Newly Developed Next-Generation Black Tea Machine "Tea-Up" Using Tea Leaves, Pilot Test Begins at Hokkaido Hotel

SDRS Inc. (Head Office: Sumida-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masaya Mori) has succeeded in developing "Tea-Up," a next-generation black tea machine that extracts from tea leaves, equipped with a proprietary extraction system. In conjunction with this, a pilot test has commenced at "ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO HOTEL Kitahiroshima Ekimae," operated by SQUEEZE Inc. (Head Office: Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido; President and CEO: Shinichi Tatenobayashi).

Image is for illustrative purposes only. Actual product design and specifications may differ in part.

Features of the Next-Generation Black Tea Machine "Tea-Up" Using Tea Leaves

The newly developed "Tea-Up" utilizes a proprietary extraction control system to provide the authentic taste and aroma of black tea, which typically requires time for hand-brewing, in a short period and with stable quality. It also automates and simplifies hygiene management, which had been a significant burden for staff. This dramatically reduces the effort required for daily maintenance and strongly supports operations in fields struggling with labor shortages.

Background of Development

According to the Japan Tea Association, the ideal steeping time to maximize the aroma of hand-brewed black tea is approximately 3 minutes. However, on-site challenges included "long preparation times," "variations in taste and aroma," and "complex hygiene management." While the hotel and food service industries are expanding due to the surge in inbound tourism, severe labor shortages are pushing on-site workloads to their limits. SDRS Inc. leveraged its accumulated technology to begin product development to solve these issues simultaneously.

About the Pilot Test at "ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO HOTEL Kitahiroshima Ekimae"

This pilot test was realized due to the need expressed by "ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO HOTEL Kitahiroshima Ekimae," operated by SQUEEZE Inc., to "provide authentic black tea as a high-quality welcome drink for guests." This need aligned with SDRS Inc.'s objectives for pilot testing.

This machine is specialized for providing welcome drinks (straight tea) at hotels. The pilot test will verify the provision speed during peak times, the reduction of operational load on staff, and the sustainability of hygiene management. By using a hotel visited by many tourists from Japan and abroad as a pilot field for investigation, we aim for mass production in the fall of this year.

As a company that connects people, products, and the environment, SDRS Inc. will continue to actively address various challenges and provide new technologies and services for the realization of convenient and enriched lives.

About SQUEEZE Inc.

Location: 1-52 Sakae-machi, Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido

Listed: TSE Growth (Securities Code: 558A)

Founded: September 1, 2014

Representative: President and CEO Shinichi Tatenobayashi

Business Activities: Provision of AX (Digital Transformation of Accommodation Operations) platforms centered on the next-generation operation platform "suitebook," support for revenue maximization and operational efficiency using AI, hotel planning and operation, and operational support through BPO.

URL: https://squeeze-inc.co.jp/