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Japanese company MNH Inc. is introducing GENMAI DE CAFE to international markets as “Japanese Rice Coffee” – a coffee-style beverage made entirely from roasted Japanese brown rice.
The beanless, caffeine-free beverage is made from 100% Japanese brown rice, roasted to deliver a coffee-like aroma, bitterness, and depth without coffee beans.
MNH said the product is intended to offer a new take on the growing alternative and beanless coffee category, using rice as the starting point rather than attempting to replicate coffee through a blend of multiple ingredients.
GENMAI DE CAFE combines the natural characteristics of brown rice with proprietary roasting techniques developed by MNH to create a beverage designed to evoke the experience of coffee.
The company said its approach is rooted in Japanese food culture, positioning rice as an ingredient that can be roasted and brewed as well as used as a staple food.
Naohiro Ozawa, president of MNH, said: “Our goal is not to imitate coffee. We want to create a new beverage culture that could only have come from Japan – one that treats rice not only as something to eat, but also as something to roast, brew and enjoy in a new way."
The product is available in several formats, including drip packs, powder, tea bags, cold-brew applications and a tasting set.
Across the formats, the core proposition remains the same: 100% Japanese brown rice, no coffee beans and no caffeine.
MNH began research and development of GENMAI DE CAFE in 2012 before starting production in Shonai Town, Yamagata Prefecture, in 2014.
The company has since refined its roasting techniques to develop greater aroma, depth and body from brown rice alone, while also exploring different product formats.
The product has been presented at industry events including SCAJ in Japan in 2024 and 2025, where MNH said it attracted interest from coffee enthusiasts seeking beverages they could consume later in the day without caffeine.
The company also reported interest from buyers and coffee professionals exploring alternative coffee options at FHA 2025 in Singapore.
GENMAI DE CAFE is produced in Shonai Town, Yamagata Prefecture, where MNH has manufactured the product since 2014.
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