Yuichi Amari, President and CEO of Komeda Holdings Co., Ltd.

Thinking of others and thinking of society. Komeda offers a relaxing space

President and CEO of Komeda Holdings Co., Ltd.　Yuichi Amari(Yuichi Amari)

■ Profile

After graduating from Meiji University's School of Business Administration in 1985, he joined Sanwa Bank Ltd. (now MUFG Bank Ltd.). In 2006, he joined Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., and subsequently served as Representative Director and Senior Managing Director of Sammy Corporation and Representative Director and President of Taiyo Elec Co., Ltd., before joining Komeda Co., Ltd. in 2019. He will serve as Representative Director and President of Komeda Holdings Co., Ltd. and Komeda Co., Ltd. from 2022.

The value they offer is "the best place to relax." Komeda's has been in business for 55 years and continues to provide a relaxing space to this day. President Amari, who leads the chain, talks about his passionate youth and the life choices he made that were born from an unexpected encounter. We spoke with President Amari, who values ​​a friendly and considerate heart.

My university life was devoted to cheering for the cheering squad. I cheered for a variety of sports, including the Tokyo 6 University Baseball Tournament, the Hakone Ekiden, and sumo. I did that for all four years, but it was a really strict organization (laughs). When the baseball team lost, the upperclassmen would say that the cheering squad didn't cheer hard enough. The underclassmen would even hop around Jingu Stadium. However, when that happened, my classmates on the baseball team would feel responsible, thinking, "We're the reason the cheering squad is suffering..." and gradually a sense of unity was born. However, club activities took priority in school life, so I think it's fair to say that I spent my youth cheering for the team.

When I entered my fourth year, I had intended to take over the family business, but my parents were not keen on it, so I started job hunting. By chance, I had a classmate who wanted to become a banker, so we decided to go to a group interview together. At the time, I had no intention of working for a bank, so I was very relaxed during the interview. Perhaps that was a good thing, as I was offered a position at Sanwa Bank, and my job hunting journey came to an end.

■ A chance encounter becomes a turning point in life

I worked at Sanwa Bank for 21 years before moving to a company called Sega Sammy. It all started when I happened to meet the chairman of Sega Sammy at a dinner with a client. He told me, at age 43, that "I think you'd be better suited to this industry than banking." It was also around the time that UFJ merged with Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, so I decided to move to Sega Sammy. I worked in sales for about 10 years, eventually gaining valuable experience in positions such as head of the secretarial department. Later, I met our current chairman, who was my senior at both Sanwa Bank and Sega Sammy. At the time, he was president of Komeda's after working for Sega. One day, he invited me out to dinner, and he told me about the appeal of the Komeda business. That invitation led me to move to Komeda's. I'm the type of person who will jump at an invitation if I'm invited (laughs). Perhaps the desire to support others and work for the world, something I've had since my student days, has connected me to this day. In this way, my life has been greatly influenced by unexpected encounters and coincidences.

■Providing the ultimate relaxation for our customers

Komeda's is a business that provides a place and time for relaxation. We are often compared to Starbucks and Doutor, but I think our business model is different. As a full-service coffee shop, Komeda welcomes customers with Komeda-style hospitality and values ​​how relaxing they feel. The triangular roof exterior, the interior space that conveys the warmth of wood, and the sofas and partitions have been carefully designed. These are important assets that Komeda has cultivated over the more than 50 years since its founding. We will continue to focus on takeout and delivery, which have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

■Serious commitment to sustainability management

As a company listed on the Prime Market, sustainability management is essential for our company. However, it cannot be undertaken solely by Komeda's headquarters. It must be a collective effort across all Komeda's locations, including our approximately 950 franchise stores. I believe this is the most important thing. We also communicate our efforts to our customers through our website, in-store posters, and other means. First, we focus on energy conservation in our stores and the introduction of renewable energy at our headquarters, factories, and directly managed stores. Our flagship store in Nagoya, which was renovated last year, uses renewable energy and also installed solar panels. We use all-electric electricity without CO2 emissions, demonstrating a thorough environmental awareness. The store interior makes extensive use of wood, reusing wood that had been used for many years in the former flagship store, making it a "no-waste" store. Customers can also contribute to the SDGs by visiting Komeda's. I also love people who think for themselves and act on their own. It's much easier to follow orders. While the final decision may be made by the president or a superior, I encourage them to make various proposals and communicate their own goals. We hold tasting sessions almost every week, but there are many things our generation doesn't understand, such as the sweets young people like and collaborations with trendy items, so the opinions of the younger generation are extremely important.

■Message

Do your best in the things you can only do while you're a student. At job offer ceremonies, you're often asked, "What should you do for the rest of your university life?" But you don't need to do any pre-study for work. Cherish the irreplaceable time you have, the time you'll never get back. I also hope you'll cherish the unexpected encounters you have. This encounter has changed my life dramatically. I hope you'll cherish each and every one of these encounters as you spend your time as a student.

Student Newspaper April 1, 2023 Issue by Misaki Otsuka, 4th year student at Tokai University