[Roaster] From Japanese Style to Intelligent Coffee Sorting | RiSan Coffee

RiSan Coffee: From Japanese Lifestyle Aesthetics to Intelligent Coffee Sorting

At RiSan Coffee, founder Mr. Huang transformed the concept of “three meals a day” into coffee philosophy: drinking coffee is like dining—it is part of daily life. It can be ritualistic, a simple habit, or even a spiritual comfort. For him, coffee is not just a beverage but an attitude toward life.

The Definition of a Good Cup of Coffee

What defines a good cup of coffee? Mr. Huang believes it is the flavor that becomes familiar in your memory. Even if a recipe disappears for years, the moment that taste returns, it brings back an irreplaceable sense of emotion. This sense of familiarity is the value RiSan Coffee hopes to deliver to its customers.

“A good cup of coffee is the one that becomes a familiar memory.” — Mr. Huang, founder of RiSan Coffee

Japanese Style and Bold Experiments

RiSan Coffee carries a Japanese-inspired atmosphere: Japanese pop music, wagashi plates, and a bright, casual mood. Beyond traditional craftsmanship, youthful creativity is also present. Mr. Huang experiments with unique drinks, combining coffee with alcohol or even creating special recipes like “Hakka Stir-fry Latte.” He believes baristas should be bold in trying new things to expand coffee’s possibilities.

From Green Beans to Roasting

As Taiwan’s coffee industry matures, more cafés can now handle the entire process—from importing green beans to roasting and packaging. RiSan Coffee follows the same approach, paying close attention from raw bean handling to roasted bean sorting, ensuring that every step maintains the standards of specialty coffee. This is both a commitment to customers and the first line of quality control.

Why is bean sorting essential?

When defective beans exist in a cup, the flavor becomes unbalanced. For Mr. Huang, the purpose of sorting is to protect the overall taste, ensuring customers enjoy the complete profile of specialty coffee. Sorting, therefore, is the true beginning of a good cup.

The challenges of hand sorting

In the early days, RiSan Coffee relied on hand sorting. When younger, Mr. Huang could sort beans for eight to ten hours straight, but over time, this became physically unsustainable. Even with employees, fatigue often affected quality. He realized that while essential, relying solely on manual sorting was not a long-term solution.

The impact of intelligent coffee sorting technology

Seven or eight years ago, color sorting machines existed, but they mainly classified by color and could not accurately identify defects. With the arrival of the AI coffee bean sorter and intelligent sorting solutions, the process changed significantly. With simple settings, the machine could complete sorting automatically, making defect detection faster and more reliable. This freed the café to focus more on creativity and customer service.

• Make the sorting process easier, focusing more on sharing coffee culture
• Reduce labor costs and increase operational flexibility
• Deliver consistent and reliable coffee experiences for customers

The Extension of Coffee Attitude

For Mr. Huang, coffee represents a lifestyle. From cultivating a Japanese-inspired atmosphere to bold drink experiments, and finally to adopting intelligent sorting technology, his focus is to showcase a true “coffee attitude.” RiSan Coffee invites every customer not only to taste coffee but also to feel the culture and spirit behind it.