Well Fair Trade Improves Low Income Problem of Type B Assistance Started selling authentic drip coffee subs made by people with disabilities, directly from professionals!

2023.11.15 14:15

一般社団法人アウン

General incorporated association AUN (Head office: Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture; Representative Director: Kaisaku Takeuchi), which operates a Type B support business, has launched its own brand with the aim of increasing wages for users, which have been stagnant. The company started selling "ShinCa22," an authentic drip coffee directly taught by coffee professionals, on October 17, 2023, and 17 orders have been received in one month as the brand spread by word of mouth.

Professional direct-drip coffee "ShinCa22

Monthly income of Type B support users too low to discuss

The national average for FY2021 was 16,507 yen. This is the monthly income of users of Type B support facilities (hereafter referred to as "Type B") attended by people with disabilities, and although it has increased by 4,285 yen compared to 15 years ago, it is still far from an independent life, Type B is a welfare facility for people who need support because of a severe disability or who cannot conclude an employment contract because of mental disability or other reasons that make long-term employment difficult. Because they are operated mainly with benefits paid by the government, users are paid as wages for job training and have been treated as benefits rather than compensation for their labor without any in-depth discussion.

The opening of "Corona Disaster," the first of a series of well-fair trade programs to break through this predicament.

Kaikou M, a Type B in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, began selling authentic drip coffee "ShinCa22" on October 17, 2023, in which users and employees receive direct professional guidance for one year and perform a series of processes other than roasting. Since the firm opened in February 2022, during the Corona disaster, the firm received few orders from external sources, and the monthly income of the 15 users was well below the national average. Therefore, after considering whether we could create our own brand, which is less susceptible to external circumstances, we decided to manufacture and sell well-fair trade products, which means welfare and fair trade. By making good products and selling them at a reasonable price, we can give back to our users. Furthermore, selling subscriptions will lead to stable sales, and we expect to increase wages by approximately 3,000 yen after one year. Orders are accepted at the business office counter and by phone. Word of mouth has spread, and 17 orders have been placed in the first month of sales.

Direct instruction from professionals makes it a job, not a task.

We thought about what was needed to make coffee making a job where users can connect with customers as coffee makers, rather than a vocational training program. We decided to purchase organically grown coffee beans that we could see the producer's face, with safety and security as the first priority, and to make delicious coffee through careful handwork that utilizes the strengths of the users. To achieve this, we received direct instruction from professionals for a year and learned their techniques. The beans are carefully selected to be of good quality at that time, and the roasting conditions are changed to make the coffee refreshing in spring and summer and full-bodied in fall and winter.

First, we remove any insects or moldy beans one by one to ensure that there is no cloying taste, and then we outsource the roasting process. After roasting, we check each bean to make sure there are no beans that are overcooked and have a bitter taste. After the beans are ground, they are immediately packed to prevent loss of aroma and freshness. 10 grams are weighed out and packed in drip bags, which are then sealed with a sealer, placed in anti-oxidizing aluminum packs, sealed with a sealer, labeled, and shipped in boxes of 20 bags each. Production is performed by 6 to 8 people in the business office. The entire process takes 4 to 5 days, 2 to 3 hours each day, and about 500 bags are completed. At first, some users were confused because they did not understand the criteria for sorting the green beans, and some could not concentrate for an hour, but they patiently learned and were able to commercialize the beans about a year after the start of the program.

Carefully sorting green beans one by one for insect damage and unusable beans

The true value and evolution of the users, which we want to deliver to as many people as possible.

Voice of a working user: "I worked hard for a year to learn the job, and I would be happy if I could earn more money." Working in coffee is fashionable and fun. I want to make good coffee and have lots of people drink it."

Representative's voice: "The meaning of ShinCa22 is revolution of revolution and true value. I want people to evolve and find their own true value. First of all, I want the local people to drink ShinCa22 after work and relax after a long day. I also want them to know that we can make such delicious food through careful work and feel the potential of our users. If we can get the support of many people, we can give that back to the users, which makes it all the more rewarding."

The company will continue to develop its own brand products in the future.