Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.
An Arlington wellness consultant is looking to make life a little less stressful through coffee.
Makoto Fujisaki launched Kodikas Coffee online earlier this month to sell a java that he said can help people better control their stress.
“Coffee is actually a good tool for people managing stress,” said Fujisaki, who runs Resterra Consulting, which helps people with anxiety.
Fujisaki said his coffee is a “relaxation blend” that is “very smooth” with “well-balanced flavor.”
The startup owner said he has worked with a Manassas roaster for more than six months to make the medium roast java, which is all Fujisaki is selling now. A 16-ounce bag of the coffee beans costs $16.50, delivered to customers’ doors.
“I wanted to create a simple solution that people can drink anytime, anywhere to just simply relax and enjoy their time,” he said. “Coffee has been my personal interest for a long time.”
Coffee from Kodikas, which means cozy in Finnish, can help people unwind in three ways, according to the online retailer. The company’s website says the coffee’s components are:
- Rest: coffee will give you an opportunity to actually have a break,
- Recreational: brewing can actually be recreational as there is a wide range of methods and equipment you can choose from, and
- Relaxation: freshly brewed coffee aroma and nice flavor can uplift your mood…throw in your favorite baked goods to make you even happier.
“Excessive stress is harming your health,” the website says. “You know this. But providing a good life for yourself and your family leaves you barely enough time to sleep, let alone relax.”
Feedback from Kodikas customers is mostly positive so far.
One customer said on the company’s Facebook page that she “had two cups this morning and it tasted even better than the aroma while grinding it.” Another customer said the retailer has “great coffee to drink through out the day and not just in the morning. Very tea like.”
Fujisaki said he doesn’t have plans to open a brick-and-mortar location right now. But he hasn’t ruled out the possibility.
A Kodikas Coffee storefront wouldn’t resemble a Starbucks, however. Fujisaki said the store, like his coffee, would focus on stress management.
“It’s a completely different concept from the [traditional] coffee businesses,” he said.
Photo via Facebook/Kodikas Coffee
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