Coffee meets cacao as Manila Coffee Festival returns in March

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Coffee Festival will be brewing again this year!

The highly anticipated coffee festival will be back on March 15 to 17 at the MGBx Conventional Hall, Marriott Manila, Newport World Resorts in Pasay City, organized by The Coffee Heritage Project.

On its sixth year, the lifestyle event will add a new aspect to the experience: cacao. Called the coffee bean’s “sweet partner,” The Manila Coffee Festival will house a new “Cacao Alley,” which features locally processed single-origin cacao; authentic chocolates from Maranaw, Sarangani, Cotabato, and Batangas; and sustainable products using the popular bonbon.

The Single Origin Bar, which highlights Filipino coffee farmers’ single-origin coffees for guests to taste and enjoy, will still be around. An additional 10 new sources will be added to the roster. The event will showcase the stories behind each origin and even cultural performances by the local communities of these coffee farms.

Alcoholic coffee cocktails will also be served at the “Double Shot Bar,” using espresso shots of single-origin Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica beans.

Many more coffee-centric events are in store, such as workshops, talks, competitions, and hundreds of local exhibitors – from specialty roasters like Yardstick Coffee, brunch spot Maker and Made, sorbetes shop Papa Diddi’s, and more.

A Regular Pass costs P350, while the Espresso Pass costs P850, which offers the three-day experience of unlimited access to all events. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are eligible for a discounted rate of P200. Tickets can be bought online.

The Manila Coffee Festival’s mission is to showcase that “coffee is more than just a commodity but a part of our cultural identity, which we commit to sustain.”

Prior to the 2023 run in the same location, its last edition was held in April 2022 at Intramuros, Manila, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Before that, it was held in March 2020, shortly before the start of lockdown, at Manila Hotel’s Tent City. – Rappler.com