No shade to arabica coffee—but robusta is entering its main character era in the Philippines thanks to Curve Coffee.
For the longest time, arabica has been the darling of third wave coffee culture—delicate, fruity, and spoken of in hushed tones in hip cafés—where laidback is the unspoken dress code, where baristas with tattoos debate how water minerals affect flavor, and single-origin coffee comes with tasting notes longer than French wines.
But there’s a general narrative shift that’s been happening lately: Robusta is being reevaluated and appreciated for its unique qualities by the specialty coffee industry. Scientifically known as Coffea canephora, robusta is the second most cultivated coffee species in the world, following Coffea arabica. It thrives in warmer climates, making it hardy and more resistant to pests and diseases than its arabica counterpart.
These days, robusta is no longer “just” that strong, bitter cup your lolo drinks at 5 am. A bold new brew is stepping into the spotlight, and it’s been quietly growing in our own backyard all along: Fine Robusta by Curve Coffee.
Award-winning, single-origin beans
Curve Coffee Collaborators is helping rewrite robusta’s reputation by putting local grown robusta front and center. Not just any robusta though—we’re talking award-winning, single-origin beans grown at 960 MASL in the lush mountains of Sultan Kudarat.
The taste? “Winey, citrusy, with dark chocolate and berry vibes,” says Reyjohn Basco, whose beans scored a whopping 86.45 at the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) in 2024. That’s good stuff— elite level even. And it’s now brewed for your daily dose of caffeine by Curve Coffee.
“Expect less bitterness, more fruity flavors, high acidity,” adds Basco, who’s made the shift from participant to panel judge at major coffee festivals.
Curve Coffee‘s philosophy is simple: Love your origin. Celebrate where you come from. Brew with pride. And uplift the hands that grow your coffee.
Even Curve Coffee founder and CEO Cherry Cruz—a certified Q Grader for both arabica and robusta—is all in. “Given the current world prices of coffee and because of climate change, robusta is going to be the future,” she shares. And if you’ve ever sipped Curve’s brews at their cafes and events like the Manila Coffee Festival, you know exactly what she means.
Curve Coffee’s mother company Equilibrium also hosts manual brewing competitions, tasting competitions and even the culminating event of PCQC Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, which also happens to be on Day 1 of the Philippine Coffee Expo on May 9 to 11. After the awarding there will be an auction for beans.
“Love your origin”
It’s true, Robusta has had a bad rep: bitter, basic, and only good for instant coffee. Cherry Cruz says think again—and taste again! Their star bean isn’t just strong, it’s grown with intention, processed with precision, and scoring high on the global cupping scale.
Fine robusta is strong but nuanced with winey acidity, citrus brightness, and hints of dark chocolate and berries. It’s local and world-class. Curve Coffee Collaborators is also serving up a bold vision for Philippine coffee that’s rooted in community and made with purpose. From farm to cup, Curve is championing a movement: Love your origin.
Cherry explains, “Love your origin embodies our commitment to uplift local coffee farming communities and promote the sustainable growth of Philippine specialty coffee. We take great pride in locally grown coffees and the skilled farmers who cultivate them. The movement is an invitation for every Filipino to love their origin and celebrate unique and delicious specialty coffees found around the country.”
Curve Coffee partners with local farms and also growing their own beans, and roasting them in their facilities. Cherry adds, “When we partner with a farmer, we partner with their family and the community. We work with farming communities to uplift them and bring about meaningful change — not by disruption, but impactful intervention.”
Fine robusta is also the star at Curve Café with locations in Muntinlupa (their flagship café), Baguio and Davao. Each café has a Bean Bar where you can purchase the award-winning Vilma Lasan Natural (P1,950, 250g), and other flavors such as Mt. Apo Honey, Sabangan Washed, Mt. Apalit Natural and Atok Washed (250g, from P420).
Erwan Heussaff’s newly opened Chingolo Deli also serves Curve Coffee. “Ever since opening Chingolo we knew we wanted a really tasty coffee program. We found out about @curvecoffeecollaborators, their farming/roastery, and knew that they were the perfect partner for us,” he said on Instagram.
For home brewers seeking to level up their craft, Curve Coffee sells high-end and professional-grade coffee machines—tools that bring barista-level precision into your coffee every day. With the activities that Curve organizes for coffee lovers, it has since become a hub for education, connection, and coffee exploration.
Cherry Cruz and Reyjohn Basco represent the new generation of Filipino coffee producers: young and seasoned, rooted in tradition and unafraid to innovate, and passionate about telling the story behind every coffee bean—because it’s local. And it’s ours.
Catch Curve Coffee at the Philippine Coffee Expo from May 9 to 11 at One Ayala, Makati, and taste the future of local coffee. Visit www.curve.coffee and follow @curvecoffeecollaborators to join the #LoveYourOrigin movement.
