The 2020 JA Company Programme: Kopi STC

Jason Chow, Krishank Agarwal, Oscar Choi, Samson Chan, Zheng Yu Chow, and Matthias Chan
Supervisors: Mr. Lee and Ms. Ducie

Following the formation of our team and a rigorous pitching process, Kopi was chosen to represent Sha Tin College in the Junior Achievement Company Programme – a competition designed to promote entrepreneurship amongst Hong Kong students. We were chosen because of our desire to sell homemade upcycled products made out of coffee waste in order to promote environmental sustainability, supporting the UN Global Goals of responsible consumption and urban sustainability. Our company’s objectives originate from our knowledge that every year 9.7 million tonnes of coffee beans are consumed, producing 9.1 million tonnes of coffee waste that will end up in landfills. We also found out that only a small portion of the coffee bean is used in making a cup of coffee, an inefficient process that produces coffee grounds waste usually thrown away. As more than mere products, purchasing upcycled goods from Kopi represents a commitment and investment into sustainability and responsible consumption, highlighting our aspirations for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world.

While the vision was there, development and production of actual products was another matter. As inexperienced students within the entrepreneurial world, we admittedly struggled to create a feasible and sustainable prototype product that would live up to our expectations. However, we persevered regardless and through time, effort and investment, we eventually came up with our signature handcrafted coasters made out of a custom coffee grounds based clay. This product was complemented by our simple but effective coffee grounds deodorisers. To extend our product range and generate revenue after an extensive development process, Kopi started producing pillows and other products made out of upcycled denim that was sourced from local companies. Other upcycled materials such as glass were also explored. Unfortunately, our efforts were stymied by the recent events in Hong Kong, leading to weaker sales than normally expected. While the unprecedented and unexpected challenges faced this year were undeniable, Kopi is still extremely proud to contribute to the development of a more sustainable world in accordance with the UN sustainable goals. The experiences of representing STC in this competition will remain forever unforgettable.

At the time of writing, Kopi has been selected for the final of the JA Company Programme ‘Best Offering’ and ‘Best Social Innovation’ awards. We want to thank the school community for their continued support and every single member of the company who made our vision possible. We hope that we will continue to make STC proud in this competition! For more information about Kopi, check out our Instagram @kopistc. 

Jason Chow
CEO of Kopi STC