Upon opening the capsule, consumers must take the coffee to semi-automated stations to grind it and brew it themselves. Japan’s coffee shops face a labor shortage, and Nendo say they wanted to design a new kind of coffee experience that does not require staff to deliver it.

You can see Gacha Gacha coffee in action here. And here are two takeaways we’ve brewed for you...

Awesome Automation 🌟
Back in 2019 we wrote about the AUTOMATION THEATER trend: all about combining automation and magical, compelling in-person experiences. We all know automation will be one of the key trends that shapes business and consumerism in the decades ahead. Deploying some AUTOMATION THEATER allows smart brands to experiment with automation tech and find their way into this new world. Gacha Gacha Coffee is a great example: by combining a hint of automation technologies with a simple, hands-on, fun process for the customer, it hints towards the automated coffee shops of the future. Efficienct, but also delightful! Ask yourself: what would it look like if you deployed some AUTOMATION THEATER within your offering?

Human Touch 👈
The acute labour shortage in Japan was a key motivating impulse behind this innovation. In coffee shops, that shortage means staff often feel burdened with high order volume, while consumers experience delays. Gacha Gacha’s semi-automated, self-serve process seeks to improve the experience. But, crucially, it’s not intended to be about getting rid of human staff altogether. Instead, staff in the pop-up are free to talk customers through the different coffee beans, and ensure a welcoming environment. The key takeaway here? Smart use of automation liberates humans to do what they do best: deliver a human touch. Take a look at the customer journey through your offering. When could you deploy automation in a way that would free up staff to ensure a better, more human experience?

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