Affordable Coffee, Premium Space: PICKUP COFFEE Opens Second Flagship Store
Already a disruptor in the industry with its affordable pricing, the coffee chain continues to make head waves with PICKUP PRIME.
PICKUP COFFEE launched its first cafe in Metro Manila, PICKUP PRIME, at Ayala Malls Vertis North on August 29, 2025. A vibrant and modern space infused with custom-designed art toys, it is PICKUP COFFEE’s second flagship branch in the country. The first one opened on June 20, 2025 at SM Seaside City Cebu.
Like the interiors of its Cebu counterpart, the store design of PICKUP PRIME Vertis North was made in collaboration with DEFT, a Hong Kong-based interdisciplinary studio known for creating innovative and immersive spaces through architecture and interior design. On display are playful, custom-designed art pieces by Filipino artists Dondi Fernandez and Jesse Camacho.
Actress, social media star, and PICKUP Coffee brand ambassador Anne Curtis graced the launch, along with PICKUP COFFEE Co-Founder and Global Chief Brand Officer Bien Lee, President and Country CEO Rami Chahwan, Global Managing Director Francis Flores, and Ayala Malls COO Paul Birkett.
Brewing Ambitions
PICKUP PRIME is the coffee chain’s strategic and tasteful approach to reaching a new market segment: mall-goers who want to gather for warm or cold drinks on-premise instead of simply having their coffee on the go.
“We really wanted to elevate it. To be able to position ourselves also where we can reach out to a new consumer,” said Chahwan in an interview with The Business Manual.
Having disrupted the industry three years ago with affordable premium coffee with no cups exceeding the Php100 price point, PICKUP COFFEE has served over 40 million cups of coffee and currently has 420 stores spread out across the country.
The company aims to open 20 new stores every month in 2025, according to Global Managing Director Francis Flores.
“We want to be accessible. We want something that’s for everyone. We feel like, ‘why should coffee espresso be exclusive? Everyone deserves good coffee,’” Flores said.
An Undersupply of Local Coffee
According to the Industry Strategic Science and Technology Plans (ISPs) Platform, the Philippines is one of the countries that can produce four types of coffee: Robusta, Arabica, Liberica (Barako), and Excelsa.
Yet with the growing demand in the market, it fails to meet what the industry currently demands due to the following reasons: insufficient quality planting materials for expanding and replanting areas, low yield (i.e. mismatch between the variety of plants and environmental conditions), and low quality beans.
A report by the Philippine Statistics Authority states that the national production of 60,640.95 metric tons of dried cherries—referring to dried coffee cherries and not the fruit cherriess found in desserts—in 2020 was not enough to meet local demand, which was about 198,720 metric tons, resulting in the need to import from other countries.
PICKUP COFFEE, for its part, sources its coffee locally and imports the rest.
According to Chahwan, the company has a research and development team that manages PICKUP’s blends so that “consistency remains across all the branches.”
Crossing Continents
Flores claims it only took him a few minutes to make the decision to have a PICKUP COFFEE branch in Mexico City.
It was launched in December 2023.
Chahwan and Flores say Mexicans are similar to Filipinos: both are predominantly Roman Catholics, influenced by Spain, and quite hospitable. Like the Philippines, Mexico has a growing economy with a huge young population that is open to trying new brands.
For Chahwan, launching in Mexico was a logical move given the country’s well-developed coffee market.
There are no reports yet on whether the coffee chain plans to set up a PICKUP PRIME cafe in Mexico,
The Rise of Ready-to-Drink Coffee
In the Philippines, the market for ready-to-drink coffee is also on the rise.
A 2023 study by the Department of Trade and Industry found that 60% of urban coffee drinkers are interested in trying single-origin coffee from different regions within the Philippines. This trend highlights a burgeoning pride in local produce and a desire to explore the diverse flavors that the country has to offer.
In 2022, sales in this segment saw a 15% year-on-year increase, suggesting that convenience and on-the-go consumption are becoming more popular among coffee enthusiasts in the Philippines. This poses as a probable reason for PICKUP COFFEE’s success.
Building a Startup Culture
PICKUP COFFEE currently employs over 3,000 employees.
As a startup, being transparent about everything, including hiring the right people, has been one of the challenges within the last two years for Chahwan.
Calling themselves “uplifters,” a talented candidate who is more organized and structured might not be suited for PICKUP COFFEE’s culture where changes happen twice or thrice the normal speed.
Chahwan believes in being honest with candidates. “Why not be upfront about it and say, ‘Look, you’re super talented but it’s not the right time. Maybe in two or three years when we’re a bit more stable as a company,’ ’’ he said.
Flores, on the other hand, believes that it is about “progress over perfection,” and that one should accept and embrace that principle.
“Look at every challenge as a learning opportunity,” he said. Flores sees mistakes as an opportunity to learn the best lessons.
In-Cafe Exclusives
PICKUP PRIME in Ayala Malls Vertis North offers PRIME Exclusive Creations like the Americano Orange Sunrise, Sea Salt Biscoff Latte, and Golden Buttercream Latte along with espresso soft serve swirls and other sundae flavors.
The cafe also offers hand-crafted pastries from self-taught baker Ricardo Guninto’s 5G Coffee House, such as Classic Croissant, Pain Au Chocolat, Dulce Ensaymada Croissant Roll, and Ham and Cheese Croissant.
It has also installed self-ordering kiosks and and an interactive mirror photo booth where customers can take fun digital photos with filters and stickers.
Read more:
PICKUP COFFEE Celebrates 3rd Anniversary with Brand Collaborations
