Jun Kashima
Gelato & Coffee Business Producer
Born in Tokyo in 1959. Graduated from the Faculty of Business Administration at Aoyama Gakuin University.
From an early age, he devoted himself to soccer, playing for the Yomiuri Club (now Tokyo Verdy) youth team, the Aoyama Gakuin University varsity team, and the representative team of the University of California, Santa Cruz. The spirit of challenge and international perspective he developed through sports became the foundation of his later business activities.
After returning to Japan, his strong interest in food culture led him to Italy, where he was deeply inspired by authentic gelato and espresso culture. Based on this experience, he began promoting genuine Italian gelato and espresso culture in Japan, where they were still largely unknown at the time.
Donatello’s Gelato Ice Cream & Espresso
He founded Donatello’s Gelato Ice Cream & Espresso, which expanded to 29 locations nationwide, becoming a pioneer of authentic gelato specialty shops in Japan and introducing Italian gelato culture to a wide audience.
Alongside store expansion, he systematized gelato production techniques, store operations, human resource development, and product development, training many skilled professionals.
He also served as a distributor for the Italian gelato machine manufacturer Carpigiani, providing equipment sales, technical training, and store opening support to gelato shops, restaurants, and hotels across Japan, contributing to the development of the Japanese gelato industry.
Espresso & Coffee
At Donatello’s, he introduced espresso machines early on to serve authentic Italian espresso.
Later, when the owner of the renowned Italian espresso machine manufacturer La Cimbali visited Japan and stopped by the Donatello’s Ebisu flagship store, he remarked:
“You understand the Italian spirit.”
Following this, he was appointed as the official distributor for La Cimbali in Eastern Japan (50Hz region), where he contributed to the spread of espresso machines, technical training, and barista education in Japan.
Through La Cimbali, he also became the exclusive importer and distributor in Japan for MUSETTI, a historic coffee roaster based in Piacenza, Italy, introducing authentic Italian coffee culture to Japan.
In parallel with importing and distributing Cimbali and MUSETTI products, he operated an espresso bar at exhibitions organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), promoting Italian products such as food, furniture, and jewelry.
Through interactions with producers, artisans, and chefs from across Italy, he gained deep insights into regional differences in taste, aroma, and food culture—from Northern to Southern Italy—and applied this knowledge to promoting Italian culture in Japan.
Later, while participating as a staff member in the “Idaki Shin Concert” held in Ethiopia, he encountered the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, which left a profound impression on him.
He experienced firsthand how coffee connects people and nurtures culture and spirituality—an experience that became the foundation of his current approach to coffee.
After returning to Japan, he participated in the launch and product development of Andromeda Ethiopian Coffee, imported and sold by NPO Koma, contributing to the spread of Ethiopian coffee culture in Japan.
Current Activities
Currently, as the representative of Gruppo di CASCIMA, he focuses on developing and producing gelato and coffee under his own brand CABACCI.
His current activities are not centered on retail operations, but include:
- Product development for gelato and coffee
- OEM and private label planning and production
- Design of manufacturing facilities and central kitchens
- Consulting on production equipment and machinery
- HACCP and hygiene management system development
- Brand production
- Barista and gelato technical training
- Business production both domestically and internationally
In the ongoing CABACCI GELATO MALAYSIA PROJECT, he is working to build a new premium brand that integrates Japanese gelato techniques, Italian and Ethiopian coffee culture, and Malaysia’s rich agricultural resources and food culture, aiming to expand from ASEAN to the global market.
Philosophy
His goal is not simply to sell gelato or coffee.
He seeks to create a new food culture that enriches people’s lives by integrating Italian craftsmanship, the cultural origins of coffee experienced in Ethiopia, and the refined spirit of Japanese craftsmanship.
He believes that gelato and coffee are not merely products, but tools of communication that connect people, regions, and cultures.
His mission is to continue connecting Japan, Italy, Ethiopia, Malaysia, and the rest of the world, creating new gelato and coffee cultures and passing them on to future generations.