Malaysia’s very own Old Town White Coffee has officially arrived in the Philippines—giving Filipino coffee enthusiasts something to look forward to. Here’s what we know so far.

In the Philippines, eight out of ten Filipinos consume 2.5 cups of coffee a day, with 93% of households buying coffee every week. Aside from making their own coffee at home, Filipinos, especially millennials, tend to shell out a hundred pesos to buy their coffee from coffee shops. In fact, coffee happens to be one of the thriving industries in the country as its revenues in the industry can be summed up to billions of dollars.

As a result, many coffee shops have opened and been brought into the Philippines—some of which offer both local and international coffee products. Case in point for the latter: Malaysia’s popular coffee shop, Old Town Coffee, which joins the roster of international coffee franchises that set base in Metro Manila.

What is Old Town Coffee?

Old Town White Cofee, which opened at the 3rd level of SM Grand Central in Caloocan last May 25, 2023, is a popular Malaysian brand—known for its instant coffee. Beyond that, however, Old Town White Coffee is actually a popular coffee shop and restaurant chain that was founded in 1999 in Ipoh, Perak. In 2005, the brand expanded its menu by offering food items that complemented the taste of its coffee. 

The brand turned out to be a massive success, as it is one of the most popular coffee shops in several major cities such as Kuala Lumpur.

Now, Old Town Coffee has over 200 branches across the country. It has also opened branches abroad—including countries like Singapore, China, Indonesia, Australia, and now, the Philippines. Moreover, they have plans to expand into Vietnam, South Korea, and Bangladesh. 

The Coffee Shop’s Unique Selling Point

Since 63.5% of Malaysia practices Islam, Old Town White Coffee is a Halal-certified restaurant. This means that they don’t offer any pork or pork by-products on their menu, making it a viable dining place for Muslims who reside in the Philippines, as well as a select market with dietary restrictions.

Aside from their popular coffee packs, customers can also order the signature Old Town White Coffee along with tea drinks, floats, oat milk drinks, and smoothies. In terms of food, Filipinos can partake in their bestselling Ipoh Chicken Hor Fun and Hainanese Chicken Chops—dishes that the establishment is known for internationally.

Since there isn’t a specific menu being revealed yet as of writing, it isn’t certain whether the coffee shop will offer Philippine-exclusive dishes for the local market, or if the brand will stay true to its Malaysian roots by offering Malaysian dishes, sandwiches, meals, and soup.

What This Means for Filipino Customers 

Aside from being a new player in the coffee industry and catering to the large coffee-loving market, the newly-opened branch of Old Town White Coffee gives Filipinos a chance to experience a different cuisine, given that it also falls under the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

What’s more, the opening of Old Town White Coffee here in the Philippines allows the brand to widen its reach in Asia, which means that Filipinos will no longer need to go all the way to Malaysia to partake in this restaurant’s offerings.