It's Not The BBC That You Think! It's BBCoffee on Wheels 🚗

At the risk of sounding so dramatic, in a most unfortunate twist of fate, I am banned from drinking coffee for two weeks. For someone who has been drinking coffee for roughly 16 years, it is the most devastating news. To look back on the much brighter days of the past, I wanted to share this coffee discovery that @brokemancode and I have chanced upon at Il Corso Foodpark.

It was a fine day after Fred and I got out of the hospital for his diagnostic procedure. We wanted to chill for a bit to momentarily forget all of life's problems and Il Corso was just the perfect hangout spot for that. We had a sizzling meal and after which, we decided to go on a quick stroll. It was then that we caught a glimpse of a car with the letters BBC (iykyk 🤭) on it. It was the most curious thing! Upon taking a closer look, it read "Dairy-free coffee on wheels." That time, I was already having some health issues and the doctor advised for me to avoid anything with dairy. "It is just what we were looking for," Fred said. We have been having medical issues lately but don't worry, it isn't that serious on my end.

When food pop-ups at Il Corso were mostly container van conversions and mini food stalls, this one stood out. It was a coffee bar in the trunk of a car and the setup was an umbrella with battery-powered lights. The sign "Would you like some coffee?" Was hard to miss. We just had to give it a try. Some went to order coffee via drive-thru while Fred and I chose to stay and sip.

It even had outdoor chairs for the clients to sit on. Fred wasted no time and claimed his spot. I ordered a white brew - a mixture of almond milk and arabica brew. Went with 10% sugar at first but realized that I needed it at 50%, Ren, the owner and barista, happily obliged to my changing of mind 😆 As he prepared my drink, he kindly explained to me the type of beans he used and the type of milk. For a product that is of this niche, his coffee was affordable.

I got so curious about how the owner conceptualized and started his enterprise. Since I was sure that I have seen his shop on social media before, I started to look for it on Facebook, hope you can give him some likes Hivers 👉 BBCoffee Cebu. With much back-and-forth between my shy and curious personas, the latter won and asked the owner some quick questions.

The owner was kind enough to answer them. He was a coffee shop employee before. He told me that he stopped because he was to go abroad to find better opportunities. Going abroad did not seem like a good option anymore for him and so he wanted to try out his hand in business here in Cebu. It was pandemic time, he started his coffee on wheels and offered plant-based coffee to cater to a niche. He himself was lactose intolerant so that's why he chose to target this market.

He started to go to the mountains of Busay and offer his coffee there. People started to pick up because he also nailed the customer service part as well. He does everything - barista work, cashier work, and all the preparation needed to be done hours before he sets up shop.

He figured that going to Busay was tiring for him as it was an uphill drive, he then started to explore the SRP area. At first, he set up shop in City De Mari, as the Il Corso management did not approve of his request at first. After a few months, he got a call saying that his request was then accepted. It was the start of another chapter in Ren's business.

At first, people were not able to find him since he had no lights. He then improved and bought solar and battery-powered lights so that preparing coffee was easier too. The life of an entrepreneur comes with challenges and he has overcome his fair share of them. One such hurdle that the tenants of Il Corso are facing is the memo that management has issued that they are to move from the outside shops to the inside of the mall. It issues a challenge for the food stalls since rent is higher in the mall. People have also grown to love Il Corso because of the outdoor food stalls. Understandably, Ren's coffee shop will also be affected, but up to what extent, he is not sure how.

The entrepreneur is on the lookout for new opportunities. As our professor says "Find something negative, figure out an opportunity, and turn it into something positive. That is how most businesses start." Fred and I then enjoyed our coffee on wheels and took a break from all of the medical issues we are currently facing. Is there an opportunity to be found in these trying times? We aren't sure yet.

The Gaillery

_{She is on a mission to become better than who she was yesterday. A candidate for Masters in Business Administration and a Financial Advisor, she hopes to give value to this space as a motivated individual. She found the perfect marriage between what she wants to do in life and her mission in financial advising. She balances her work and life in the comforts of her home, co-working spaces, and cafes. She loves to meet like-minded people and live her life to the fullest. Watch this space for tales of self-improvement and self-acceptance, per Mark Manson, "the philosophical tightrope."}

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