Bayani Brew: Tea for everyday heroes

BULACAN, Philippines – Shanon Khadka, a 27-year old half-Filipino, half-Nepali social entrepreneur is driven by one question.

“Why is it that things like lemon grass, pandan, and sweet potato leaves are just looked at and thrown away, when we can actually turn them into something bigger?”

He was clearly not just speaking about the often neglected Filipino raw materials. He was also referring to the kind of mentality that “whatever comes from the Philippines is second class.”

A man with a big built but with a calming voice, Khadka took the stage during the Social Business Summit (SBS) 2016.

The convention, which is on its third year, gathered 500 individuals coming from 13 countries at the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan from January 14 to 17, 2016.

In front of entrepreneurs, students, corporation leaders, organization heads and government officials, Khadka couldn’t help but get emotional. Trying his best to hold back tears, Khadka recounted the success story of “Bayani Brew,” a social enterprise he co-founded.

Everyday heroes

“BayaniBrew” (which roughly translates to “Hero’s Brew”) emerged from Khadka’s conviction that the world shall see the Philippines as “a country of everyday heroes.”

Bayani Brew produces nutritious world-class iced tea through sourcing only all-natural and all Philippine-grown leaves.

The partnerships with farming communities in Bulacan and Tarlac have made largely contributed to the success of Bayani Brew. Through working closely together, Khadka’s team has launched its third flavor of brewed tea during the summit. (READ: Social entrepreneurs and farmers for social change)

In just a few years, the affordable drinks, which come in 400 milliliter bottles, have been made available nationwide in some of the country’s supermarkets, convenience stores, and coffee shops.

Brand new startups by young social entrepreneurs were launched at the summit. More partnerships among organizations, corporations, and the local government were also formed. 

In rare occasions when the the geniuses of the rich and the poor converged, brand new optimism filled the atmosphere. For every story of social transformation shared during the summit, fresh seeds of hope were sown. – Rappler.com

Janica Mae Regalo is a Rappler intern. She is currently a 4th year Mass Communication student at San Pablo Colleges