“No Starbucks For Me, Thank You.”
Blogs, Sagwan Namwaran
Recently, I had a wonderful privilege of hosting two Southeast Asian youth ambassadors: a Thai Communications undergrad and a Malaysian Law student. I thought that it was an opportune time for me to learn more about my fellow Asians’ thoughts and perspectives on the Asian Century. I wasn’t disappointed, in fact, what I got were inner earthquakes, to say the least.
Starbucks in the Philippines by Daniel Y. Go
During the first night, the Thai delegate said that she wanted to try some Jollibee food. With much interest, she acknowledged Jollibee’s stature as the only locally owned fast food chain that beat McDonald’s big time anywhere in the world. In fact, according to her, because of its undeniable corporate success, Jollibee is being studied in her university’s Marketing classes. That was truly amazing news. Perhaps, what was so special was the fact that an Asian university shares the success of a Filipino company like Jollibee. I was pleasantly surprised and felt a terrible guilt because I never saw Jollibee as a symbol of national, if not Asian pride.
Jollibee in the Philippines by Marvin Maning
The Thai delegate then asked if there are any Filipino-owned coffee shops in the country. She was, in fact, quite unambiguous – what she wanted was to try our local coffee served in a Filipino-owned café. I told her of a local coffee shop, Figaro, a few blocks away. It was half past 10 in the evening when we arrived at the nearest Figaro only to be told by the barista that, since they were about to close, only iced tea and pastries were available. We thought of transferring to another café. The ones that were still open at that time were Starbucks and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The Thai delegate was firm to say, “No Starbucks for me, Thank you. I am in the Philippines, I did not come all the way here just to have Starbucks.”
Given that, we opted to go to the other café.
In spite of having to transfer to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, she remained visibly interested with the idea of a Filipino-owned coffee shop. She asked me what Figaro’s market share was and if it was, like Jollibee, also number one in the Philippines. I told her that insofar as brand recall, following, and number of stores are concerned, Starbucks is the coffee company to beat. In fact, in the Philippines, for every two 7-11 stores, there is one Starbucks café. This didn’t sit well with her. Her immediate response was, “If the Philippines has a Jollibee that beat McDonald’s big time, I don’t see why your country can’t beat Starbucks or any foreign company for that matter.”
I was stunned.
If my Thai friend’s assertion was any indication, then the Asian Century is here to stay. What gives me inner earthquakes is the fact that we might miss the opportunity to ride the wave of the rise of Asia. I figured that Jollibee’s success is one that we could and should emulate. What pains me is the thought that as the Thais are seriously studying the Jollibee model, we are leisurely sipping coffee in Starbucks. I am no spokesperson for Jollibee but if there is something that I realized it is that there is no such thing as chamba. If we can’t see what lies beneath the smile of a happy bee, the aroma of sweet spaghetti, and the crunchy Chicken Joy, I wouldn’t be surprised if our templates for success, thoroughly studied by our Asian neighbors, will merely come to nothing. My grave fear is that our present successes would just be another isolated milestone, which would eventually join the ranks of the International Rice Research Institute and many others, having absolutely no contribution to the realization of a renaissance for the Filipino race.
~Sagwan Namwaran
December 31st, 2008 at 02:19 AM
Wow, this blog made me sob not because I felt sorry I’m a Filipino but because I felt slightly elated to know that we’re not just known for DH, Japayukis, and other degrading labels. They also know about our Jollibee. Dito tayo, dito tayo…Lusog sarap…Just a spark of hope could really make one joyful specially when we’re facing a seemingly bleak situation. Past.Present.Future. All told.
But there are, indeed, tremors underneath the smooth surface warning us we might miss the mark. I hope and pray what happened to IRRI won’t happen to Jollibee.
December 31st, 2008 at 02:20 AM
Reflecting on what my Thai friend shared, I couldn’t help but smile in my heart.
In fact, my Thai friend only bought three important items during here brief stay in Manila: a book on how to learn Bahasa Malaysia, a biography of our National Hero Jose Rizal, and a Jollibee stuffed toy.
She simply couldn’t help but bring home a memento of our happy bee. For her, the Jollibee stuffed toy represented one of the Asian milestones discussed in her Marketing class.
Simply amazing.
December 31st, 2008 at 02:21 AM
hmmm… i love jollibee, big time. I’ll choose it over Mcdonald’s anytiime. Speaking of local coffee brand, I know of a Cordillera Coffee shop. Their cofee blends are great to say the least and they have awesone menu that features Filipino foodstuff as well…
P.S.
My post seems like a shameless plug but I swear you should try it when you see one… ^_^V
December 31st, 2008 at 02:22 AM
There’s one Filipino-owned coffee shop in Davao City called Blugre Cafe.They serve this very enriching Durian shake coffee and Durian cheesecake. Totally mouthwatering.
Well, I just got carried away about being proud of what we have. Blugre Cafe is very famous in Davao City. Davaoneos patronize this place so much. It’s like you’re not a real Dabawenyo if you’ve not tasted Blugre Cafe’s delicacies.
December 31st, 2008 at 02:22 AM
To Brown Raise Team:
Sana po magkaroon din dito ng page on filipino music, past and contemporary. Thank you.
December 31st, 2008 at 02:23 AM
Durian Coffee Shake?!
Now that sounds refreshing and uniquely Filipino!
I’ll definitely try that one as soon as I get the chance to visit Davao City!
I hope Blugre opens a branch somewhere in Metro Manila really soon!
December 31st, 2008 at 02:24 AM
To the Brown Raise Team:
A blessed Christmas!
God Bless you all 
December 31st, 2008 at 02:25 AM
Cafe by the Ruins-Baguio (and some other isolated cafes in Baguio)
Bag of Beans-Tagaytay
Kamarikutan-Palawan
Garden cafes scattered in the Philippines
Figaro is awesome. I just hope it wasnt so hispanic.
