“One of our missions at Kalsada Coffee is to sustain the country's
coffee farms. The Philippines has such a great coffee history, and
it would be a shame to let it fade away.”
our opinion, farming is the most crucial and difficult part
of the entire coffee journey. So we make it a point to pay
the farmers over $1 per pound more than Fair Trade.
That old photograph that you found played a
crucial role in setting you on this path. As the
Philippines reawakens to find its place in the global
coffee industry, what do you think can our country
offer? What makes our coffee unique from the other
types of coffee?
The Philippines can offer so much! For the global
coffee industry, the Philippines represents a new origin,
a new profile, and unique characteristics. We’ve only
been working at farm level for four years, and each year,
we are amazed by what we learn and uncover.
In this issue, we’re exploring Manila—its beauty and
its boundless creative energy. In the last few years, we
think that coffee has played a significant role in the
city’s reawakening. What can you say about this?
Since Kalsada Coffee opened four years ago, we
noticed that more specialty cafes are setting up shop in
Manila. These cafes cater to more curious consumers that
want to understand the nuances in flavors, as well as learn
more about where their product is made and how it’s
valued across the supply chain. We hope more and more
consumers continue to stay curious, ask questions, and
drink more local coffee!
Before we end this interview, we’re curious: What is a
typical week like for the founder of Kalsada Coffee?
There isn’t one! Last month, I had one of my busiest
weeks. I was a panelist for a workshop on MSMEs held
at Asian Institute of Management. After that, I boarded
an overnight bus to Baguio to spend a night at our
community partner’s farm in Benguet. Then, we did
a coffee crawl in La Union, after which I had to go back
to Manila immediately.
The Kalsada team, Top: Quality beans ready for coffee lovers
Visit the Kalsada HQ at 413 Escolta St, Binondo, Manila.
For orders and updates, visit kalsada.com, and follow
them on Facebook and Instagram @kalsadacoffee.
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