Manila: Banking on Filipinos' love for coffee along with more affordable offerings, an official of grab-and-go coffee chain Pickup Coffee expressed confidence for continued expansion amidst the current economic challenges. To date, the brand has around 500 coffee kiosks around the country, mostly in Metro Manila, and about a hundred stores in Mexico City. The goal is to have around 800 stores by end-2026, Diego Lorenzo, Pickup Coffee chief executive officer and cofounder said in an interview Tuesday night.

According to Philippines News Agency, the company is now open to franchising, with an initial investment of PHP2 million for the coffee truck's stock, equipment, and construction. Lorenzo mentioned plans to open as many as 200 more company-owned stores nationwide this year, with the focus on Northern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. He stated that they cater to people from all walks of life, from those who can afford high-end brands but are open to cheaper options with quality offerings, to those in the C and D levels. "The more accessible you are, the faster you will grow," he said.

The brand has received capital from venture capitalists, and Lorenzo noted this as a sign of the brand's potential to post stronger growth going forward. Rami Chahwan, president of Pickup Coffee, said franchising will complement the existing branches, citing lessons learned over the last 48 months. He explained that they have piloted 10 franchise stores over the last three months to ensure they can efficiently cater to more units once this bid is in full bloom. "This is basically a complimentary challenge. It's kind of an add-on to what we're doing. And since our mission is to uplift everyone, everywhere, we want to try to reach out to everyone, everywhere," he added.