Almost a decade ago, college couple Farwa and Ronnel Hombre enjoyed the energy boost from coffee but the price was too heavy for them. So they decided to come up with a business idea of a coffee store that caters to the masses.
“Most coffee shops would have offerings that wouldn’t really fit the budget of a student. That’s why we decided to come up with our own coffee concept that most students can enjoy,” Farwa said in an interview with Entrepreneur Philippines during the media launch of the Franchise Asia Conference and Expo 2018 in July.
Through one of Ronnel’s professors, the couple was able to a loan from a small cooperative. Determined to pursue the business, Farwa even pawned her pieces of jewelry and gadgets to reach the Php100,000 capital.
While in their third year in college, the young couple founded Farron Café in 2009. They opened their first outlet in the U-Belt area in Manila.
They started with Php39 for a 12 ounces of coffee frappe, which is far more affordable from what the big chain coffee shops offer.
In its second month of operations, the young entrepreneurs decided to open a second branch just near where its first is located.
By 2012, they opened their business for franchising and received an overwhelming inquiries. The café had 24 branches in Metro Manila and Cebu by 2013.
After partnering with a franchise consulting business in the country, Farron Café now has 235 branches nationwide, opening more than 20 branches every year since 2013.
Now married, Farwa and Ronnel of Farron Café proved that young kids’ pursuit for more affordable coffee is more than just a child’s play.
