Umeko Motoyoshi
Umeko Motoyoshi is Head of Coffee at Sudden Coffee, where she leads product development. Her mission is to make specialty coffee a rewarding and welcoming experience for people of all backgrounds. She joined Sudden after working in specialty coffee for over 10 years, most recently as Head of Education & Training at Four Barrel Coffee.
Umeko is a licensed Q grader and (probably) the first person to represent an instant coffee company in a barista competition. During her time in coffee, she has managed cafes, refurbished espresso machines, and starred in a Japanese reality show, where she brewed coffee with water from a mountain shrine. Outside of work, Umeko serves on the committee of The Coffee Woman - a group dedicated to amplifying minority voices in specialty coffee.