Champion barista Daniel Concepcion Roque and his partners at Where Have You Bean have opened Need Coffee in Paranaque City in Metro Manila.
Roque, who represented the Philippines in the World Aeropress Championship last year, says he did not originally intend to open a coffee shop.
“My best friend’s father was planning to put up a coffee shop and just needed the expertise to do it,” says Roque. “From then on, we signed a contract and opened Need Coffee.”
In its manifesto, Need Coffee says it is not out to “reinvent the wheel” but simply to give customers the middle ground of specialty coffee in a not overly commercialised package.
“The chains get it. The average consumer does not walk into a shop expecting their lives to change over a cup of coffee. They simply need coffee,” the manifesto says.
“Right now, specialty coffee is seen as unnecessary, overpriced and merely a trend. Need Coffee is here to differentiate itself from the stigma of bad-tasting commercial coffee, but also learn from commercial shops.”
Roque says the company wants to train and grow with its baristas, later partnering with them in their own ventures.
The shop serves espresso, Americano, latte, hot chocolate or even iced mocha and rose water cold-brew latte. Light snacks are also available.