In the early '80s, I decided to try and convince local consumers to shift from instant coffee to freshly brewed with our roasted beans under the label Gourmet Coffee.

 

At that time, most roasted and ground products in the Philippines were imported from abroad, ironic because the country grows coffee.

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Years later, I decided to convert a two-hectare orchid farm in Silang, Cavite into an organic vegetable farm now known as Gourmet Farms. Not long after, I opened Gourmet Café at the farm, which soon drew visitors by hordes, mostly coming from Metro Manila. There were very long lines of customers waiting to be seated.

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I find happiness in seeing workers gladly serving loyal customers a fresh cup every single day. Even amid challenging times, I developed products such as pre-cooked meals, natural herbal teas and ginger extracts, all delivered to customers’ doorsteps. I advise young chefs and restaurant owners to be passionate in knowing their clients and serving them what they need.

 

We have recently marked our 40th year in the business. We have not resorted to advertising and rarely done promotions. We owe our success to our good products and a passionate team which produces them. 

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Of course, we also thank the Almighty for steering us through our life.

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