Coffee has found its way into the morning routines of nearly every Filipino and has become a staple good in households across the country. The Philippine Coffee Board Inc. recently announced that coffee consumption reached 170,000 metric tons in 2017 and signs show that this isn’t slowing down anytime soon. The Philippines is also the world’s top consumer of soluble or instant coffee. Much of this coffee is still imported from neighboring countries like Indonesia and Vietnam.
From three-in-one to single origin blends, coffee is something drank by anyone at any time of the day and there has been no lack of variety in the Philippine coffee scene. In recent years Manila and the rest of the country has seen a rise in the number of coffee shops that serve specialty coffees. These coffee shops are at the forefront of the burgeoning coffee scene in the country and push the envelope when it comes to how Filipinos drink their coffee
Filipinos have become more conscious of the coffee that they drink, putting a premium on where the beans are sourced as much as the taste. Local coffee roasters such as the EDSA Beverage Design Group, Hineleban, and Yardstick have poured their time and expertise into perfecting their craft and have produced specialty coffee beans that are at par with and even outshine those from other countries.
There has been a change in the way we appreciate our coffee.
This has taken the spotlight beyond baristas and coffee shops and highlighting the producers as well. More and more people are choosing to consume quality and responsibly sourced coffee beans. Individuals are recognizing agriculture’s, particularly coffee farming’s, role in promoting development in rural communities. The Hineleban Foundation aids local coffee farmers in Bukidnon by providing them with seedlings and the expertise to improve the quality of their beans in order for them to be able to sell it at a competitive market price. This, in turn, enables them to provide more for their families and improve their quality of living.
In line with this, the UP Junior Marketing Association is bringing together major movers in the local coffee industry. The industry is known to be a closely knit one and thrives on the sharing of knowledge, and these individuals are keen on sharing with us their know-how and expertise on coffee. On the 25th of May 2018 at Studio A Space in BGC, Sir Richard Francisco from the Philippine Coffee Board Inc., Miss Claudia Perrine from Hineleban Cafe, and Sir Kevin Fortu from EDSA Beverage Design group will be sharing with us their experiences and insights on the local coffee scene at a discussion entitled CRAFT: a story from bean to brew. Come through and get firsthand experience in tasting and sampling different beans in an onsite cupping session. Take this chance to immerse yourselves in the story of local coffee, a story that cuts through cultural differences and has the power to shape the lives of Filipinos, from bean to brew.
