by CHRISTINE JANINE T. CORTEZ and THEA ANDREA C. MAGUERIANO
WITH the pandemic and its limitation on hosting events, The Flame celebrates International Coffee Day by joining the coffee craze with a short list of on-the-go coffee. The international event is celebrated to help coffee farmers earn income this year.
The global coffee celebration was arranged by the International Coffee Organization (ICO), which aims to showcase coffee as a beverage and help people behind the warm cups every October 1.
Mean Bean
Flaunting their coffee drips and cold brew coffees sourced from Sagada and Kalinga, sisters Ara Mae Ayap and Thomasian alumna Kristene Ayap started Mean Bean last July to have extra income this pandemic.
Kristene was the owner of Cafe Tomas at Padre Noval Street, which closed down due to operational expenses.
Through hobby and passion for craft coffee, along with her sister’s help, Kristene thought of the concept for Mean Bean. She also did not want to find inconvenience looking for a caffeine booster, especially during the quarantine.
The Thomasian alumna, along with her background in entrepreneurship, is currently helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) along with her business.
“I’ve been helping SMEs when it comes to their brandings as part of my separate business,” she said.
Mean Bean’s Dark cold brew coffee, P110 for 250ml is perfect for iced americano enthusiasts. It has a powerful dark kick without being overwhelmingly strong and acidic. There is also a familiar strong aftertaste, which is distinct to Filipino coffee beans.
On the other hand, the Smooth cold brew coffee, P115 for 250 ml, is a good drink for starters on dark and pure coffee. The smooth variant is best described as a caffeinated arnibal with controlled sweetness, perfect for a morning push.
Vicente’s Coffee
Business owner Jerome Vincent Francisco, together with his coffee, would give you the unique cà phê sữa đá or ‘Vietnamese iced coffee’ experience, a traditional Vietnamese coffee recipe at an affordable price.
Francisco’s grandfather, Vicente, is his inspiration for starting the coffee business to support his grandfather’s medical maintenance. Lolo Vicente was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit last year and unfortunately came back again a week before Vicente’s coffee started to roll.
As a part-time business advisor, he advises young entrepreneurs to “[J]ust believe in your product or service, always listen to each feedback, save and invest, [and] pursue your passion. If you get a profit from it, then that’s a bonus!”
If musk could be used to describe a drink, their Cold Brew Concentrate, for P90, would be a perfect fit. It has an unfamiliar taste that is still smooth, fragrant, and flavorful. Likewise, it was savory and had a clean tart bite.
Perk Up
With a heart of gold, Paris Jacobe, the sole proprietor of Perk Up coffee and tea— built from the ground up a homegrown brand, caters generous support and admiration to Filipino farmers and the local coffee industry.
“I have always had an affinity for coffee, and I believe that it’s better to pursue something that you’re passionate about rather than pushing yourself to do something just because of money,” Jacobe said.
Apart from turning this coffee affinity to life, Perk Up illustrates an epitome of virtues and practices that are vital to establishing a well-crafted brand that encourages people to shift to eco-conscious products.
With a wide variety to choose from, Perk Up is making its name online as it offers uniquely developed bottled beverages, starting from coffee, tea lattes, and cold brew onsetting at 90 to 170 pesos a bottle.
For its coffees, Perk Up especially uses dark roast robusta beans. Its beans have rich and burnt flavor tones, overflowing with antioxidants that are sourced directly from the esteemed land of no return, Kalinga.
Perk up has a deep-seated potential in-store and an overwhelming space for prominence yet to be discovered in the local coffee scene. It’s both touching and riveting to know that a budding online coffee business is a step ahead of everyone towards a traversing promise of quality beverages and a benevolent direction insight —to appreciate wholeheartedly what the local industry has to offer, above all.
Just Wait
No one expected a pandemic to happen. Though difficult for all, some may argue that it was something inevitable.
Its presence is definitely a challenge to many businesses, but it should not stop them from thriving. After all, it’s existence is not to thwart people away from their tracks, but perhaps to prove that the best stories don’t always happen when life is comfortable.
With good faith, creative spirit, and a handful of courage, bona fide Thomasian and Artlet Clarence Sesbreno stepped up and became a business owner and head of Just Wait cold brew.
Due to the event of the pandemic, he put aside his career as a freelance production creator and welcomed the surprises that came with quarantine season by pushing himself to start his own enterprise.
Right now, it serves eight flavored beverages with flavor tones ranging from deep to mellow, namely; CB Black, CB Soy Latte, CB Wintermelon, CB Mocha Frappe, CB Salty Cream.
The latest additions to the cold brew squad are the CB Caramel Frappe, CB Cookies and Cream, and CB Hazelnut Cold Foam.
Even better, the reusable bottles come in many sizes at an exceptionally reasonable price. One can either choose to consume everything in just one sitting or upgrade to a milk bottle for an even better experience.
Just Wait offers 24-hour ready-to-drink, freshly brewed Cold Brew coffee beverages that are available for pick-up or delivery.
Although the name tells one to wait, it actually connotes that patience is the key to experiencing more flavors in coffee as its taste is better when the brew is handled with care.
Steeping 24-hours a combination of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, Just Wait delivers nothing less than original— from the cold brew experience and well-thought-out packaging to its pure craftsmanship. F