December 31st, 2008 at 02:27 AM
Grabe po! After reading this post.. I also felt so ashamed.
Once again, we are failing to see what’s right in front of us.
I’ve always preferred McDo because it was nearer to my school but I’ve always known that Jollibee had better quality.. But not to the extent na pinag-aaralan na siya nang ibang bansa for Marketing.. Ang bulag po natin.
We’re so proud of Manny Pacquiao and our DHs but in fact we have something more.. like the poorly-appreciated Jollibee..
Sobrang blessing po talaga itong blog niyo because its teaching us so many things.. especially sa aming youth po.
We should definitely wake up and realize the beauties, the jewels staring at us.. Nakaka-inggit po ang ibang Asians.. They’re able to see these things while we can’t.. Grabe talaga!
More power po to your blog!
Keep posting pa po.. Nakakabless po talaga kasi yung mga post niyo.
And I’ll definitely share this blog to my friends.. Kailangan po itong malaman at maisapuso ng bawat Pilipino..
December 31st, 2008 at 02:28 AM
BluGre Coffee is probably Davao City’s pioneering coffee shop founded in 1998 by husband and wife, Gatchi and Larcy Gatchalian. BluGre Coffee now has three branches. One in Landco Corporate Center, another in Matina Town Square (MTS), and lastly at SM City Davao. My wife and I have been to these branches in which BluGre Coffee Matina Town Square branch is where we always like to go to because of its environment with surrounding trees just like a small arcade mall. I always liked their Durian Larcepuccino, a cold cappuccino concoction that blends espresso and fruit durian. They also have a hot version of this called Durian Gatchpuccino.(http://www.nierva.com/coffee-break-at-blugre-coffee-shop/)–Just in case.
Walang Starbucks sa Davao City natakot SIGURO sa Blugre Coffee…Joke lang po. I’m just so happy about this Brown Raise site. Totally enriching for the brain, heart, and soul.
December 31st, 2008 at 02:28 AM
Success always begin with potential. And we (Filipinos) need to tap this passive concept. Too bad, even success here in our country seems to be passive in our perspective.
Masarap ang JollySpaghetti.
December 31st, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Thanks for this great post. It’s an eye-opener. Whatever our personal food preferences are, for any Pinoy what Jollibee has achieved in the Phils and globally really *is* amazing. And it looks like Thai university marketing students have to remind us pa.
Now about locally owned coffeeshops… Aside fr Blugre in Davao, there’s another good one – Bo’s Coffee. I think it originated from Cebu but they have branches now in Glorietta and SM TheBlock and a few others in metro manila.
Great coffee!
December 31st, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Isang makabuluhang Bagong Taon sa lahat ng mga kaibigan ng Brown Raise!
Thank you very much for your comments. Reflecting on my experience with my Thai and Malaysian friends, I can’t help but be blessed by the things that they imparted with me. As young Southeast Asians, they aren’t mesmerized by nice trappings and surfaces – they are, on the other hand, firm believers of excellence and competition. I don’t remember them telling me to boycott any western companies like McDonald’s or Starbucks. In fact, they study excellent models from around the world to be able to come up with innovative systems, plans and approaches that can compete with international benchmarks.
As Filipinos, we have to look at successful foreign companies, institutions of education and governance as well as heroes to learn from them. Yes, we are blessed with successful local companies like Jollibee, inspiring athletes like Willy Wang as well as excellent science educators like Chris and Marivic Bernido, but what we have, sadly, aren’t enough (yet). We mustn’t develop a kind of blind aversion to foreign models. We should, however, be wise in the way we see and learn from the world.
I remember the words of one of my co-delegates in an expo in Jakarta last 2007. My roommate then was a 23 year-old Robotics Engineer from Beijing who ranked 4th among Robotics Engineer students in the whole of PR China. I remember him telling me that he hopes to take his PhD in MIT in the USA to be able to ‘discover the secrets of America’s rise in the 20th century’. I found wisdom in his words because he knows what to look for in the West. He is no blind Easterner who easily falls in the trap of xenophobia.
The confidence and wisdom of my Chinese friend is the same confidence and wisdom shared by my Thai and Malaysian friends. To emphasize the obvious, confidence CANNOT exist without wisdom.
As I wish everyone a meaningful New Year, I hope that we all embark on a journey of discovery that is guided by wisdom and vision in the coming year. May we, in our individual fields of passion and expertise, find the secrets that lead to the rise of nations, cultures and civilizations, and use the valuable lessons that we find to build our beloved PILIPINAS.
Mabuhay at, muli, isang makabuluhang Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat!
January 1st, 2009 at 09:15 PM
somehow I can relate to this post… ever since I loved durian coffee of blugre, mountain coffee of sagada restos, coffee alamid of bag of beans, and cheap phil coffee from here and there …I’ve also been wondering how come we don’t have a jollibee-like-famous coffee shop here in the phils??! thanks, now I’m soo motivated to put up my own coffee shop (sana ndi N-years in the making. hehe) anyways, at some point this is a feel-good post. it’s flattering that jollibee –a purely pinoy biz …had gone really far
January 1st, 2009 at 09:26 PM
Jollibee’s marketing success is a lesson taught to all marketing students, if I am not mistaken, worldwide. It’s a classic marketing case study! And I never knew that Figaro was a Filipino company! Their chocolate cake is heaven! Beats any chocolate cake Starbucks makes anytime!
January 1st, 2009 at 10:53 PM
Great blog you guys, I just read through all of the blog posts and thumbs up to the articles. They are all eye-openers and it is always appreciated to hear from differing sides.
I am no marketing student, but as I see it one of the roots behind the success of Jollibee is catering to the taste of its target audience, in this case, the Filipinos. And while more and more restaurants and fast foods chains pop-up offering foods from different parts of the world, most of the Filipinos would go back to Jollibee. It’s comfort food, in a way.
