Deniz Karaman travelled to the archipelago nation to discover how Filipinos are not only embracing international coffee trends, but reimagining them on their own terms
East Asia is undoubtedly one of the most exciting regions for coffee commerce and culture on the planet. World Coffee Portal data shows this vibrant and trend-setting market grew 18.4% in 2025 to exceed 161,000 outlets.
More than 87,000 of those stores are in China, while South Korea is home to more than 41,000. Key East Asian coffee-producing countries, Vietnam and Indonesia, are also rapidly embracing lifestyle hospitality and premium coffee culture at scale.
Yet beyond these headline players is another, quieter, less discussed growth market.
The Philippines, a tropical archipelago in Southeast Asia, is steadily gaining momentum. A buoyant tourism sector, economic expansion and wage growth are pushing the country into a new phase of coffee consumption – one marked by increasing premiumisation, greater competition, expanding café culture, and a wave of new coffee businesses emerging beyond the capital, Manila.
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