Chronicle of the Coffee Maker
UCC owner, Hubert Young, reckons old times and spills the beans on why a good conversation with writer, Jareliese Mauro, and a cuppa make a perfect blend.
Hubert Espresso-s Himself
He brings the steaming cup to his lips and inhales the exotic whiff before savoring the earthly tones of the UCC Blended Coffee with his eyes closed. Probably his 8th cup for the day. Nothing like an instant adrenaline rush to dilute the bloodstream coupled with a delectable Seafood Soup Spaghetti dish. His frothy coffee love affair started when he was a cupper at Hills Brothers Coffee in the U.S. He used to taste coffee to help assist buyers by giving them detailed descriptions with regard to the coffee’s aroma, acidity, finish, and other attributes. With the entrepreneurial skills he’s been honing since he was 22 years old, Hubert jumped in the bandwagon when the coffee industry in the Philippines clicked in the mid-90’s. He brought UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd to the local scene, the company which ushered the world’s first canned coffee (UCC Coffee with Milk). It has been 9years and 20 branches since he introduced coffee as a beverage. He beckons the alert staff, all HRM graduates and suave in Japanese greetings, to dish up all-time favorite coffee varieties: Sumiyaki, Kilimanjaro, Blue Mountain , and Vienna among others. “Coffee business is highly-evolving and people’s tastes are differing. We have to attune our business to their wants,” says the newly-elected President of the Specialty Coffee Association of the Philippines . So even the young, habitual drinker can whip up a lineup of decaffeinated drinks: vanilla, mocha, and chocolate mint coolers. It is best paired with the silky-smooth mouthfeel that Chocolate French Toast provides. Intensity in the taste buds.
Wake up and smell the coffee
His AM’s are all orchestrated to the melodious sound of coffee poured on embellished china, and yet, his passion doesn’t stop with a double Shot of "Espresso Love." He aims for Cebuanos’ caffeine literacy to transcend over the practical use of that “cup of Joe.” From crop to cup, Hubert is very involved in all procedures. Before consumption, the fruit of the coffee plants, also known as the coffee beans, have to go through a string of processes. Its ultimate taste depends on the vagabondage the beans take in order to attain its final variety. This goal-oriented business man prides over using the unique Siphon method where vacuum and vapor pressure inside two chambers (in a pot) brews—two degrees below boiling point—and produces pure, tart, smooth, full-bodied, and flavorful coffee. From the plantations all around the world (Jamaica, Hawaii , Indonesia , and South America—also known as the ‘coffee belt’), coffee is blended, roasted, and packed in different varieties in Japan . The clamor of Manila-based Cebuanos to set up a branch in Cebu has been heard. And Hubert’s strategy to get consumers taste his coffee is by including it as a free drink in his breakfast meals. Sitting at a lazy corner in Ayala Terracces, the posh interior, inviting ambiance, and excellent service that the café and its staff offer make UCC a “destination.” Over your third cup surges matters of importance, making the drink the social glue, morphine drip, slumber spoiler, the perfect excuse for a secret rendezvous, the bolt you need to endure interminable seminars. But not just a regular coffee shop though, UCC also has an all-day menu complete with Japanese-inspired western dishes. Specialties include Hamburg curry rice, Chicken Teriyaki & Eggplant, Wasabi Mayo Seafood Pizza Toast, and Salmon Shrimp & Spinach Omurice.
Good to the last drop
Being one of the oldest commodities in the world and one of the two major beverages (the other is alcohol), gourmet coffee is the best thing since chocolate. In a myriad of ways, UCC arguably makes a better pot of Joe compared to other shops. Although not all tongues would agree, Hubert, who travels all around the world to get ideas for his café, takes it all in stride. “I’m very open-minded to criticisms because here in UCC, we adhere to quality, cleanliness, and sophistication. We don’t cheat on our ingredients and we always make it to a point to pamper and make our customers feel important,” informs the CEO who holds weekly meetings with his staff to discuss different ways to improve their service and food quality. “Coffee brings people together. Students burn the midnight oil, executives seal businesses, and parents take their family for a healthy breakfast meal here. We cater to different customers everyday,” notifies Hubert who, by instinct, nods towards the function room, a well-lighted area on the second floor that could hold at most 25 people. Eyes full of wisdom and experience, Hubert, who finds joy in drinking coffee and driving his huge collection of luxury cars, puts the steaming cup back on the coaster and bares a genuine smile.
Conversations and coffee—there are just things which are better rich and stimulating.
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