I’m not a coffee lover or should I say coffee is not healthy
for my heart. But with a lot of shops
brewing here in the city, should I still not give it a shot? Coming from three-peat short trips in South
Korea in just 10 months, I started to yearn for coffee. Initially because cafes there are
everywhere.
In 2006, I had a drink with my colleagues in Max Brenner,
Greenbelt. That was the most expensive
coffee I ever had, 500php for a cup of white chocolate. This week (2013) I noticed that it also
started brewing in Mall of Asia, but this time with more affordable price. This is also brewing in other countries such
as USA, Australia, Singapore and Israel. http://www.maxbrenner.com/branches.html
Philosophy: Chocolate, more than any other food is integrated in to many aspects of our lives. It is a symbol of contradicting emotions and sensations. On one hand, it is the most romantic gift; on the other hand it is a commodity which is traded on the stock exchange. It is sold like a prestigious piece of jewelry carefully selected from a glass case but also as an addictive snack available at every corner store. It is tasted like a fine wine and licked off of fingers dipped straight in to the bowl. It is sexy, nostalgic, and forever an object of fantasy for children and grownup children. These diverse chocolate associations are the inspiration behind Max Brenner's new chocolate culture. (http://www.maxbrenner.com/about.html)
Across Max Brenner’s location in MOA, is espressamente illy
(which is also present in NAIA Terminal 3).
I got familiar with this shop when I saw it from Hong Kong International
Airport and Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan.
Origin: Francesco Illy founded illycaffè in 1933. His 1935 invention of the illetta, considered the blueprint for modern espresso machines, revolutionized coffee preparation. His innovative method of packaging, based on pressurization, enabled illy’s initial exports to Sweden and Holland during the 1940s. Francesco Illy’s method remains the standard for preserving and enhancing coffee’s freshness during transport and storage. (http://www.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/en/company/illycaffe-history)
Last year (2012), after attending an expo in SMX I got
surprised when I saw a tarpaulin saying future site of “Caffe Bene”.
Their Story: It all began in April 2008 at Eastern Seoul where Caffe Bene's first-ever store was opened. Founded by Mr. Kim Sun-Kwon, who has been notable for his other successful franchise endeavors. Since then, Caffé Bene has grown to more than 800 stores making it the Largest and Fastest Growing coffee shop chain in Korea. In fact since it started, almost every other day a Caffé Bene shop is opened – continually even today. Conquering the Philippines, Filipinos can now rave about the difference of Caffe Bene and get acquainted with so much reasons why the Bene brand has grown this far.
Their Brand: Bene means "good or well". European feels accentuated by Korean touches. Friendly, warm and cozy ambiance. Various menus and great coffee! (http://www.caffebene.com.ph)
