Boku Thursday announced a new partnership with Japan’s largest coffee chain, Ueshima Coffee Co., part of the UCC Group, to bring carrier billing to its brick and mortar coffee shops across Japan.
Boku said in a press release this first-of-its-kind partnership enables customers of KDDI and Domoco to top up their Ueshima Coffee cards using their mobile phone in order to purchase coffee, food, and other products in any Ueshima coffee shop.
“This partnership with Ueshima Coffee demonstrates that Boku can help any kind of merchant, whether for digital or nondigital services,” Hiroshi Yoda, country manager of Japan for Boku, said in a statement.
“This only furthers Boku’s mission to provide the world’s most convenient and accessible way to pay. Given the preferences of Japanese consumers to use credit card alternatives for many purchases, we expect Ueshima customers to take full advantage of carrier billing through Boku.”
With Boku, Ueshima Coffee customers can add money to their Ueshima Coffee cards using only their carrier login, through either the Ueshima mobile app or website. The funds are instantly added to their card.
At the register, customers can use the magnetic stripe on their physical Ueshima card.
The initial launch of carrier billing through Boku will cover more than 450 Ueshima coffee shops across Japan, with plans to expand into new global markets in the coming months, according to the announcement.
