HOMEGROWN and now a national coffee chain player, Bo’s Coffee is eyeing to open 20 new branches this year.
It already has 100 stores all over the Philippines, nine in Qatar and two in the United Arab Emirates.
Recently, the coffee chain owned by Cebuano entrepreneur Steve Benitez opened its biggest store in the country in war-torn Marawi City in Mindanao.
Such bold move, according to the company, aims to help the city in its post-war rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts.
The 250-seater café is set to serve its signature coffee whose coffee beans are sourced locally from coffee farming communities in the mountains of Sagada, Benguet, Mt. Kitanglad, Mt. Matutum and Mt. Apo.
The 27-year-old coffee chain said the expansion “intends to translate these famously rich and homegrown flavors into warm hugs and doses of hope to a people continuing to rebuild Marawi.”
“While happiness is assured in a cup of Bo’s Coffee even in the direst of post-war situations, the brand’s presence in Marawi more importantly ensures the provision of employment and business opportunies in the area for a long-term period,” the company said in a statement.
It added that besides the long-term employment opportunity, it also wants to provide residents in Marawi, including its neighboring areas, with a “world-class coffee experience.”
Concept and design
With a 882.56-square-meter floor space, the store concept and design were carefully thought of embracing “Marawi’s notable sense of connectedness to its community that is rich in spiritual and cultural histories.”
The store’s aesthetics were inspired by the Sarimanok, an ubiquitous symbol of Maranao art, reflected in the color of the interiors; the Malong, the traditional garment of mainland Mindanao, on the ceiling and walls instead of the usual furniture cover; and the Torogan House, traditionally symbolizing high social status, reflected in the ceiling and bar counters.
Marawi went through a five-month armed conflict that started on March 23, 2017 between the Philippine government security forces and militants affiliated with the Islamic State, including the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Salafi jihadist groups.
During former President Rodrigo Duterte’s watch, Marawi was under martial law until December 2019.
Since then, residents have been slowly recovering from the crisis that took away lives, properties and businesses.