In this blog, I will be sharing with you my Philippine Coffee Expo experience. In my last blog, I mentioned that I went to the World Trade Center for two events that were happening at the same time: Philippine Book Festival and the Philippine Coffee Expo.
The excitement I felt when I attended the Philippine Coffee Expo was indescribable because it wasn't just any coffee expo, it is The Philippine Coffee Expo, renowned as one of the largest coffee expos in the Philippines.
Since @gabbiebi and I failed to register in advance, we found ourselves in a situation where we had to buy the tickets on-site by scanning the QR code provided by the event organizers. We made a payment of 300 pesos (5.4 USD) as the entrance fee and captured a screenshot of our e-ticket. Once that was done, we scanned our E-ticket and received our event badge.
The event badge was basically like an ID with our names on it. We got some vitamin C as well! I believe they're one of the partners for this event, but to be honest, we don't really need vitamin C. We need some antacids, though! 🤭
Once I entered the events location, I could already tell we were in for a caffeine-filled day. Right from the entrance, the only thing I could smell was coffee. It's interesting how the smell manages to cling to my clothes too.
Since we were told there would be endless coffee at the event, we decided to collect all the cups we used to keep track of how many cups we had.
We started off by visiting the Department of Agriculture booth. The representatives discussed the coffee-making process, from beans to brew, and we listened attentively. The experience was incredibly insightful and I gained a lot from it.
At this event, you will find booths representing various regions of the Philippines, each highlighting a unique variety of beans. Among the regions mentioned are Ilocos Sur, CARAGA Region, Davao Region, and Region 10, just to name a few.
We also checked out this booth where they told us all about their beans and what makes their coffee special.
The thing I love about Crema and Cream Exquisite Collection is how they mix in various fruits with their coffee! Like H Proper Coffee Roasters, they get beans from all over the world.
We stopped by Escolta Coffee, where they generously give away free coffee, HIV self-test kits, and condoms!
Without realizing it, we found ourselves waiting in line for the latte art after exploring more booths. It's hilarious 'cause we thought we had to pay! We got it for free. I can't remember how much coffee we had at that point.
Baristas doing latte arts using Arla |
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And then, we checked out the booth with these really refreshing drinks. Although they are not being given away for free, they are currently being offered at a reduced price. The reason we purchased these is because they are beneficial for individuals who suffer from acid reflux.
As part of our exploration, we experimented with various milks from OraSi, expanding our palate and discovering new flavors. Out of the three options, almond is the one that I prefer the most!
We also passed by the coffee art exhibit, where the air was filled with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. That's some seriously cool stuff!
At the event, there were servers who were carrying samples of Arla milk. It felt like we had tried every Arla product that day because they continuously approached us, offering additional samples.
Our last stop was Monin, a supplier of syrups that filled the air with a sweet, aromatic scent. As a bonus, they are giving away free samples of their captivating Rose and Cherry Blossom flavors, which quickly became our favorites!
While we were in the middle of taking a picture of our Monin cups, two attendees approached us. The coffee shop owners from Tagaytay were on the hunt for the best beans at the expo. Our discussion about coffee and business was quite intriguing. Before we left, they requested our social media accounts and mobile numbers to contact us once their cafe opened, but I declined due to privacy concerns. I asked theirs and they just handed it over. I really wish I had an alternative social media account at that very moment, one that wouldn't compromise my personal details.
The Philippine Coffee Expo was such a wonderful experience and we truly had an amazing time. We've learned so much about brewing and coffee beans from all over the Philippines, and we even get to try different syrups, milk, and coffee!
Truly a paradise for coffee lovers!
All images are mine unless otherwise stated.