(Oh, and their chicken is crazy addicting.)
What’s nice to see right now is the growth of small, Filipino owned business. Homemade and organic is now the buzz word and you can see small provincial companies packaging and selling their local goods in the city with success.
Ironically enough, this movement of going back to the grass-roots and source of foodstuffs (and not the supermarket) can be linked to the west. The US, especially, is going towards the “organic” foodstuffs where they choose to stay away from their supermarket and buy directly from farmers in the farmer’s market. In the cities, where the public markets have degraded to “tiangge markets” and are mostly disorderly and at times, unclean there was once a movement towards supermarkets. But nowadays, small farmers markets are propping up and are bringing back the thought of farming as not just a “probinsyano” job for someone with no education, but one that is an actual viable source of income.
Restaurants and chefs are also helping by buying locally, why buy almost wilted US lettuce when you can have fresher ones from Tagaytay? So, there is some improvement. And hopefully this would just spurn on more pride in being a Filipino.
Again guys, great job, this blog would certainly be added to my Bookmarks
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Actually, Shangri-la, not Starbucks, makes their pastries (supposedly). In Baguio, it used to be Baguio Country Club that supplied their food, until all the pastry supplies have been centralized by Manila recently.
As for Figaro coffee, pardon me but the only reason i go to Figaro is to order their pasta and prune cake. Their coffee is BAD. Ok to say that their food is fine—but i beg to disagree that Figaro can hold a candle to Starbucks. Even their name lacks imagination. (Starbucks was taken from the classic book Moby Dick by Herman Melville)
Starbucks will always have an edge because of the amount of R&D poured in by the company. We will have to equal if not surpass Howard Schulz’s PASSION and RESEARCH on coffee and business in order to create another Asian winner like Jollibee. While i totally admire Jollibee in the same way that Thais do, coffee, on the other hand requires more than beans, pastries and a shop. It’s one whole education from choosing which soil, to growing the plant, to selecting the beans, correct roasting etc. etc. The whole point to Jollibee’s success is not just the burger patty—but its ability to dissect the secrets of McDo and then find its local application. Another Pinoy Burger which also did not lack flavor is Cindy’s Burger. But nobody remember Cindy’s now. Why? Ciindy’s is like a “carinderia” compared to McDo and Jollibee.
I think what the writer wanted to emphasize is basically the same as what Robert Ingersoll believed in: That “He who loves his country best, MAKES IT BEST.” It isn’t about blindly patronizing Figaro just because it’s Filipino, regardless of the quality.
January 2nd, 2009 at 02:45 AM
Very True. If I’m not mistaken, the Jollibee case study is being taught to and learned by all marketing students esp. here in our country. It is very essential for us marketing people to know the story behind Jollibee’s success because it is the ONLY fastfood chain in the world that beat McDonald’s. Thank you for this post. This is the second one I have read and I like what I see here. Your posts are informative and very thought-provoking. Keep it up!
January 2nd, 2009 at 03:45 AM
Bo’s Coffee.
January 2nd, 2009 at 07:42 PM
Happy New Year! Congratulations to the Brown Raise Team for this thought-provoking and heart-wrenching blog. I hope there is follow-through on what we are discussing here. What the Brown Raise people have here is something unique and worthy of more than our words and thoughts. They have here an answer to the Philippine condition. Other forums may attempt to discuss and propose a stand, but none so quite the Brown Raise. Here, the issue at hand is seen at its gut. We confront it deeper than skin-level rhetoric. And the time is past due.
It is wise to confront every problem at its gut. The gut of the Philippine condition, perceived as mostly on the negative and the discouraging, is not a systemic one let alone a irresolvable case. But if we are to advance as a race, then we must find token anecdotes that show how much we have gone astray from our path to our golden age. At the same time we must not overshadow the fact that we are still a proud race (more of a salad of races) and a once-glorified country. This is why I appreciate how this blog presents the Philippines — for its ups and downs in history. Jollibee is one artifact we can be proud of in its raw existence. Who would have thought that a humble fast-food chain of sweet and filling Filipino food could overtake a fastfood giant in its own game? It shows that one we are not simply a people whose mouths are wide-open. We endure and we labor, following a defined vision. Two, it also shows we do not simply imitate as we are often pitied for. We innovate and we communicate our new ideas on the global stage—much is true for the global skills of the Philippine race. It is not surprising. It is like Toyota, once considered a piece of tin can in a time when the Benz was the taxi, taking over the global automotive industry. At least it settles that we Filipinos can make it on our own efforts. Manny Pacquiao, no matter how it exposes our tendencies to revel, has proven it. We have durian coffee as told here. We have a collection, a plethora of anecdotes here. No less, Jose Rizal is our exemplar. It then begs the question, can we take it to the next level? Can we move beyond isolated cases or have we not yet seen the bigger picture behind these cases? I look forward to more discussions in this blog.
For this reason, I am careful with how we use the word “nation”. Are we really a nation? To claim such we need to get back to track on our purpose and back to the track to our golden age, a vision for our people. That will be the question, whose which answer the next generation will build on. But us, we who have been disappointed with ours; it is on us to provide such answers. At least with common answers to questions like “who are we really?” and “so what can the Filipino do now given this and that?” we can find who we are.
And indeed may we confront questions to our own lives at its gut—raw and indeed convicting. Only with this, above our experiences and shared knowledge can we have the answers. With it and by grace we will get back on track. Then we can talk of more advanced things much as other accomplished nations do now. God speed. =)
January 5th, 2009 at 05:02 PM
We cannot and should not be gung-ho over having Filipino-owned companies. Being ‘Filipino-owned’ is but the most basic of prerequisites in building cutting-edge and globally competitive local companies – companies that would build a fearless, honorable, and self-respecting next generation of Filipinos.
