18-year-old Palaweña brews her way to success

A good cup of coffee makes someone’s day great, especially when it is partnered with varied options of luscious delicacies. This must have been how Palaweños felt when Patrisha’s Coffee Central sat in the middle of the city, catering freshly-brewed coffee to everyone.

Patrisha Kaye Peneyra, a grade 12 – Humanities and Social Sciences student at Palawan National School, felt the desire to brew her own coffee at the age of 16.

“16 pa lang ako nagbi-brew na ako, tapos parang tamang Youtube lang, ganun. Inaral ko siya sa bahay tapos tinanong nila (mama) kung gusto ko da ba mag-set up ng coffee business, then dun na nagstart,” she told Palawan Daily.

After a year, at 17, she started her business when her mother, the sole owner of “House of Thai” purchased its neighboring empty hut (stand) in the Banchetto sa Centro, which then became the first branch of Coffee Central—the shop’s name originated from the branch’s location, “centro”.

“Binigyan nila (parents) ako ng perang pang-start, like mga tarpaulins, and then yung gamit ko dun sa coffee mismo. Hindi talaga prepared. Dito lang kami (sa Palawan) kumuha (ng products) pero alam kong quality pa din,” she said also adding that her first target product price ranges from P80 to P120, about few pennies cheaper than the usual coffee shops here.

“Mahilig din akong mag-stock ng mga (coffee) beans dun sa bahay, and since student pa lang naman ako, wala din akong masyadong pera. Nahihiya din akong manghingi sa parents ko pambili,” she recalled, which inspired her to take her interest in brewing as a source of income.

“Hindi ako mahilig sa kape na iniinom mismo, naaadik ako sa paggawa. Marami kasi siyang method, inaaral ko isa-isa, pati yung bean, yung pag-roast,” she further shared.

Now at the age of 18, Peneyra is bound to her college years, making it a bit difficult for her to juggle studies and business, and so she has decided to hire staff that can cover her time-being in the different branches.

She also conveyed how she also thinks that she is sacrificing her youth and time upon making the coffee shop dream into reality. “Nakakadistract kasi para akong nakakahanap ng extracurricular. Parang art subject or special subjects, kasi syempre todo kayod ako mag-aral nun.”

“Mataas pa rin naman mga grades ko ngayon, kaso mahirap na hindi madistract sa ginagawa ko ngayon,” she further articulated.

Given that she is both occupied with schoolwork and her blooming business, she decided to hire staff.

“Yung pinakauna kong staff is naging customer ko rin and ka-edad ko, kaya naging close naman kami. Actually, naging passionate din siya about sa kape, siya na ngayon yung assistant barista ko,” she said.

“Sabay na rin kami halos natuto sa ibang coffee and nagvivisit kami ng ibang coffee shop tapos kinakausap naming yung iba’t-ibang barista. Dun kami nakakakuha ng knowledge kasi mahal (rin) naman magpa-barista school,” she described.

Coffee Central is now on its 3rd branch – Banchetto sa Centro, Kudz Food Park at Tiniguiban, and Stellar Grounds.

Aside from her passion for brewing, she also talked about her products—how she made sure to provide fair deliverance of the community’s preferences.

“Marami din kaming ibang products. Yung black coffee para sa mga medyo gusto ng ganun lang, may sweets—affogato and frappe na ice cream yung gamit namin,”

“We make sure na tama lang yung sweetness niya and balanced (kumbaga) malalasahan mo talaga yung kape,”

“Sa mga non-coffee naman, may mga matcha kami, chocolate, hindi naman talaga siya more on coffee. Parang dun lang talaga kami nagsimula tas yun yung inaaral pa naming, kaya yung parang panlasa ng pang-masa e makukuha namin,” the 18-year-old barista added.

With her current blooming success, she advises people who aspire to take on business ventures to maintain working with little to no pressure, to like what they are doing, and to own and study their products to be publicized as well.

“Parang ako kasi, ina-idolize ko yung parents ko, ginagawa ko silang example. Sa lahat ng buong menu namin (House of Thai), alam nila lutuin and meron silang personal chef,” she said.

“Ako, merong sariling barista pero nagbabalak pa rin ako mag-hire ng barista na talaga. Importante kasi talaga na as an owner, alam mo din yung binebenta mo,” she joyously explained.

Having a nice and affordable handcrafted drink is nice to have occasionally. After all, it will surely quench one’s thirst, a little well-deserved reward after a hard day’s work.