Helping Filipino Women Bloom

CAKES AND COFFEE FOR A CAUSE

Coffee shops are ‘in’. This is something that is evident to anyone who has been to Cebu and has roamed its streets and cities. Different sizes and different brands are popping up in different corners. There are cafés with international roots like Starbucks and Seattle’s Best. There are locally founded cafés like Bo’s Coffee. There are coffee shops for students and those working online like Workplace Café and Kapel. There are small and cute Korean-themed cafés like Café Namoo and Gentleman Café. There are even cosplay-themed cafés like Kawaii Café. Almost everyone knows or has heard of these names. But have you ever heard of a café that doesn’t sell coffee for profit?

Bloom Cakes & Coffee is a non-profit social enterprise that aims to empower Filipino women by providing vocational training and sustainable employment. The entire staff of Bloom is composed of women coming from difficult backgrounds. They are given training and employment to help them begin to support themselves.

Bloom Cakes opened its first branch in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2009. They then expanded to Cebu in 2018, opening the branch in Henry Hotel in Banilad. This was preceded by much preparation, as Bloom started training its staff in 2016. These women underwent training as baristas and bakers, learning everything from sugar art to hospitality. There are currently around 20 full-time employees in the Cebu Branch.

When I entered the café, I was delighted to find an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere and comfortable seating. It is perfect for coffee shop lovers who want to take a good Instagram shot.

Despite being a non-profit organization, Bloom has not sacrificed its quality. When I entered the café, I was delighted to find an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere and comfortable seating. It is perfect for coffee shop lovers who want to take a good Instagram shot. Its interior design is not over-the-top, and it never feels too crowded or too spacious, too pastel or too dark. It is the perfect mix of rustic and modern.

I am the type of person who only ever orders a frappe, so when I paid a visit to the café, I ordered cookies & cream frappe that turned out to be delightfully sweet and aesthetically appetizing. My coffee-loving friend who went with me declared that the flat white she ordered was the best she has ever tried in all the coffee shops she has been to. You can purchase a cup of hot coffee for only 95 pesos. For those who like their drinks sweet, you can get a frappe for 195 pesos. They also have an array of cupcakes and cookies to pair with your drinks. Bloom also offers cakes for any occasion, like birthdays, weddings, and family celebrations.

Bloom is the perfect place for anyone, whether you are looking for a place to study or a place to catch up with friends. Supporting Bloom not only gives you a satisfying café experience, but you are also helping them give Filipino women a brighter future. Bloom Cakes & Coffee is located at the Ground Floor of Henry Hotel, 1 Paseo Saturnino Ma. Luisa Road, Brgy. Banilad, Cebu City. You can find their Facebook page at Bloom Cakes & Coffee. Visit their website at bloomcakes.org for more information.