As to the importance of Research & Development, I couldn’t agree more with Lipad Lawin. It is a heartbreaking reality that in our country, R & D is usually bypassed for expediency. Here, a great and irreconcilable gap between the words research and development seems to exist: ‘Research’ is mainly used for rabid profiteering [see Wowowee and Eat Bulaga!] while ‘Development’ has devolved into a word so overused that it had lost every bit of its meaning.
To further emphasize Lipad Lawin’s comment, allow me to restate that “‘He who loves his country best, MAKES IT BEST.’ It isn’t about blindly patronizing Figaro [or any enterprise for that matter] just because it’s Filipino-owned, regardless of the quality.”
5 Secrets to Toyota’s Success, an online article published on http://www.usnews.com reveals that one of the main factors that secured the rise and continued refinement of Toyota is the company’s ’studious speediness’. The article further states that:
“Suppliers sometimes complain that Toyota takes forever to make a decision. But that’s usually because the company EXHAUSTIVELY RESEARCHES all its options, then makes sure all the major stakeholders agree on a course of action. Once Toyota decides to build a car, however, the turbocharger kicks in: Toyota can move a product to market faster than almost all of its competitors.”
January 9th, 2009 at 01:43 PM
i guess the best thing i like about jollibee is its roots.
i only read it sa filipino book ko when i was in grade three..
i wish i can find that book. mas gusto ko un kesa dun sa website nila
it’s more detailed about the founder. kung pano siya nagsacrifice as a young teen. and how he prioritized work ethics among his subordinates by starting with himself. haaay… ang sarap ng may ganong leaders.
Jolli-bee… ang masayang masipag…speaks so much of his work ethic.
Hehehe.
And siya lng ang kilala kong fast food na mahal tayo…
Naririnig nio ba un kay Ronald o Burger King?
Miski nga si Teriyaki Boy eh.
check out their song
http://www.jollibee.com.ph/
Passion and Gratitude
I know it’s just a song
Pero i think that’s what will bring them to the top.
Ako I was never ashamed. I was always proud of Jollibee.
Thanks sa writer for indirectly giving me the chance to say it.
Keep posting things like this.
January 9th, 2009 at 01:53 PM
P.S.
To sum up what i said – it’s called.
P.U.S.O.
hehehe.
January 19th, 2009 at 06:45 PM
great post… mind awakening…
January 21st, 2009 at 10:54 PM
check out bo’s coffee here in cebu (i believe they have franchises in other areas of the phils). it’s outselling starbucks. since am not a coffee drinker, can’t say whose coffee is better but coffee drinkers i know say bo’s is better
January 23rd, 2009 at 03:01 PM
Ask any Italian and they’ll tell you that Starbucks’ coffee is terrible. I prefer Figaro over Starbucks anytime for the simple reason that Figaro’s coffee is better. It’s strong but without that burnt taste. Sunog ang kape ng Starbucks. Liberica rules!
January 23rd, 2009 at 03:04 PM
Figaro is also trying to save the liberica industry. There are four varieties of coffee: Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa and Liberica. Liberica is found in only two places; Africa and The Philippines.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Liberica or Liberian Coffee originated in Liberia in West Africa. Actually there are three places where Liberica can still be found. These are; West Africa, The Island of Java and The Philippines. The Philippine Liberica, known locally as “Barako”, is considered the best among the Liberica species. Barako Coffee used to be exported all over the world till it stopped in the 1990’s. The Arabica-Liberica Blend however is still a popular gourmet coffee among coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts. I think the Philippine Liberica is a major key ingredient in reviving the Philippine coffee industry.
February 3rd, 2009 at 09:03 PM
That’s a tragic thing if we’re always gonna be like that.
I’m even ashame of myself of not also realizing it, because I’m in HRM. We did study Jollibee but I wasn’t able to see the same thing. That’s true, they are no. 1 in Food Industry in the Philippines and they own other restaurants like Delifrance, Pizza Hut, Red Ribbon etc. They so strong that when they buy some food inventories they make they’re supplier ‘big time’. And the best thing about them is that you could have an assurance of having a great quality food at a affordable cost. No wonder they are being studied in Marketing subject in abroad.
We can’t even see that.
Coffee shop? nah..
‘We sometimes search of what’s in front of our face, but we can’t SEE it.’
Thank God for this blog.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Jon Snow, I was freaked out by what you just said. Everyone knows that Starbucks is way better than Figaro. This is not to put down Figaro, but the truth of the matter is STARBUCKS IS WORLD-CLASS and Figaro isn’t. To disregard Starbucks’ contribution to coffee-making is an expression of arrogance on our part. Of course Italians would hate Starbucks. The first ever café was built in Italy. Naiinggit lang ang mga Italyano dahil nagawa ng Starbucks ang hindi nila nagawa.
Before you boycott Starbucks, let me tell you something about it. Starbucks was built primarily by the dreams of one visionary, Howard Schultz. He dreamt of bringing the café culture (as a place of exchanging ideas over a cup of coffee) to the common people. The name ‘Starbucks’ itself came from the book Moby Dick. It is a product of sheer imagination and creativity. It was while the Italians were laughing at Schultz that Schultz remade an old idea of coffee-making (which was an Italian idea) and ended up transforming it into a new one. He made coffee-making a way of life, very much like what the Japanese did in transforming the Chinese tea into a philosophical art form the Japanese call Chanoyu or tea-ceremony. Now many coffee-shops are following the trend, and Starbucks is the ultimate trend-setter when it comes to coffee.
What am I saying? Putting down a product just because it isn’t Filipino is not the Nationalism that Brown Raise wants to emphasize. TRUE NATIONALISM should ultimately wake us up, fueling our passion to excel and eventually SURPASS A WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT by being WORLD-CLASS ourselves. Like Rizal who defeated his European colleagues in their own game by learning 22 languages, or like Jollibee defeating McDonald’s not only here but abroad, a real coffee-company worthy of our pride SHOULD COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL ARENA. Yun lang naman ang tunay na sukatan e. By the way, the word Figaro is not FILIPINO AT ALL. It obviously sounds Italian.
