Brewing connections: New app aims to unite Philippine coffee industry

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A café owner and cybersecurity engineer first set out to create a simple digital rewards system for regular customers at a café he has been running for six years. What began as a practical tool for engagement eventually grew into something far bigger.

That idea evolved into “Where to Coffee,” developed by Dandy Alberto, who runs Mahiwaga Café. As he built the project, he realized it needed to go beyond a single business and instead address a broader gap in the coffee industry.

“The Philippine coffee scene is amazing. Our culture is booming. We have thriving farms, world-class beans and roasters, passionate baristas and beautiful cafés. But it’s difficult to find them all in one place,” he said.

“Where to Coffee is my attempt to build what should exist—one home for anything coffee.”

Alberto spent six months building the app, from ideation in August 2025 to beta testing in January 2026. His vision was clear: create the country’s first platform that connects every link in the coffee value chain—from farm to cup.

The app now allows café owners to run reward systems, list events and showcase their shops. Roasters can highlight local beans, while enthusiasts share coffee journals and discover new cafés. It’s a community-driven hub designed to empower stakeholders and celebrate Philippine coffee culture.

Despite the novelty of the idea, Alberto faced steep hurdles. Funding was scarce and without an established network, gaining trust and visibility proved difficult.

“I self-funded this initiative. I reached out to people, but most didn’t believe in it. We’re only three in the team and it’s hard to organize a passionate group for this kind of project. I don’t have a big network to rely on. But I keep going,” he said.

At its core, "Where to Coffee" is rooted in traceability. Users can experience the “farm-to-cup” journey, seeing how beans move from local farms to roasters, cafés and finally into their cups.

For Alberto, this is more than just an app—it is a contribution to the industry. 

“We want to give value to the coffee community. If people see its potential, they’ll appreciate it. My vision is for this to become a staple app for coffee lovers. You don’t need multiple apps to know what’s trending; this is a centralized platform for anything coffee.”

Alberto hopes the app will not only gain traction but also help elevate Philippine coffee culture on the global stage. 

“This is my way of making our coffee seen and valued,” he said.

With passion, persistence and a belief in community, "Where to Coffee" is brewing connections—one cup, one café and one story at a time.