Coffee has become a staple in Filipino’s daily purchases. If they don’t buy it from cafes, restaurants, or convenience stores, they brew it themselves at home. Due to its vital contribution and benefits, coffee has become a precious commodity to those seeking a healthy energy boost at the start of their day.
Luckily for us coffee lovers in the Philippines, we don’t have to look far and wide to source our coffee. The Philippines is one of the few countries globally with a climate that can produce the four varieties of coffee: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. This allows coffee production and farming in the Philippines to become a successful endeavor.
Today’s Philippine coffee industry is ever-growing, with more and more local brands and companies coming up with their ready-to-brew coffee bags. If you’re on the lookout to try more locally grown and farmed coffee, take a look at our list of recommended coffee by local brands.
1. Bo’s Coffee
You may know Bo’s Coffee as a cafe with multiple branches spread across the country. However, this coffee shop brand is also a producer and seller of coffee beans and brews. What sets it apart from other brands is its accessibility and affordability. Those with no Bo’s Coffee store nearby can buy their coffee from its website.
Bo’s Coffee offers nuanced flavors in a variety of beans, including Benguet coffee beans that reveal a wine taste and herbal hints, Sagada coffee beans with a nutty taste and tobacco notes, Mt. Apo in Davao coffee beans delivering an earthy flavor, and Mt. Matutum in South Cotabato coffee beans that tastes like berries with spicy notes.
The coffee producer strives to bring the taste of Filipino coffee beans from around the country to coffee lovers’ reach.
2. Kapeng Barako
Kapeng Barako is not precisely a coffee brand, nor is it owned by a specific company. It is more of a cultural product. Otherwise known as Batangas coffee, Kapeng Barako is among the most popular coffees in the Philippines, the U.S., and other western countries.
This type of coffee is grown and explicitly farmed in Batangas. It is a Liberica species that comes from a strong coffee tree capable of producing a sizeable harvest. However, Kapeng Barako is susceptible to coffee rust, making it difficult to dry, roast, and store.
Kapeng Barako stands out for its bold and slightly spicy taste. It delivers strong anise and dark chocolate notes, making it a reasonable choice as an after-dinner drink.
3. Kalsada Coffee
Coffee enthusiast Carmel Laurino is the founder of the Kalsada Coffee brand. She used her love for coffee and connected with her heritage to create a well-loved and inspiring coffee product.
Kalsada Coffee sources its coffee beans in the Cordillera mountain region, specifically Belis, Benguet. Belis coffee beans exude a vanilla flavor and floral smell. It also offers various notes of all-spice, cacao, and nutmeg.
Kalsada Coffee caters to coffee shops worldwide, including Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, Manila, and New York.
4. Kape Maria
Kape Maria was founded and established by founder Julia Sevilla. She opened it as a social enterprise to promote coffee by local farmers while highlighting local flavors.
Kape Maria offers three variants of coffee: Pulag, Maynila, and Amuyao. These variants give coffee enthusiasts a choice in the strength of their coffee, with Amuyao being the strongest, offering nutty and robust flavors. Meanwhile, Pulag coffee beans deliver a balanced taste, and Maynila coffee beans provide dark chocolate flavor.
5. Kick-Start Coffee
Kick-Start Coffee was founded to cater to hard-working adults. It aims to provide them with exciting hot beverage options that will help energize their body to start the day at max level. Kick-Start Coffee is roasted in small batches in a facility in Silang, Cavite. Every set undergoes a test cup to ensure its utmost consistency.
Kick-Start Coffee offers three varieties: Philippine Barako, Brewed Awakening, and Your Daily Lift. Your Daily Lift is a full-bodied blend of Arabica and offers mild flavors. Brewed Awakening is a rich, aromatic, and complex coffee made of medium-dark roasted Arabica. It is the perfect coffee for those who enjoy a mild drink but still want a strong flavor kick. Meanwhile, Philippine Barako Coffee is Kick-Start’s most robust variety. It is made from handpicked Barako beans highland trees in Cavite. The coffee beans enrich the flavor with bold yet fruity flavors.
