Coffee culture evolves as convenience and quality take over

The Philippine coffee market is seeing rapid growth, driven by mobility, value-conscious consumers, and increasing competition.

The Philippine coffee industry is undergoing a transformation as consumer preferences shift toward convenience, affordability, and quality. According to Francis Flores, President and Country CEO of PICKUP COFFEE, the rise of the to-go coffee culture is a defining trend.  

"The consumers now, the young working adults, are more mobile and doing a lot more things, and therefore that means they have less time sitting around. They want their coffee to be good quality, but fast," Flores said. As a result, the demand for grab-and-go coffee options has surged.  

Consumers are also becoming more value-conscious, prioritising price and quality over brand prestige. "There are more people now who are more value-conscious and less status-conscious. They’re smarter in a way, like they’re not going to spend so much for a brand if they don’t see true value in it," Flores noted.  

Additionally, the coffee industry is outpacing other food and beverage categories in growth. "Post-pandemic, with people multitasking and having a lot to accomplish, they need fuel to keep them going from morning till night. Coffee is not just to fuel them, but also to uplift them," he said.  

With the growing presence of international low-cost coffee brands in Asia, local players like PICKUP COFFEE are focused on differentiation through customer experience. "My philosophy has always been focusing more on the customer rather than competition," Flores explained. "Our customer-facing or uplifting our customer would always be our North Star." He emphasised that delivering a better customer experience, along with strong branding, high-quality beverages, and value, is key to competing effectively.  

Looking ahead, Flores sees strong growth for the Philippine coffee market in 2025. "The market is very exciting. It’ll be growing significantly," he said, highlighting that the Philippines is among the world's top coffee-drinking nations. However, with growth comes more competition. "The bigger the market, the more players, so we expect tougher competition. But in the end, the more competition, the better for the customers, because all of us will have to do a better job in delivering the best experience."  

For PICKUP COFFEE, this means continuous innovation. "Expect more product innovations, expect more exciting brand collaborations, and expect even more store, channel, and digital innovations from us—all with the purpose of uplifting our customers and giving the best coffee experience," Flores said.  

As the coffee culture in the Philippines evolves, brands that can balance convenience, affordability, and quality will be best positioned to thrive in the increasingly competitive market.