Liberica has less flavor than Arabica. Every coffee connoisseur would tell you that. Arabica is the finest of all the coffee beans in the world mainly because it is grown in high altitudes compared to liberica or excelsa. That is why for example in Figaro, the most popular is the Barako Blend, a fusion of Arabica and Liberica, not the Barako Puro. Liberica is also not from us. It came from West Africa and was eventually brought here by the Spaniards.
So you see it’s not the so-called ‘indigenous’ product from our soil that makes the product Filipino. ‘Loving our own’ means to DO OUR BEST in THE WORK OF OUR HANDS on our soil. It is not the product which should give us pride, IT SHOULD BE OUR TIRELESS AND PASSIONATE EFFORTS to that product DRIVEN BY A DREAM big and courageous enough to BRING GLORY to our country that makes that product worthy of every Filipino’s pride.
Actually, to compare a World-Class to a Locally-made Coffee is to be unfair to Figaro, considering that Figaro has not made it yet in the global arena.
February 7th, 2009 at 08:38 AM
You are truly blessed to have such a friend and hope is what he gave. Thank you for sharing his gift; it gave me a fresher prespective. Sometimes it is so frustrating that I feel as if our people is a bunch of beggars squatting numbly on a mountain of gold.
Now and then, it becomes incredibly hard and ardous to believe in the Filipinos’ potential even when you are one of the very few armed with the knowledge of our glorious past, accomplishments and of God.
February 18th, 2009 at 06:41 PM
Liberica doesn’t rule. It still remains in the sidelines, accounting for very little in the world production for coffee because the demand for its flavor is very low. I’m not sure how Figaro’s coffee is better than Starbucks based on Figaro using Liberica. Arabica would always dominantly account for the coffee taste for which coffee standards are based. Tastes and preferences are relative but there are characteristics that the bean must meet to be considered the best. And it is rare that a cup from a batch of beans from a single crop from a single place and climate make the perfect coffee… it has to be from the “perfect” blend.
Jon Snow’s sweeping statement is cute. While Philippine Liberica (as Nicole Lacson mentioned – considered the best among Libericas) may offer a chance for the thriving coffee industry, it still won’t be significant. Like how? Arabica accounts for 70-80% of world demand, Robusta is 30-20%. Liberica at best is just 1%. Unless you want to go exotic? Like Coffee Alamid? But how will that help a nation? It will only serve to profit a few. Another thing is we still import more than we export (parang sa rice natin!). For our coffee export of 1,500 metric tons, we import 30,000 metric tons. How can Liberica rule?
Gusto mo bang makipagbakbakan ng totoo sa lasa at kalidad ng kape, that the world will acknowledge? Then make the best Arabica! I believe, if we’re just talking about the bean, we are capable of that. Take a visionary in the equation and maybe we stand a chance.
Nakakalungkot lang din isipin na baka dahil nandyan na iyang Liberica at di ka na maghihirap itanim ito – iyan na lang nga ang tangkilikin at pagyamanin kahit na malaki pa ang potensyal natin sa kape. Isn’t that the same malady in thinking that plagues us why we just keep producing domestic helpers and would just aim as high as producing super maids?
But I digress. It’s not really about the coffee bean. The Thai friend of the blogger didn’t even need to taste Figaro to give her impression of it. Bottom line was market share. Even if I think Jollibee blasphemed spaghetti, I do feel proud it beat McDonald’s. Even if we argue about the taste, the sheer size of the enterprise and how it has grown is beyond any argument. Can Figaro do for coffee what Jollibee did for the fast food industry? Until our local brands start to dream bigger and dream for our country and our people, we are just copycats eager to ride on the profits of someone else’s bright idea.
February 20th, 2009 at 02:47 PM
this entry really got my attention. I think Starbucks just sucks.
There’s Cordillera Coffee! 100% Philippine Arabica, organically grown by indigenous coffee growers from the north. They have stores in Riverbanks Marikina, UP ISSI, UP Vargas Museum, PSSC in Commonwealth and in SM Baguio. They’re helping the farmers through Coffee AID (Assistance for Indigenous Development) by holding volunteer programs and opening investment opportunities for those who believe in the cause of promoting Pinoy coffee and supporting the local coffee industry. It’s coffee for a cause.
But don’t just take my word for it.. Go get a cup of their brew!
February 25th, 2009 at 02:14 PM
Malaya,
please do read what I said in these thread of comments in response to Jon Snow.
To say that “Starbucks sucks” is utter arrogance on our part as Filipinos and is not the Nationalism that Brown Raise calls for. I recommend that you reread the post that Sagwan wrote.
Thanks.
Asawa sa Maguuma,
thanks for enlightening us.
March 2nd, 2009 at 07:56 PM
What do you guys think of Bo’s coffee. I’ve tried it. Not that impressed by it, but they say its outselling Starbucks here in Cebu.
March 9th, 2009 at 09:47 AM
Let’s talk marketing. I’ve tried Bo’s Coffee when I was in Cagayan de Oro and it didn’t impress me, too. The clear reason I see why Bo’s Coffee is outselling Starbucks in Cebu is because Bo’s Coffee IS Cebuano. It’s really not just about the taste.
Central to Starbucks’ success was their happy and smart baristas. Shultz noticed how the Italian baristas added value to the coffee shops because of their relationship with their customers. It was easy for customers to develop loyalty to the brand and the store they would frequent and that translates to the bottom line.
I think that’s one big reason that made Bo’s Coffee outsell Starbucks in Cebu. Same with Bluegre hitting it in Davao. Filipinos love community (sometimes to a fault). For Bo’s Coffee – being local in Cebu, it’s so easy to get all their amigos and amigas to “hang out”. And that’s where Starbucks cannot compete – or might die trying.
