From P39 Coffee to a National Chain

In 2021, the couple launched “Uncle Brew,” offering coffee at an astonishing P39 per cup. The accessible price resonated with Filipinos emerging from the pandemic, weary but yearning for comfort. Within just eight months, the chain grew to 81 outlets nationwide.

As margins tightened, they introduced “Uncle Brew Prime”— a premium line with café seating and elevated products — and “Everyday Coffee & Tea,” a scalable brand that now aims to surpass 100 stores.

Unlike competitors, Lopez insists their model is not about squeezing franchisees. “Most franchisors are after money. We’re after sustainability,” he said, “We incubate small entrepreneurs, helping them build not just a shop, but a livelihood they can be proud of.”

For Lopez, the venture is about more than coffee. His seafaring years taught him both the value of hard work and the isolation of sacrifice.

“OFWs know the feeling — missing family milestones, being away when your children are growing up. I didn’t want all that sacrifice to end just with savings. I wanted it to build a legacy,” he confessed.

That legacy is now visible not only in their brands but also in the livelihoods created. DPO today trains out-of-school youth as baristas and hires them across its stores. The company is also moving into furniture and café equipment distribution, transforming its outlets into showrooms for Filipino-made products.

Lopez’s philosophy blends business with advocacy: “We want to support farmers, small shop owners, young entrepreneurs. If they succeed, we succeed.”

From the deck of a ship to the boardroom of a rising Cebu enterprise, Lopez’s story mirrors the broader narrative of OFWs turning sacrifice into opportunity back home.

And yet, he remains grounded. “Coffee, for me, is personal,” he reflected.

“Every cup represents life itself. You choose the cup you drink from, you savor it in your own way. For me, building this business is about letting every Filipino — whether customer or entrepreneur — enjoy their own cup of life,” he concluded.