After nearly a year of planning, Kyoto’s % Arabica Coffee has opened its first store for the Philippines.
It is in Manila’s Bonifacio Global City and is the result of the efforts of a mother-and-daughter team that has been travelling around the world looking for the best coffee spots. Allue Hortazela says she and her mother could not forget the taste of % Arabica, prompting her to return to the Kyoto main branch of % Arabica to contact the owner with the hope of launching a branch in the Philippines.
Founded in 2014 by Kenneth Shoji, % Arabica uses 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans sourced internationally from countries such as Brazil, Guatemala and Japan.
To support the opening of the Manila branch, % Arabica global and Kyoto head barista Junichi Yamaguchi flew from Japan to oversee the crafting of coffee for every customer.