March 10th, 2009 at 01:04 AM
woot. may website na pala brown raies movement.
cool site.
hayyy.. let’s all pray for the renaissance ofthe Philippines! laban Pinoy! laban!
walang aayaw! think positive!
March 12th, 2009 at 12:00 AM
We can do so much. Not just in the arena of coffee making or fast food. If enough thought and preparation g into it, we can do a lot. You’d be amazed at how far we could go, or how broad the “spectrum” of possibilities is.
March 16th, 2009 at 01:37 AM
Starbucks is the most overrated café in whole wide Philippines and it’s really annoying.
But anyway, I get so happy when I read these kinds of blogs! This site is really amazingly awesome! Thanks for sharing.
March 16th, 2009 at 11:09 AM
na-guilty ako d2…i love to drink coffee, especially coffee bean and tea leaf…this site really widen my eyes to see not just the beauty of the Phil but also the rebuking things that I hav’
March 16th, 2009 at 08:46 PM
haha cguro d n ako mag eenglish bata pa naman ako eh!!
nakakatuwang malaman na may mga pinoy p rin palang nag cocompete sa ibat ibang larangan!!
sana mas tumaas pa ang pangarap ng bawat pinoy, na hindi lang pag aabroad ang nasa isip at hindi lang datung ang habol sa buhay, sana pangarapin nila na balang araw ang pinas ay isa sa mga bansang ni rerecognize at pangarapin nila na mabago ang tingin ng mga tiga kanluran sa atin!!
ibalik natin ang dangal na matagal ng nawala sa atin!
ating isali ang ating bansa sa ASIAN CENTURY!
March 17th, 2009 at 03:07 PM
Upps!tunay nga na nakakasabay ako sa dagungdong na naramdaman mo sa loob, Nararapat lamang pala na ipagmalaki nating mga pinoy ang Jollibee, hindi naman natin namamalayan, sayang hindi mo siya naisama sa “Figaro” sana ay natikman niya ang kape doon na tanim sa Amadeo,Cavite, sariling atin, sana nakumpleto ang pag-punta niya dito sa Pilipinas….
March 18th, 2009 at 12:02 AM
I want to thank you for writing this blog. It has inspired me to love my country more. Please continue to write such entries. It truly is encouraging to hear this kinds of stories.
God bless the Brown Raise Movement, God bless the Phiilippines
March 19th, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Smart’s e-load concept was also made a graduate school case study in the US. This country is teeming with creativity and brilliance. It’s time we harp on these things, spur conversations around our potential as a country and a people, and inspire each other to action. And i believe this is what Brown Raise is doing. So thank you Brown Raise! Btw, how does one officially become a member of this movement?
March 20th, 2009 at 10:33 AM
isn’t Coffee Beanery a local coffee shop? I love the coffee and pastries there, especially the mango shortcake.
March 25th, 2009 at 06:31 AM
I’m half Filipino, half American. I am white, with brown hair and eyes. But my heart pumps the blood of the brown race and I am very proud of it. I am not afraid to say I love Jollibee, and I am not intrigued with how coffee in Starbucks taste like. I do agree that unless we Filipinos start taking pride of what we do and what we have, our dreams would only remain in our sleep.
March 25th, 2009 at 10:48 PM
tama si florante… ang pag sabi na hindi maganda o hindi masarap ang isang produktong banyaga at ang ating sariling produkto ang mahusay ay ‘di pantay na pananaw na pagiging makabayan. napatunayan ng “starbucks” na masarap at magaling ang kanilang produkto sa buong mundo.
napaka sarap ng “kapeng barako”… sa katunayan… sa lahat ng kape ko tuwing umaga…. iyan lang ang paborito ko. ngunit hindi basehan nang pagiging makabayan natin ang pag-gusto natin sa sarili nating “kapeng barako”. napaka BABAW na ehemplo o halimbawa nang pagiging makabayan ang pagmamahal lamang sa sariling kape. ang layo pa natin… kape pa lang hindi na natin mapag-kasunduan. hindi tayo mananalo sa isang labanan kung ang ating estilo lamang ay ang ibaba ang paniniwala natin sa ating mga katunggali.
ang sina-sabi lang nang may akda ay kung kaya nang isang Filipinong kumpanya… gaya nga Jollibee na gulpihin ang isang higanteng kumpanya na tinatangkilik sa buong mundo… kaya natin magawa din iyon sa kahit anumang larangan. ang mahirap lang ay sa isang banyaga pa ito mang-gagaling… o sa mata pa nang isang banyaga ang makakakita nang kakayahan natin. dahil ‘yan sa kakulangan natin nang paniniwala sa kakayahan at talino ng ating lahi.
hindi “kape” ang sukatan! PUSO…. at DUGO
kung mag-aaral o istudyante… mag aral ka para sa bansa mo…
kung trabahador ka… mag trabaho para sa bansa mo….
gawin mo ang lahat ng bagay na may pananaw na ginagwa mo ito para i-angat ang pananaw ng banyaga at kapwa mo Filipino sa atin…. hindi po sa kape.
March 26th, 2009 at 08:21 PM
Actually, I am coffee fanatic and I am guilty of cafe hopping. I have this hobby of tasting coffee from one cafe to another but star bucks never satisfies my taste bud until I found this Filipino owned coffee shop. Have you heard of Cordillera coffee..I want to raise our flag there. Its really authentic Filipino coffee taste and they also serve our local tea. and mind you their orange cake is really a star. Try it. When I went there I feel so proud of my race. I think Cordillera coffee is a brown race coffee shop that would definitely beat star bucks.
March 26th, 2009 at 08:24 PM
One more thing, I feel so proud when I see white and Caucasian sitting there as they sip our local coffee. However, that pains me a lot seeing this foreigners appreciating our own product yet our fellows just pass by and go to star bucks. sigh! I want them say “no Starbucks for me pls” too. sigh!
