About Us
The Institute for Coffee Excellence is a school that offers world-class training standards for the specialty coffee industry. With the aim to elevate the quality of every coffee experience in the Philippines, it focuses on empowering the individuals that play an integral part in the country’s coffee chain: the farmers, roasters and baristas. It also strives to create an immersive education approach that provides an opportunity for everyone to learn about coffee and excel as professionals for sustainability.
As the educational arm of Henry & Sons and Manila Coffee Gear, the institute is committed in communicating the industry’s best practices, consumer insights, and evolving global standards combined with our years of experience in roasting, brewing, café operations, and research and development. In imparting our knowledge, we offer wide variety of courses to nurture and improve the skills of our students and to promote coffee literacy for better appreciation to the craft.
The Institute for Coffee Excellence is the official Philippine Principal of the Global Coffee School (GCS) and is also a Specialty Coffee Association Premier Training Campus.
For a Beautiful Coffee Future
Our Vision
“To become a powerful instrument in building a fully-sustainable coffee economy in the Philippines”
Through education, the Institute of Coffee Excellence envisions to create a beautiful coffee future where every individual makes conscious effort towards sustainability and commits to play one of the following roles in our community:
Farmer takes responsibility in ensuring continuity of cultivation and in harvesting superior quality crops.
Roaster reveals the unique flavor profiles of each coffee by their precise craftsmanship, roasting skills and respect for the crop.
Barista serves with mindfulness by turning ordinary coffee into an extraordinary cup.
Consumer discerns the products he consumes, preferring local specialty coffee prepared responsibly.
Our Mission
"To empower the members of the coffee community with knowledge, positive values, and passion to work towards a sustainable coffee future through education.”
Learning at the Institute
We believe that it takes more than just intuition and muscle memory to make a great cup of coffee. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced barista, we provide a learning experience that enables you to put theory into practice and become world-class coffee professional.
Institute-Designed Courses
At the institute, we use different approaches and techniques for varied learning types. To tailor fit the learning experience with the goals of our students, we have developed courses that utilize the latest technologies, multi-sensory exercises, and practical applications.
Global Coffee School Certification Programs
The Institute for Coffee Excellence is the official Philippine Principal of the Global Coffee School (GCS), an international certifying body with a training framework grounded on the intense sensory development and scientific principles of the Scentone® Aroma Standard. The courses are designed to enhance the palette and olfactory systems to use as a tool in establishing the benchmark of coffee quality.
SCA Coffee Skills Program
As a Specialty Coffee Association Premier Training Campus, we commit in providing excellent education standards designed to teach and help individuals to become world-class coffee professionals.
Team Members
Our team of coffee educators are industry practitioners who have acquired their skills and technique from their years of experience in the coffee industry.
Raoul de Peralta
Chief Educator, Licensed Q-Arabica and Robusta Grader, former Director of Coffee of Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters PH, GCS Certified Coffee Flavorist, Techno Barista, Brewing, Roasting and Classifier Trainer, and Certified Trainer of William Angliss' Prepare and Serve Espresso
Lyca Que
Sensory Modulation Trainer, Licensed Q-Arabica Grader, GCS Certified Coffee Flavorist, Techno Barista, Brewing, Roasting and Coffee Classifier Trainer, Quality Assurance Specialist of Henry & Sons' coffee production, and a Certified TESDA Barista NC II Holder
Argie Vegas
Barista Trainer, 2019 Philippine Brewers Cup 3rd Place & 2018 Philippine Coffee in Good Spirits finalist, Client Barista Trainer of Henry & Sons, and Certified TESDA Barista NC II Trainor
Adrian Vocalan
Part-time Trainer, 2017 Philippine National Latte Art Champion, 2016 Barista and Coffee Academy Latte Art Throwdown Champion, Monin Latte Art Throwdown Champion, and 5-Time Ricmas Latte Art Throwdown Champion
Ernie Mesina
Instructor, Coffee Concepts Specialist (Independent Consultant), Master Barista and Espresso Chef, F&B Operations Training Consultant, Barista Competition Training Consultant, WCE/WBE Sanctioned and Calibrated Judge for Philippine National Barista Championship, Training Consultant, and Head Judge for Philippine Grand Barista Cup
