IN ALMOST every occasion like weddings, debuts, Christmas parties and the likes, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are being served.
Nowadays, we have mobile bars that offer cocktails and other alcoholic drinks wherever you want them, a portable bar on wheels, able to be folded up, and it doesn't take much space.
However, there are also others that seek not just the cocktails but also something that can help them stay awake in the duration of the hours-long event like conventions, seminars, weddings, and others.
As such, the Bean Voyage, the coffee shop famed for its selfie coffee, is offering coffee catering through their pop up coffee bar, serving hot/cold coffee and non-caffeinated drinks from on their menu to the event guests that needed coffee in their system.
"Not all people prefer cocktails or juice, that's why we offer a different beverage, which is coffee," Joana Tan, the owner of Bean Voyage, said.
"It’s actually a thing right now. Di ba we have cocktails sa mga events. So instead of cocktails or beside the cocktails, they are already putting coffee bar. So the guests can enjoy not just cocktails but also overflowing coffee," she added.
Their coffee catering services, which started in 2017, consist of various packages, with their basic at P4,000 for 50 pax inclusive of hot and cold coffee with different flavors.
They have other packages wherein the variety of drinks served includes ice blended coffees, frappes, and other beverages you can see in their menu. There's also a package for unlimited drinks (to all their drinks) for 300 to 400 pax.
"So we will design our quotation based talaga on what they want. We have standard packages pero we are open kung ano yung gusto nilang makita, i-serve, how many cups, ilang mga guests, yung mga ganun," Tan said.
"Our pop up coffee bar will be designed according to the theme of the events. Also, our cups are customized. If it’s a wedding, we put the logo of the bride and groom," she added.
According to Tan, they have already catered to several events such as first birthday, weddings, 40th birthday, and an event in Cebu, which is the farthest that they have catered.
"So far, okay talaga sya and people love the concept. It’s actually kind of a new thing kasi before, for a traditional wedding, we don't have that coffee bar, just the cocktail," Tan said.
Even though coffee catering is a new thing here in the city, Tan said she did not expect for the Kagay-anon market to be very welcoming to this new concept.
"It’s a very nice experience kasi based on our experience, when we have our coffee catering, it’s a time wherein the guests get to communicate to each other," Tan said.
The idea to offer coffee catering, according to Tan, came when one of her clients approached her and asked if they can cater for a thanksgiving party.
"We didn't cater yet that time, sila yung nagbigay sa amin ng idea na mag-cater. So they offered us 'Why not do catering? Please cater on our [event].' Because they chose our coffee shop to cater," Tan said.
"I thought of it and then 'Okay sige, why not, let's try.' And that was the start of our catering services," she added.
Since then, Tan started joining wedding expos, introducing coffee catering to the Kagay-anons, showing them that it is already a thing here in the city.
"We are the first one to serve a variety of coffee sa pop up. So we started with the trend of iced coffee, mga blended. And then right now, there's a lot na ga-cater," Tan said.
Bean Voyage is not the only establishment that offers coffee catering here in Cagayan de Oro City, however, this does not deter Tan as she finds it a good thing. This means that she has several competitors in the coffee catering business.
"Para mas mabilis yung spread ng awareness about coffee catering kasi marami nang nag o-offer," Tan said.
"We're just doing our part, we're just doing best. The best quality and best service," she added.
Tan also mentioned her plan to start promoting their coffee catering in full blast in January 2019.
She also plans to incorporate food from their menu for the coffee bar soon.
"We surely make your guests caffeinated, that's one thing we can assure you. And then they will be very attentive to whatever event you're attending to because of our coffee. And by getting our coffee catering, you can cater to everyone, not just the cocktail na market," Tan said.