March 26th, 2009 at 08:46 PM
Magagaling ang Pilipino. kailangan lamang ng tamang gabay para maitama ang mga ginagawa. sa pagpasok ng renewable energy ay maraming magagandang idea na lumalabas na pwedeng palawakin at suportahan para mas lalong mapagaan ang buhay ng bawat mamamayan.
March 28th, 2009 at 12:56 AM
yepa!!
from now on . am proud to be a Jollibean ..
` i wasn’t aware bout this ..
` naburden na naman ako ..
` am just 14 now and don’t have enough savings to start up with a pinoy coffee shop that will beat starbucks ..
` but i think one day !!
` ty for the info !!
March 28th, 2009 at 10:49 PM
WHOA, BIG TIME . if i didn’t read this, i wouldn’t actually know that Jollibee is better than McDo .. come to think of it, everybody likes Jollibee . and Thank God i never go to Starbucks . Figaro for me :]
March 29th, 2009 at 01:44 AM
Actually, during our break times or rather our dismissal times in school, we had to go to Jollibee for lunch. I also had some classmates who got to a nearby Starbucks in our school just to smoke.
I don’t know why until it came to my mind that I had to rethink again and formulate a question “Would there be a coffee shop in this country that the Filipinos had its own trademark?”, yet another came to my mind while I was going home after my class at the major subject “When would smoking be banned at the coffee shops for students and replace it with a candy in order to lengthen their lives?”
that’s why being a Filipino is about having an absolute burden for your country by which it simply reflects that a country may still have a hope that is existing little by little.
March 29th, 2009 at 07:07 AM
I have always advocated that Jollibee should be considered as a symbol of national pride…
One time, I had the privilege of hosting a Japanese friend who went here for scuba lessons. Like your Malaysian friend, he preferred Jollibee…
Indeed, I do hope that the success model of Jollibee will not pass similar to that of IRRI. And I also hope that a local coffee shop will soon beat Starbucks.
And lastly, when I go to Davao next year for a conference, I’ll surely visit BlueGre Coffee…
Thanks for this post….
March 29th, 2009 at 07:08 AM
Ooops, I was mistaken, it was the Thai delegate…
March 30th, 2009 at 02:00 AM
it may or may not be connected to the discourse but we’re talking of national wealth. what about arnis over other foreign sports.. what do you think?
March 31st, 2009 at 05:27 AM
akala ko kami lng mga skinheads subculture ung nationalista..salamt sa inyo brown raise..keep it up..d2 lng ang cebu skinheads national front laging nka suporta..wag tayung mag pa apak..sabi ng ibang lahi tayu daw ai mga SLAVES..punta cla d2 sa cebu..d cla pwedi d2..
OUR PRIDE OUR LOYALTY–WAKE UP BROWN..were not racist..but ina apakan na nla tayu..try to wake up brown man…san na ang dugo ng ating lupang sinilangan..WE HAVE OUR OWN PRIDE BROWN RACE…cebu skinheads national front-
March 31st, 2009 at 07:23 AM
first time ko mag comment d2
pero nakaktuwa naman ung blog
totoo talaga,mas inuuna pa nating tangkilikin
ang mga banyagang produkto kaysa sa sariling atin
nakkalungkot khit ung hotel na tinuluyan
nmen sa ilocos chinese na ang bumili at binago
na lahat parang wala nang touch of filipino culture dun.
at eto pa,pati yung mga pinagmamalaki nating mga resorts
na kung saan nashoshowcase natin yung beauty ng philippines ay hindi naman pala satin.
hay…
yung sitwasyon ng jollibee at mcdo ay parang sitwasyun din ng chicharon at lays.kala natin mas masarap yung imported junk food na kinakain natin eh mas masarap naman yyung chicharon na isasawsaw sa sukang maanghang.
April 6th, 2009 at 04:42 AM
We should support our local coffee shops.
Bo’s Coffee
Figaro
Island Cafe
Xocolat
http://www.planeteye.com/ArticleFullView/Cafe-Xocolat-in-Katipunan+Manila+5811.aspx
Cordillera Coffee
http://www.planeteye.com/ArticleFullView/Cordillera-Coffee-Home-to-Civet-Coffee-in-Manila+Manila+4545.aspx
I’ve featured two on my travel site already and they both are better than Starbucks any day.
April 6th, 2009 at 11:38 PM
I was thinking of bringing Tim Horton’s to the Philippines for a while back.
But then since my cousins are coffee raisers in Cavite, I suggested to them that we bundle up together to put up our own coffee shop. That is my dream actually, well, not until my kids are done university here and me retired.
But yes, let’s go for it! Anyone who is in the idea of a coffee corportation?
April 6th, 2009 at 11:39 PM
oh, i forgot, “no thanks to starbucks” for me too.
Way too much money for a cup of coffee. gives me the shakes. LOL too strong for my liking – both the price and flavour.
April 16th, 2009 at 06:25 PM
I wonder why the filipinos still craved for the american way of life.
can’t my countrymen just be PROUD OF THEIR COUNTRY?!!
I just hope that our our country would not be left by the rise of the asian century…
it’s so aggravating!!
April 18th, 2009 at 01:29 AM
I guess the best way to inspire people of how great this country is is to show it in our daily lives.
I don’t see how our commenting here would help people..especially people who don’t know this website and what it stands for.
It has become a melting pot of been-there-done-that comment that doesn’t seem to get out of here.
May 6th, 2009 at 09:48 PM
With the article above and what I experiencing right now, one of the big problem of we Filipinos is lack of ethnocentrism for we appreciate more foreign brand compare to our own brand which definitely can compete and even beat those foreign brand. Instead of choosing our own product, we always say that “ mahinang klase ang productong pinoy” even though we all know that some Nike shoes are made here in the Philippines, shipped to US place a thug, returned to the Phil. as a foreign brand. Then that will be the one we are going to buy because it has a foreign thug. Why it is international companies like T.I., and MOOG, are basing here in the Phil is it because they pay small wages, or because we Filipinos work hard with quality products? Those international companies will not stay long in our country if they are not satisfied with the quality of product we produce for their company which means Filipino work is world class. If we can only appreciate and trust our own product and work plus the number of population whom will be the consumers, we will survive this world as one nation.
