Cebu coffee brand showcases best local beans

By: Ma. Esther Salcedo - Posadas

Philippine Daily Inquirer

They only have one promise: “Just roasted coffee.” Steve Benitez who started it all loves to travel and loves coffee. What started as a café based in Cebu has now blossomed into a national brand with 17 branches in Manila and 48 nationwide.

Operations Manager Jojo Cayabyab explains, “We value freshness. Every time you order coffee from us, you can be sure that we follow specific standards on shelf life of beans.” He further described the standards they follow. When you open ground coffee, it is only good for a day. Packaged coffee is only good within 30 days from packing date compared to coffee merchandise sold at the store that can last up to three months because of the one-way valve packaging. He further reiterated that what you see on the pack is the roast date not the expiry date – which is also how they differentiate from their competitors.

The Barista Blend is a combination of Robusta and Arabica beans while Balen Blend is made of Barako coffee beans. About 90 percent of coffee beans are local and 10 percent imported. When asked what they do with all the coffee excess after the freshness date, he mentioned that they avoid overstocking and schedule deliveries good for only three to five days. At the moment, however, they are still developing possible solutions for whatever wastage is left.

Bo’s Coffee also provides franchise opportunities to interested investors. A full store set-up of around 80 to 100 square meters costs approximately P5.3 million initial investment that includes equipment, furniture, training, initial inventory, and marketing support. There is also a 5 percent annual royalty to comply with. He mentioned that one could usually assess within six months if the store is doing well.

The company philosophy puts importance on customer service. They invest in providing an 8-day customer service training to all its stores and offices. Cayabyab explains that in the past, the coffee itself was the main growth driver. As the company evolved, they have identified a bigger outlook on winning: 1) service, 2) service, 3) coffee. According to him, excellent customer service means creating an impression the moment customer enters the store until he leaves, to the point that the customer brings that total experience with him, enough to motivate a return visit.

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