From Pindamonhangaba, a small city in the interior of São Paulo, Brasil, Luiz Araki has travelled a long and winding road to become one of the more quietly influential figures in the Portuguese coffee scene. Along the way, coffee was never far from him. As a child, he would prepare it for his mother’s clients at home, a small and generous act that planted something lasting. For Luiz, coffee has never really been about the drink itself. It has always been about hospitality, about bringing people together, and about recognising the work of everyone involved in getting a cup to the table.
The road from Brasil to his current role as Barista Market Developer at Oatly was anything but straight. He worked in supermarkets, department stores, IT, and education before moving to Japan, where a chance encounter with specialty coffee pointed him in an entirely new direction. Porto in Portugal is where it all came together, with his career beginning at 7g Roaster in Gaia and growing into something far larger and more meaningful than a single job title could contain.
Today, Luiz operates as a community connector, and a remarkably good one at that. He represents Oatly across Portugal and Galicia, but the work he seems most energised by is the kind that builds community from the ground up: workshops, events, and conversations designed to make specialty coffee feel genuinely accessible to people who have historically been left outside the room.
He is sharp about the industry’s tendency toward elitism & exclusivity and deeply vocal about the need to speak to the whole base, not just those who can afford the best equipment. That combination of warmth, clarity, and conviction is what makes him someone truly worth listening to.
Luiz, what is your first memory with coffee?
My first memory of coffee starts at home. My mother was always self-employed and used to receive her clients at home. To help her, I liked to make coffee for them. I started doing that when I was around 7 or 8 years old. Since then, coffee has always been a gesture of hospitality and affection for me
What inspired you to pursue a career in the coffee industry, and how did you get started? What did you do before coffee?
Well, this answer might be a bit long, haha. Before coffee, I had many different jobs: I worked in supermarkets, department stores, IT, and even as a teacher, among other things. Later, I moved to Japan, where I worked in several different fields as well.
It was in Japan that I discovered specialty coffee, completely by chance. After that, I started dreaming about working in the industry. But it was in Portugal where everything actually happened. I had the privilege of starting my career at 7g Roaster.
Could you tell us a bit about the projects you are involved in?
Today, I’m a Barista Market Developer at Oatly, but I believe I’m just a spokesperson for the whole barista community. I fight for a community that deserves to be valued, and whenever something contributes to its growth, I want to be involved. I usually say that coffee gave me a family, and I don’t say no to family.
Can you let us know a bit more about the activities and activities you lead?
Working for Oatly feels like living a dream. I represent the brand in Portugal and Galicia (Spain), and I use that role as a way to support the communities I’m part of. I try to create activations and events that help the community grow while also promoting the brand in a more accessible and democratic way. That’s what really motivates me.
I’m grateful to be part of a team that trusts what I do, and the results are showing – with a stronger and more connected community every day.
What kind of experience do you want people to have when they participate in the activations? What kind of community do you strive to build?
When I think about an activation, I think about how it can reach as many different people as possible. And when I say that, I mean diversity – social, economic, gender, and more.
I intend to strengthen the base of our community and create opportunities for new people to discover it and want to be part of it. I truly believe education is the key to our growth – education about our industry, but also awareness about our role in the world.
I want this community to be an increasingly safe space for everyone, where people also feel empowered to fight for their rights as workers. That’s why I love organising workshops and debates – learning and conversation are the key.
What is your favourite part of work responsibilities, and why?
I think my favourite part of the job is being this bridge between the coffee community and the region I represent. I enjoy being part of something bigger – being the best supporting character in this scene, haha.
– Luiz together with a bunch of amazing coffee professionals during Madrid Coffee Fest.
How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep improving your coffee-making skills?
My inspiration and motivation definitely come from the friends I’ve made in this industry. My friends are my references – I learn from them and feel inspired by them all the time.
What are some common misconceptions about our industry that you’ve encountered, and how do you address them?
One common issue I see in the industry is how sometimes people talk about coffee in a very elitist way. That can push many people away. I often see conversations focused on increasingly expensive equipment, techniques, and studies that make perfection seem unreachable for someone who is just an ordinary worker earning a minimum wage.
All of that knowledge is valid, of course, but we also need to speak to the base and show that it’s possible to create something incredible with limited resources. Specialty coffee isn’t about equipment; it’s about valuing the bean from its origin all the way to the cup. Every pair of hands that touched that coffee along the way deserves to be recognized and celebrated.
What are the current trends in cafes in your region? Are there any trends you promote yourself and would like to see more often in other places?
I don’t see very innovative trends happening inside cafés right now. But at the industry level, I really hope more roasters follow the example of SO Coffee Roasters, with increasingly conscious work in terms of environmental and social responsibility.
And I might lose my job for saying this, but honestly, I’m a fan of the basics rather than trends, haha.
Can you tell me about a time when you had to train/teach others? How did you approach the training process, and what did you focus on?
I’ve had the experience of teaching people who were just starting in the industry. The best way I found to do it was simply by being myself and sharing, from the heart, everything I had learned from my teachers.
Honestly, I loved the experience!
If there were one piece of knowledge about coffee you’d like everyone to know, what would that be?
I wish everyone had more knowledge and awareness about everything that happens on the farm. If people understood that better, I believe we would see more specialty coffee consumption and greater appreciation for the professionals in our industry.
What are your passions and hobbies apart from coffee?
Football, photography and spending quality time with the people I love.
Where in Porto do you find your best inspiration?
On my balcony at home, haha!
What coffee challenges are you looking forward to? Any new projects or collaborations?
There are a few!
I want to help grow the Community Run organized by Protest Kitchen. I’m also very interested in creating content for Instagram, although I’m still not sure if I’m good at it, haha. Also, conversations with Fatima and Giullia about an educational project that really inspired me, but we’re still figuring out how to make it happen.
And finally… inspired by Fofoca, I would love to have my own coffee cart this summer, to fulfil the dream of having my own café. It even has a name… I don’t know if I should say it… I guess you’re curious, right?
Haha, okay: MANIS. I’m not sure if it will happen yet because I don’t have the financial conditions, but who knows, maybe someone will want to invest!
Quick Fire Questions for Luiz Araki:
Filter coffee or espresso-based?
Filter coffee.
Milky, Black, or Oat? 😉
Black coffee – sometimes oats!
The most underrated coffee drink?
Coffee Lemonade.
The most underrated coffee brewer?
Melitta.
Favourite piece of barista equipment?
Servers, hahah
No.1 café in Europe that every coffee geek should visit?
I don’t know… my favourite place is Protest Kitchen.
What’s your dream place to have a coffee tour?
Santiago de Compostela, hospitality and kindness in every coffee shop!