May 11th, 2009 at 04:51 PM
With the article above and what I experiencing right now, one of the big problem of we Filipinos is lack of ethnocentrism for we appreciate more foreign brand compare to our own brand which definitely can compete and even beat those foreign brand. Instead of choosing our own product, we always say that “ mahinang klase ang productong pinoy” even though we all know that some Nike shoes are made here in the Philippines, shipped to US place a thug, returned to the Phil. as a foreign brand. Then that will be the one we are going to buy because it has a foreign thug. Why it is international companies like T.I., and MOOG, are basing here in the Phil is it because they pay small wages, or because we Filipinos work hard with quality products? Those international companies will not stay long in our country if they are not satisfied with the quality of product we produce for their company which means Filipino work is world class. If we can only appreciate and trust our own product and work plus the number of population whom will be the consumers, we will survive this world as one nation.
May 11th, 2009 at 06:49 PM
WOW!!!! astig talaga ng mga NOYPI hehehe!!
im so proud to be a filipino!!
BRYORG astig din it helps filipino youth to be proud of the philippines nice blog po
May 13th, 2009 at 01:21 PM
There’s just one question that remains unanswered for me. that is, why do we need to be hit in the face first before we realize our potentials? it’s true that we once made a breakthrough in the history (by Jollibee’s legacy), so why can’t we do it again? Filipino Youth, (i’m talking to myself too), it is in our hands to make another “whoa! unbelievable–they made that?” thing.thanks to a foreigner who made us realize this foolishness, that we are inspired to build our “pira-pirasong lupain” once again. We’re inspired, aren’t we?
June 8th, 2009 at 06:45 PM
Its ashamed that our fellow Asian are the one that recognizes our lack of “love for our own self” especially in what we eat, drink or think. We always believe that foreign things are better than what we have. Now, it’s about time all of us must be awaken to show what would it be like “loving our own.” Filipinos can do it, they only need to be pinch a little to feel that they can. We have the best of everything. All we must do is “LOVE OUR OWN.”
We can rectify our “LOVE” for our selves and what we have through amplification of our own intuitive ideas and knowledge. We are Filipinos and we should be PROUD of it.
Needles to say, our Asian neighbors are the ones PROUD that we are Filipinos.
….DON’T YOU THINK SO?????…..
June 26th, 2009 at 12:53 PM
We always hear, “Filipinos are good”, aren’t we? But we must not just say it in words, ACT- put in heart, mind, LIFE! Be active so that others might emulate us with the good deeds we do and not with the other side of the story.
July 9th, 2009 at 03:36 PM
If only the owners of Bluegre would expand their network of coffee shops in the whole country, specifically here in Metro Manila… Bluegre would surely beat Starbucks in no time!
July 20th, 2009 at 12:30 AM
nice!!mabuhay ang Jollibee!!!we Filipinos, can really do it!
July 28th, 2009 at 06:39 PM
wow…..that friend of sagwan namwaran is really interesting…I can’t believe that, actually she really has a point, if you have this opportunity to go to that country then go to their store, Filipino owned store. Don’t waste your time to go that you’ve been there. Try new things, don’t waste time.
♥Kayumanggi-MJ♥
August 10th, 2009 at 10:41 PM
I admired what the Thai said that he didn’t come all the way to the Philippines just to visit Starbucks when he could just went to another country to visit another Starbucks but he went to the Philippines for a special reason and that is that he wanted to admire and study our accomplishments. We should not waste our time when going to other countries and instead do stuff that can benefit others and the country…..
–Alec Go
September 4th, 2009 at 05:37 PM
…i read from a newspaper that kibungan, one of the poorest town in benguet is going to export coffee to canada… however i’m not really sure if i would be happy or not… i’m happy about the news because the brand of the coffee was named after the town and of course our brothers and sisters in kibungan will have a means to uplift their standards of living… i’m not happy because a canadian company was going to support them… i just wished that we filipinos have supported them and beat starbucks…
September 8th, 2009 at 01:24 PM
grabe..kung mabubuksan lang ng mas malaki pa ang mga mata ng pilipinong tulad natin,malamang makita natin ang mga pagkakataon ay hindi nakukuha sa tiyamba,bagkus sa pagkakaroon ng matayog na pangarap na may kasamang gawa at pagsusuportahan,gaya ng isang magulang na may hinahangad na magandang kinabukasan sa kanyang anak, na tiyak may kasamang lubos na suporta at pagtitis.
ganun din naman sa ating mga pilipino na mangarap tayo para sa ating bansa at suporatahan natin ito at ang lahat ng patitis ay magkakaroon ng magandang bunga…
October 8th, 2009 at 04:38 PM
hello fellow brownraise blog readers.
This is a very interesting topic
and I would like to share some things.
First I want to add another coffee shop, it’s called Cafe de Lipa. I saw this in Lipa, Batangas. Di ko pa siya nasusubukan pero muka naman syang okay.
Then, regarding sa topic na kung bakit walang Starbucks sa Davao…? I believe it is because the governement did not allow it. It’s like a way of protecting the coffee / coffee shop industry. Nakakatuwang isipin na naisip ng government yun
Na mas binigyang importansya nila ang sariling atin 
For the pastries of Starbucks, a friend of mine said that it is actually from Purple Oven. This is located in Oranbo, Pasig. Parang sa compound lang sya so medyo mahirap hanapin. You can call them to order but you have to pick it up.
Delifrance is not owned by Jollibee pero sila lang ang may hawak ng franchising nun.
That’s all!
Have a nice day everyone!