Pinay's Berlin coffee biz seeks to foster Filipino pride in Germany

BERLIN—If you are a Filipino living in this capital city of Germany, you surely wouldn't miss the cafes in Manila as there's an online/pop-up store that will give you the familiar taste of coffee from the Philippines.

Kape de Filipina was established by Patricia Villaseñor, who moved to Berlin in 2018 to pursue her master's degree in business. She told GMA News Online that the coffee products she offers always try to provide a sense of familiarity and pride among Filipinos in Berlin. As for foreign customers, she wants them to discover something new about her home country.

"There aren't a lot of Filipino brands that have been established in Berlin, so by having a Filipino brand here in Germany and occasionally doing some events like pop-ups, I feel like Kape de Filipina has become a brand that people go to, when they want to share something from home, something unique or special, or need a space that feels familiar," Villaseñor said.

She said she had tasted a variety of coffee from South America, Africa, and Asia, but for her, Philippine coffee is "extremely rare, almost impossible to find, in Europe."

Courtesy: Patricia Villaseñor

While she has received a lot of interest and appreciation about the coffee she is offering, Villaseñor admits sensing doubt from the international market since the Philippines has not been widely known in the coffee production industry.

Villaseñor said her online store aims to inform people around the world about the Philippines' potential when it comes to being a major force in the global coffee industry.

Her pop-up services, including the weekend markets, usually help in giving Kape de Filipina more presence and popularity, not just online.

"Our ultimate goal is for our audience to have the full Filipino coffee experience, which includes learning about and appreciating the rich diversity our coffee brings to the industry, our unique flavours, and the communities behind our coffee," Kape de Filipina said in its website. — VDV, GMA Integrated News