UPDATED: Are % Arabica's BGC Branches Gone?

(SPOT.ph) Brewing up specialty cups of joe in snazzy spaces with clean, minimalist interiors, % Arabica is a fast favorite among the many coffeeheads of the Metro. Their latte, in particular, is one of our faves of its kind in Manila. But you might want to hold on to those memories of hanging out at your favorite branch. Numerous social media posts have popped up on January 30, buzzing about how the famed coffee shop has possibly closed their doors at their BGC outposts—without warning.

On January 31, the Facebook page of % Arabica—a Japanese coffee chain—addressed their customers in the Philippines. They stated in a post that the "franchise period with the current partner" indeed expired on January 30. "We have agreed not to continue the collaboration for the next term."

The post added that they have already selected a new partner "and will make a fresh start this year to expand throughout the country." 

Also read: Did % Arabica PH Just Ghost Everyone?

Here's what people are saying online about the possible closure of % Arabica.

A tweet by user @vote4gino mentions how both of % Arabica's BGC branches have seemingly closed down, along with a photo.

Notably, % Arabica's official social media handles have disappeared, too. As of writing, the coffee shop has not yet issued any statements, though other folks on social media speculate that this may have to do with the local franchise not renewing their contract. There are also mentions of their possible renaming or rebranding.

Alternatively, user @BauxNicky brings up the possibility that they may just be getting their stores renovated. 

SPOT.ph has reached out to % Arabica for a statement but has not yet received a response as of writing. Our fingers are crossed for now that they reopen these stores sometime soon—or at the very least, that all is best for the local franchise's team.

% Arabica is a coffee shop hailing from Kyoto, which opened their first Philippine branch at the W City Center in 2018.

UPDATE (May 2, 2019): This article has been updated following the Facebook post of %Arabica about the end of term for the PH franchise.

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