FOR years, Carlo Alex Lopez’s life was defined by the open sea. By the time he was 28, he was already earning the salary of a ship captain — about US$10,000 a month as a chief officer on international vessels. Yet while his peers dreamed of long maritime careers, Lopez was restless.
“I was hungry to build something lasting,” he recalled. “Even while I was on board, I was already thinking of what kind of business I could build when I came home.”
That hunger — and the discipline and sacrifice familiar to many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) — would propel Carlo and his wife Michelle Rose, also a seafarer from modest beginnings, into one of Cebu’s fastest-rising food-and-beverage groups: DPO Food and Products Trading Inc., parent company of Uncle Brew, Everyday Coffee & Tea and supply-chain venture Big Eight Supply.
Like many OFWs, Carlo began with small ventures tied to personal passions. He surprised his wife by investing in a gym and a Zumba studio. When the gym faltered, they shifted to staging Zumba marathons in malls. It wasn’t the final model, but it taught them how to build systems, branding and experiences that people would pay for.
In 2015, the couple took a bigger leap into milk tea. They partnered with a Manila brand and soon operated five shops in Cebu. But when the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns hit, most outlets shuttered. Where others saw collapse, Carlo saw opportunity.
Building the supply chain
Stranded at sea during the crisis, Carlo began reimagining their strategy. Instead of relying solely on retail stores, he focused on controlling the supply chain — pearls, syrups, packaging and machines. This led to the birth of Big Eight Supply, offering affordable, standardized products to aspiring café operators.
At the same time, he helped friends and out-of-work acquaintances start small kiosks by offering low-cost packages and installment terms, instead of steep franchise fees. Within eight months, more than 80 micro-shops opened nationwide, run by families trying to survive one of the toughest economic storms in memory.
“That’s when I realized my calling,” Carlo said. “Business isn’t just about making money. It’s about helping others stand on their feet.”
In 2021, Carlo and Michelle Rose launched Uncle Brew, selling coffee at just P39 per cup. The accessible price struck a chord with pandemic-weary Filipinos. Within eight months, the chain grew to 81 outlets nationwide.
As the market evolved, they introduced Uncle Brew Prime, a premium line with café seating, and Everyday Coffee & Tea, designed as both café and community hub. Each branch doubles as a showroom where even the furniture, machines and pastries are for sale, sourced from local partners and micro-entrepreneurs.
“I don’t see other coffee shops as competition,” Lopez explained. “In fact, many buy their ingredients from us. My dream is to make the supply chain fair and sustainable, so they can thrive too.”
Beyond profit
For Carlo, seafaring was more than a career; it was a crucible that shaped his values.
“OFWs know the feeling — missing milestones, being away when your children are growing up. I didn’t want all that sacrifice to end with just savings. I wanted it to build a legacy,” he said.
That legacy is now taking shape in the livelihoods his ventures create. DPO trains out-of-school youth as baristas, supports small café owners, and partners with Filipino suppliers. With exclusive rights to distribute coffee machines and in-house manufacturing of syrups and powders, Carlo envisions Everyday Coffee as a launchpad for micro-businesses across the country.
Faith also grounds his work. A member of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Carlo mentors employees not just professionally but spiritually and financially, urging them to look beyond survival and toward purpose. BCBP is a Catholic community in the Philippines and other countries that aims to bring Christian values into the marketplace and society through personal conversion and ethical business practice.
“Every person has their own cup of coffee,” Carlo reflected. “Some use paper cups, some ceramic mugs. But at the end of the day, it’s still coffee — and everyone deserves to enjoy it in their own way. Business is like that, too. Everyone deserves a chance to taste success.” / KOC