% Arabica gives a glimpse of its upcoming stores in the Philippines
By John Legaspi
In January 2022, the Japanese coffee chain suddenly closed its stores in the Philippines
It looks like 2023 will be bright for Filipino caffeine lovers as Japanese coffee chain % Arabica is returning to the Philippines. During the holiday season, the brand has been greeting Filipinos by sharing reels on its Instagram page. This time, it gives a glimpse of its upcoming stores in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). The said post presented a sneak preview of its white and minimalist stores, which mirrors the brand’s signature aesthetic.
“Manila, we will restart our project this year with these stores. This is a sneak preview of our upcoming stores in BGC, opening in 2023,” the global account of the brand posted. “We will announce the opening dates later on. We cannot wait to serve our coffee from the world to you once again.”
In January 2022, % Arabica suddenly closed its stores in the Philippines, which brought dismay to many Filipino coffee addicts. According to its previous statement, the brand’s “franchise period with the current partner has ended” and it has “agreed not to continue the collaboration for the next term.”
Known for its special brews and minimalist store aesthetic, % Arabica, founded by Kenneth Shoji, first opened its flagship store in Kyoto in 2014. Four years later, it was brought to the Philippines by master franchisors and mother-daughter duo Allue and Dr. San San Hortaleza with its first store in BGC. After closing the Japanese coffee chain's local branches, the Hortalezas announced the coming of Angkan Coffee Company in February 2022. Since then, Angkan has opened stores in BGC and The Podium.
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