Kopiko keeps coffee, hope flowing amid COVID crisis
MANILA, Philippines — Amid the enhanced community quarantine in many parts of the Philippines, Kopiko is undeterred in keeping coffee flowing to all Filipinos.
In the first week of the community quarantine in Metro Manila, the brand has responded to the call to support frontliners, releasing products to initially cover six hospitals, 1,500 health workers, and 25,000 military personnel.
When an enhanced community quarantine on March 16 was announced, Kopiko worked with the Frontline Feeders PH for the dispatch of Le Minerale bottled water and Kopiko Iced ready-to-drink coffee.
Frontline Feeders PH is a group of doctors, restaurant owners, and non-government organizations mobilizing food distribution to different hospitals in the Greater Manila Area.
Kopiko also partnered with the Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) Foundation for the donation of coffee and bottled water to the 25,000 police and military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) tasked to protect the citizens from the spread of the virus.
Helping heroes
Public and private hospitals such as Philippine General Hospital, the Lung Center of the Philippines, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and San Lazaro Hospital, non-profit organizations such as the MakatiMed Foundation and Frontline Feeders PH, and the AFP were the beneficiaries of Kopiko’s donation.
AFP’s Philippine Navy were grateful for Kopiko’s aid, considering them as one of the “silent heroes” helping make the frontliners’ work possible, the former said in a message posted on social media.
Kopiko will continue to make donations of its coffee products, with more deliveries for frontline policemen and hospitals scheduled this week.
Keeping employees safe
Kopiko has also taken steps to protect employees.
Last March 16, it implemented work-from-home arrangements in light of the strict measures of the general community quarantine imposed by the Philippine government. A skeletal workforce stayed on to oversee stocks and make sure deliveries continue.
Other than work-from-home arrangements, Kopiko made sure employees are well-compensated to tide them over the quarantine period.
It disbursed full company benefits to employees including safety kits, health allowances, quarantine assistance, medical insurance, 13th-month salaries, and early release of performance bonuses, as well as releasing pro-rated 13th-month salaries for its subcontractors.
Continued supply
Kopiko assures Filipinos a steady supply of its coffee mixes and ready-to-drink products, as well as Energen cereals, Le Minerale mineral water, CalCheese, Valmer and Malkist biscuits in retail outlets in the Philippines as the country goes through the enhanced community quarantine.
Distribution to around 350,000 outlets nationwide continues, with the field sales teams also constantly checking stores to make sure the stock on hand remains sufficient. Merchandisers were commissioned and assigned to support retail stores to assist customers.
The brand expresses its appreciation and gratitude to all who are playing their part in fighting COVID-19 and healing the country—you are the real heroes!
