From a small coffee kiosk in Cebu, one of the longest running coffee brands in the Philippines is now making a wave in the gulf region.
Bo’s Coffee, a famous coffee chain in the Philippines, has opened its branch in Dubai’s Burjuman Mall with its UAE-based franchise partner Al Mulla Business Group. Founded by Steve Benitez, the recently launched coffee shop targets Filipino and foreign coffee-lovers in the country.
“We know that our main market is our kababayans. So, one of our mission is to increase our sense of being Filipino. So, if you come to our coffee shop, you will be proud because this is a Filipino brand,” said Benitez.
Their Burjuman branch is Bo’s coffee’s second international branch next to Qatar. They have strategically chosen UAE considering local’s strong coffee culture.
Maryam Khalid Al Mulla shared in an interview with The Filipino Times that the idea of franchising Bo’s coffee stemmed from her family’s discovery of the brand when they visited Cebu, Philippines.
It was particular her brother, Ahmed Khalid Al Mulla, and his love and passion for coffee which made Bo’s coffee a brand which we can now enjoy in the UAE.
She highlighted the warmth and sense of community that the brand gives off is the strongest unique selling point of Bo’s coffee.
“We value family bond and wanted to really connect with the culture as well… In the beginning, we want to target the right community for the concept and then eventually expand. You are going to see us tapping into the heavily Filipino-located areas for the next couple of years and then down the line you’re going to see us in Downtown, Dubai Mall,” said Al Mulla.
Benitez and Al Mulla made sure that they incorporate the Filipino culture and identity in the interior of the shop and highlight the taste of Filipino coffee overseas.
For Benitez, bringing Bo’s coffee for other nationalities to try and for overseas Filipinos to enjoy is his way of supporting the local coffee community. He also said that he takes it as his personal cause to keep the coffee industry in the Philippines alive.
Bo’s Coffee has acquired a halal certification from the Philippines’ certification body IDCP for its Barako Beans, Barista Blend, and Espresso Blend. It aims to support local coffee farmers from different parts of the Philippines, including Sagada, Benguet, Bukidnon, Davao, and Cotabato.
Bo’s coffee will be showcasing different brewing methods with a wide range of coffee and tea options in its newest shop at Burjuman Mall. You can visit their coffee shop from 8:00am to 12:00am.
They will soon be opening a second branch in Sahara Centre, Al Nahda.
