Breville Philippines Upgrades Espresso Machine Collection with the new Barista Touch®

What makes a good coffee experience?   

For caffeine lovers, there is a sense of romanticism that comes with the whole experience of lining up at a cafe and having a pro customize their drinks. After all, is there anything else that can make you feel special other than the knowledge that your morning coffee is in the hands of someone who knows their craft?   

But here’s something to think about. How would it make you feel if you can create your own cup of joe with the same level of precision and perfection as your go-to barista?  

This is exactly what premium home lifestyle brand Breville Philippines offers with the newest and most innovative addition to their collection of top-tier espresso machines. Introducing the Barista Touch®, an intuitive and smart model that simplifies each step of coffee-making while retaining the premium quality of every cup.   

“Helping coffee lovers better understand, appreciate, and create third-wave coffee has always been one of our goals,” Haj Cortez-Flores, F&B Business Unit Manager of Breville Philippines shares. “If you take a look at our collection of espresso machines, everything is aligned with that vision. We have the Barista Express which is more suitable for those who want to create their own drinks at the comforts of their homes and the Dual Boiler which is more suitable for start-up businesses. We have something for every type of coffee enthusiast, which makes it perfect sense for us to launch the new Barista Touch.” 

When asked about the newest model, Flores described it as the glammed-up version of their current best-seller, the Barista Express. “It is the perfect model if you want an entry-level espresso machine that can give you the same quality as store-bought drinks, but it does have features that can be taken to another level.”  

A good example of this, according to Flores is milk texturing. Users can try microfoam milk texturing by hand using the model’s steam wand if they want to create latte art or enhance the flavor of their drink. The challenge is that it can be a little tricky to pull off, especially for beginners.   

This is where the Barista Touch® comes in. Breville Philippines decided to up their game by marrying the best features of their best-selling model with improved user experience. In a nutshell, this model is a simpler and much more intuitive espresso machine that gives coffee lovers the best of both worlds—ease of use and quality cups of joe.  

The Barista Touch still covers the top four elements that Breville believes make up top-tier drinks: dose control grinding, precise espresso extraction, ideal temperature, and milk foam texturing. The model, however, comes with an automatic steam wand that lets you easily adjust the milk temperature and texture to suit your taste, as well as a one-touch coffee grinder with customizable grind size and dosage settings.  

One of the best things about the Barista Touch®, moreover, is its intuitive system. You can easily customize your drink in three easy steps by choosing the right Grind, Brew, and Milk settings, and other aspects of the drink like coffee strength and temperature. To top it all off, you can save up to eight personalized coffee settings so you can easily create your preferred drinks with just a push of a button.  

“The Barista Touch is like the meeting of the best of both worlds. It delivers quality, but it also makes the overall process so much smoother for our users, which I think is very important. If you ask any coffee lover, I’m sure they will agree that experience is a big part of their appreciation and love for coffee. We don’t just want to help them create their own drinks, we now bring the experience right in their very homes by giving them ‘the barista touch,’” Flores finishes.  

The Barista Touch® is available in Breville outlets and select brand carriers. Know more about the newest model by visiting their website at Breville Philippines and following their Facebook page and Instagram account.

Don't Lose Hope

I am about to embark on another life journey. My life was on a standstill for a year and a month in counting, and all these times, I couldn't help but question why this happened. 

Then beginning of May, I found my answers. God makes us wait for very important reasons so don't lose hope. I will talk about this more on YT perhaps or maybe blog more about this when I am not so busy anymore. 

If you are feeling it too, just hang in there. There is a reason and a greater purpose for the "pause" that happens in our lives. 

Thank you Universe ❤ 

Moms in Tech: How these Mothers at Shopee Unlocked Success in a Fast-Paced Industry

MANILA, MAY 6, 2022 - With the rapid growth of e-commerce, more women are exploring the tech industry and finding success online. Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, continues to provide members of its platform with the support needed to thrive in tech. In time for Mother’s Day, three mothers share their experiences on how they ventured out of their comfort zones and into e-commerce. Karen, Primarose, and Glenda are a testament to what working mothers in tech are capable of achieving –  whether they are riders, livestream partners, or employees of Shopee.

