Philocoffea x Funabashi Municipal High School: Practical Marketing Education Project Launched
Philocoffea has started an industry-academia collaboration with Funabashi Municipal High School, providing a practical marketing program where students develop and sell coffee products.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 20:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 12:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 02:49 (14h 47m after Collected)
Philocoffea Inc. (Headquarters: Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, CEO: Tetsu Kasuya), whose mission is to 'fill the world of coffee with happiness and emotion,' will participate in a practical marketing education project at Funabashi Municipal High School (Location: Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, Principal: Yoshiyuki Kondo) starting in the 2026 academic year. This project is an industry-academia collaboration aimed at revitalizing the local Funabashi area and will begin in April 2026 in the 'Marketing, Product Development, and Distribution' class for 2nd-year commercial course students. Through practical business activities in collaboration with local companies, it aims to foster high school students' marketing and planning skills.
Funabashi Municipal High School commercial course students and Philocoffea CEO Tetsu Kasuya (at the first class)
■ An educational program challenging 'real business'
This initiative is an educational program where high school students conduct real business activities in collaboration with local companies, aiming to both foster next-generation talent and revitalize the region. The classes will be held for about 80 hours, targeting 29 second-year commercial course students. Characterized by learning that closely resembles the real world, it goes beyond mere desk learning to include 'product development,' 'promotion design,' 'actual sales,' and 'business plan formulation and presentation.' The developed products are scheduled to be sold at the cultural festival in September, and the initiative also considers exhibiting at local events and challenging the 'High School Student Business Plan Grand Prix' hosted by the Japan Finance Corporation. Funabashi Municipal High School has previously achieved results through practical education, such as product development and sales with local companies and collaborations with local sports teams. By participating in these initiatives, we aim to create value through a business model centered on coffee and deepen the model of co-creation with the community.
Funabashi Municipal High School Logo with School Crest Philocoffea Logo
■ The role Philocoffea plays / Creating value with the community
Philocoffea has always emphasized collaboration with the community, such as 'local sports collaboration with the Chiba Jets,' 'collaboration with local companies and facilities,' and 'brand broadcasting originating from Funabashi and Chiba.' This initiative is a new challenge to expand that target to the next generation, embodying a project that, while being a brand broadcasting from Chiba to the world, is also a company deeply rooted in local Funabashi. Specifically, we plan to take on roles that balance practical education and community contribution, such as:
- Providing knowledge on product planning and brand design
- Supporting product development centered on specialty coffee
- Feedback from a practical business perspective
- Providing work experience opportunities through actual stores and operations
Philocoffea will continue to promote initiatives that connect people, communities, and culture, centered around coffee.
■ First class held, project officially kicks off
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the first class of this project was held at Funabashi Municipal High School. On the day, Philocoffea CEO Tetsu Kasuya took the stage, giving a lecture on his journey so far, the coffee industry, and further on business thinking. He also shared with the students the future progression of the classes and the direction of the project, making it a guiding session for this initiative. The students listened with serious expressions to the initiative premised on actual business, and were seen speaking up proactively, asking specific questions like 'What is the hardest part of managing several companies?' and 'What is your current goal?' During the class, the future progression and direction of the project were shared, and expectations visibly heightened for the experience unique to practical learning, where 'what they plan actually takes shape.' From here on, planning and idea generation led by the students themselves will go into full swing.
Scene from the first class (Kasuya on stage) Students asking questions proactively
■ New initiatives linked with the community are also underway
In this project, we are envisioning initiatives linked with local sports and local companies. With the support of Philocoffea, the high school students themselves will take the initiative to challenge planning and development centered on coffee, and creating mechanisms to connect with the community. In doing so, we are considering the construction of new models that allow for supporting the region in daily life, such as collaboration with local businesses, aiming for an initiative where value circulates within the community through the connection between education and enterprise. Currently, specific plans are being considered centered around the students, and details will be announced sequentially in future releases. Please look forward to future developments.
[Comment] Funabashi Municipal High School Principal Yoshiyuki Kondo
We are extremely grateful that Mr. Tetsu Kasuya of Philocoffea, who is active on a world-class level, is collaborating with our school's commercial department to advance this program.
Funabashi Municipal High School commercial course students and Philocoffea CEO Tetsu Kasuya (at the first class)
■ An educational program challenging 'real business'
This initiative is an educational program where high school students conduct real business activities in collaboration with local companies, aiming to both foster next-generation talent and revitalize the region. The classes will be held for about 80 hours, targeting 29 second-year commercial course students. Characterized by learning that closely resembles the real world, it goes beyond mere desk learning to include 'product development,' 'promotion design,' 'actual sales,' and 'business plan formulation and presentation.' The developed products are scheduled to be sold at the cultural festival in September, and the initiative also considers exhibiting at local events and challenging the 'High School Student Business Plan Grand Prix' hosted by the Japan Finance Corporation. Funabashi Municipal High School has previously achieved results through practical education, such as product development and sales with local companies and collaborations with local sports teams. By participating in these initiatives, we aim to create value through a business model centered on coffee and deepen the model of co-creation with the community.
Funabashi Municipal High School Logo with School Crest Philocoffea Logo
■ The role Philocoffea plays / Creating value with the community
Philocoffea has always emphasized collaboration with the community, such as 'local sports collaboration with the Chiba Jets,' 'collaboration with local companies and facilities,' and 'brand broadcasting originating from Funabashi and Chiba.' This initiative is a new challenge to expand that target to the next generation, embodying a project that, while being a brand broadcasting from Chiba to the world, is also a company deeply rooted in local Funabashi. Specifically, we plan to take on roles that balance practical education and community contribution, such as:
- Providing knowledge on product planning and brand design
- Supporting product development centered on specialty coffee
- Feedback from a practical business perspective
- Providing work experience opportunities through actual stores and operations
Philocoffea will continue to promote initiatives that connect people, communities, and culture, centered around coffee.
■ First class held, project officially kicks off
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the first class of this project was held at Funabashi Municipal High School. On the day, Philocoffea CEO Tetsu Kasuya took the stage, giving a lecture on his journey so far, the coffee industry, and further on business thinking. He also shared with the students the future progression of the classes and the direction of the project, making it a guiding session for this initiative. The students listened with serious expressions to the initiative premised on actual business, and were seen speaking up proactively, asking specific questions like 'What is the hardest part of managing several companies?' and 'What is your current goal?' During the class, the future progression and direction of the project were shared, and expectations visibly heightened for the experience unique to practical learning, where 'what they plan actually takes shape.' From here on, planning and idea generation led by the students themselves will go into full swing.
Scene from the first class (Kasuya on stage) Students asking questions proactively
■ New initiatives linked with the community are also underway
In this project, we are envisioning initiatives linked with local sports and local companies. With the support of Philocoffea, the high school students themselves will take the initiative to challenge planning and development centered on coffee, and creating mechanisms to connect with the community. In doing so, we are considering the construction of new models that allow for supporting the region in daily life, such as collaboration with local businesses, aiming for an initiative where value circulates within the community through the connection between education and enterprise. Currently, specific plans are being considered centered around the students, and details will be announced sequentially in future releases. Please look forward to future developments.
[Comment] Funabashi Municipal High School Principal Yoshiyuki Kondo
We are extremely grateful that Mr. Tetsu Kasuya of Philocoffea, who is active on a world-class level, is collaborating with our school's commercial department to advance this program.