After losing her barista job at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands to COVID, Lourish Bonete came home started fresh doing what she does best -- mixing coffee, this time in Tondo and with more ice than usual to beat Manila's sweltering heat.
Bonete's success at a pop-up coffee stand is the story of many returning OFWs and businessmen, who rebooted their life strategies during the pandemic and set up their own coffee shop.
At Barista Manileña, Bonete serves Starbucks favorites like caramel macchiato at half the price without scrimping on quality. At the Marina Bay Sands, she was an excellence awardee and at the previous job at the Carlton City Hotel, she was named a model barista.
"It was a very painful and confusing moment. I felt like half of me died. But like how the famous saying goes, 'everything happens for a reason' and God has a better plan," Bonete told reportr.
MORE COFFEE SUCCESS STORIES:
Bartender is Now a Successful Barista After Losing Job to COVID
This Barista Turned a Sari-Sari Store into a Japanese-Inspired Coffee Shop
WATCH: How Roadside Coffee Shop Went From Instant to Brewed
The cheapest coffee in her menu is a 12oz cup of handcrafted kapeng barako, brewed using the French press method, at P40. To compare, Starbucks Philippines' cheapest coffee is a tall, 12oz brewed coffee worth P110, almost triple the price of Barista Manileña's coffee. Her 16oz iced caramel macchiato is the most expensive iced coffee worth P110, cheaper by P70 compared to the same drink at Starbucks.
For Bonete, knowing your customers and using quality beans and equipment are key to a successful coffee business.
"I worked at five-star hotels in SG. I dealt with upperclass guests/customers and though they were not demanding, they don't mind paying expensive drinks while in Manila (Tondo), customers are more budget-conscious. I also noticed that in SG, regardless of the weather, locals and even expats order hot drinks while in Manila at least 90% orders iced/cold drinks."
The essentials in putting up your own café
At least P12,000 to P20,000 can help you buy these essential items which could last for a month, according to Bonete.
- Brewing equipment
- Buy at least two: French press, pour over, aeropress, etc. Take note that quality espresso machines are expensive and both espresso machines and coffee makers. require electricity to run. - Coffee bean grinder (manual or electric)
- Distilled or purified water
- Weighing scale
- Set of measuring cups and spoons
- Kettle
- Blender (for blended drinks)
- Ice
- At least two to three kilograms of fresh coffee beans as starting stock
- A carton of 1L milk
- Flavoring syrups
- 100 cups for hot and iced drinks
- At least 100 pieces of straws
- Bags for takeout
- Marketing materials
Don't forget to get the necessary permits from the barangay, DTI, and BIR before you start brewing for business, Bonete said.
The barista's tips
What makes a business take off is running it with the proper mindset, Bonete said. Here are some of her tips:
- Be active and visible on social media for wider reach
- Accept criticisms from your customers
- Ask for expert opinion from friends or acquaintances who have background on the business you want to pursue
- Be creative and put personal touches in your business to make it stand out
"Pray before you act, not act then pray. Let God guide and give you wisdom," she added.
Bonete also hosts introduction to coffee making seminars. Visit her page for updates on the next seminar.