Karen: Homegrown Shopee Leader 

Having previously worked in the operations side of the FMCG industry, Karen Perez, a wife and mother to two daughters, made the switch to join Shopee and become its first employee in the Philippines seven years ago to lead its Operations Team. She had hesitations, but she knew that being part of the tech industry would help her develop even more as a professional. “I already had one daughter and was pregnant with my youngest by the time I joined Shopee, and I had apprehensions about joining a young company. Eventually, I accepted the opportunity because I was excited to be part of the growing e-commerce sector.”

She recently took on a new role as the Head of People at Shopee Philippines. For those around her, this comes as no surprise as she has always approached leadership by building personal relationships in the workplace. She went from dealing with the backend aspects of the business to focusing her time to caring for people and their well-being. Karen shares, “I am grateful that my unique skill sets are recognized and I am given all these opportunities to grow within and lead the organization.” Despite the differences between the two fields, Karen believes that her experience both as a mother and wife helped mold her into the leader that she wanted to be. She credits the culture of Shopee for allowing her to be that. “Being both a mother and a department head has shown me what it means to be a good leader. Much like motherhood, leadership, at its very core, is caring for one’s people.” 

What is most rewarding for Karen is getting the admiration of the people whose opinion matters to her the most: her children. “Recently, I asked my eldest daughter what she wants to be when she grows up and she simply said, ‘I want to be like you.’ I am grateful to be doing meaningful work, and I hope my children strive to do the same someday.” 

Primarose: Rising to the challenge at Shopee Xpress

Primarose is a wife, a mother to three children, and a Shopee Xpress rider. Her unique journey with Shopee Xpress first began in June of 2021 after the pandemic forced her to close her souvenir store.

Being one of the few female riders in her line of profession, Primarose knows she has to be determined, and she has no regrets. She shared “Iba na ang panahon natin ngayon, hindi lang lalaki ang pwede magtrabaho. Nais ko ipakita sa mga ibang ina na kayang kaya rin nila makamit ang kanilang mga hangad.” (We live in a different age where women also have the opportunity to work. I want to show other mothers that they are capable of reaching their aspirations.)

She is now reaping the rewards of her efforts as she is now able to help provide for her family, and even take them out to eat in restaurants and go on outings. “Sa lahat ng nangyari mula sa pandemya, nagpapasalamat ako ng lubos na nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na magiging Shopee Xpress rider. Naging makahulugan ang pagiging ina at asawa ko dahil nabigay ko sa kanila ang pangangailangan nila mula sa trabaho ko bilang rider.” (Of all the things to have come out of this pandemic, I am most grateful that it gave me the opportunity to become a Shopee Xpress rider. I feel fulfilled as both a mother and wife knowing that I am able to provide for my family through my job.)

Mommy Gee: Finding balance as a working mother

Prior to becoming a Shopee livestreamer, Glenda, also known as Mommy Gee, started her journey in creating online content by posting about what means most to her: her children. She is a single mom working multiple jobs to support her three children, and struggled with something most moms would know about: time management. Besides doing online content, Mommy Gee is also a licensed real estate agent and entrepreneur as she owns a Korean food franchise. When the pandemic struck, her real estate job experienced a hit which is why she chose to become a Shopee livestreamer. She shared, “As a single mother to three children, I felt the need to take on as much as I could to make up for the many lost opportunities I faced during the onslaught of the pandemic. ” 

Mommy Gee chose to persevere doing livestream. At first, she wasn’t confident doing it but as time went by, she became more confident and eventually began to enjoy it. She loves helping people find their Shopee budols, and more importantly, connecting and making friends online. “As a single mother, I feel very blessed to have a job that allows me to spend more time with my children at home while also also giving me the opportunity to connect with a supportive online community.” shared Mommy Gee.

She encourages other working mothers to venture out of their comfort zones and persevere. Mommy Gee said “Starting out as a Shopee Livestreamer did not come easy for me, but I stuck with my decision and persevered. Seeing how much I have grown and learned since then is what pushes me to continue challenging myself.”   

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Good News and Election Preps

Something that I had been wishing will finally happen. I will blog about that when I get there end of this month. 

In the meantime, lemme share some points for Monday's National Election.

Preferably, bring black ballpen.

If you want to support your candidate, just vote. No need to flaunt your choices by wearing or bringing campaign emblems or materials.

Praying for a peaceful elections.