[Heatwave Forecast Drives Iced Coffee Demand] Corporate Cafeteria Provider's Half-Price Coffee Sales Up 10% in April

“Bondish Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shuichiro Kamigata), which plans and operates staff cafeterias and catering with the philosophy of 'connecting bonds with a delicious dish,' reports that sales of iced coffee at its directly managed coffee shop 'R.O.STAR' and corporate cafes in Tokyo have been performing well, with a 10% year-over-year increase as of April 2026, amid a series of days exceeding 25 degrees Celsius in April. With the 2026 heatwave forecast, demand for iced coffee is expected to expand further, and support for our low-priced yet high-quality coffee is growing even stronger. **Expanding demand for affordable iced coffee amid soaring bean prices and heatwave forecasts** Coffee bean prices continue to soar due to poor harvests caused by extreme weather in Brazil and the depreciation of the yen. In Japan, major cafe chains have implemented price increases of 5 to 30 yen per cup, and food manufacturers have also raised prices by 10 to 30% for shipments starting from March 2026. Furthermore, there is a possibility that 'extreme heat days' with temperatures of 40°C or higher will be observed at 7 to 14 locations nationwide in 2026. The increase in demand accompanying rising temperatures has been confirmed by meteorological data and is visualized as the 'Iced Coffee Index' by the Japan Weather Association. In this environment, with rising cost-consciousness, the demand for affordable coffee is expected to grow. **Low-priced coffee performing well, sales expected to increase by 20% fueled by heat** Reflecting the recent market environment, demand for iced coffee is rising at our 'R.O.STAR' shops and corporate cafes. With several days exceeding 25°C in April, sales as of mid-April 2026 have recorded a 10% increase compared to the same month last year, with a 20% increase projected for the full month. The background of this success lies in our ability to achieve a cost performance of 180 to 200 yen per cup—approximately half the market average of 350 to 500 yen*—while maintaining an uncompromising commitment to quality. *Note: Doutor Coffee approx. 300-350 yen, Starbucks 420-490 yen, Tully's Coffee 450 yen, St-Marc Cafe 300-390 yen. **Tatsuki Machida, Manager of R.O.STAR Main Store:** 'As the market price of coffee rises, demand for our shop, where customers can enjoy high-quality taste at an affordable price, is increasing. Also, due to the influence of heatwaves in recent years, orders for iced coffee have already increased since April this year. Since temperatures are expected to rise after the Golden Week holidays, we anticipate that demand for iced coffee will grow even more rapidly.' **Secrets behind Bondish maintaining low-priced coffee** We achieve low-priced coffee through the following initiatives: 1. Reducing intermediate costs with an in-house roasting factory By eliminating intermediate costs through an 'integrated in-house system,' we continue to provide high-quality coffee at low prices even under rising commodity prices. 2. Improving production efficiency by concentrating roasting days Our roasting team works 4 days a week instead of 5. By concentrating roasting days, we increase production efficiency per day while suppressing labor costs, achieving cost optimization. **High-quality coffee crafted by roasters with 'Coffee Kanteishi' certification** Our company employs roasters who hold the prestigious 'Coffee Kanteishi' (Coffee Appraiser) qualification, which is said to have a 2% pass rate and only 57 cumulative holders. It is extremely rare for a company primarily engaged in staff cafeteria and corporate cafe operations to have its own roasting factory and employ holders of this qualification, demonstrating Bondish's expertise and commitment to quality. **Eiki Kagawa, Roaster/Coffee Kanteishi at Bondish:** 'Despite being a company that operates cafeterias and cafes, we leverage our strength of having Coffee Kanteishi certification to build an integrated system from quality control to service. This allows us to provide coffee with a stable flavor. Even amidst rising prices, we will continue to provide affordable and delicious coffee for everyday enjoyment.' **'BONDISH OFFICE CAFE'—An office cafe to enjoy all day long** Bondish provides coffee and sandwiches as corporate in-house cafes under the concept of 'An office cafe where you can meet all day long.' We create spaces that promote employee refreshment and natural communication, leading to improved engagement. The average employee usage rate is over 90%, with some saying, 'The presence of the cafe gave me a reason to go to the office.' BONDISH OFFICE CAFE has been introduced by many companies aiming to improve internal engagement. In-house roasted coffee supervised by a Coffee Kanteishi.”