The Melbourne-based coffee roaster and café chain is the latest international specialty coffee business to launch in the Philippines, following in the footsteps of Toby’s Estate, The Coffee Academïcs and Omotesando Koffee
St. Ali is one of Melbourne’s leading specialty coffee roasters and has eight stores in its home market | Photo credit: Opus Mall
Australian specialty coffee roaster and café group St. Ali has launched in the Philippines with an outlet at Manila’s Opus Mall.
Founded in 2005, St. Ali is one of Melbourne’s leading specialty coffee roasters and has eight stores in its home market. The ethical sourcing and direct trade-focused business made its international debut with a site in London, UK, in 2010, which was later rebranded as Workshop Coffee, before launching in Indonesia in 2016. St. Ali opened a second Indonesian outlet in Bali site in 2017.
“We’re driven to share our passion for coffee and hospitality worldwide. Coffee is more than just a drink – it’s a craft. And we’re excited to introduce the St. Ali experience to Filipino coffee lovers,” said Lachlan Ward, CEO, St. Ali.
One of the fastest growing branded coffee shop markets in East Asia, the Philippines also has a growing specialty coffee segment.
Australia’s Toby’s Estate has opened 11 stores in the Philippines since debuting in 2014, while the market also houses Hong Kongese chains The Coffee Academïcs and Elephant Grounds Coffee, Japanese specialty operators Omotesando Koffee and The Matcha Tokyo, as well as Japanese-inspired French group Café Kitsuné.
Further highlighting increased demand for specialty coffee in the country, domestic operator Yardstick has opened three new sites over the last 18 months to reach eight stores, while Kyoto-based % Arabica re-entered the Philippines in July 2023 with a store in Manila, before opening a roastery in the Filipino capital later the same year.
The total Filipino branded coffee shop market currently stands at more than 3,200 outlets, led by established international operators Dunkin’, Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, as well as fast-growing domestic operators Pickup Coffee, Bo’s Coffee and But First, Coffee.
World Coffee Portal’s Project Café East Asia 2024 research forecasts the Filipino branded coffee shop market will reach surpass 5,200 outlets by the end of 2028.