10 years to fill someone’s cup
It’s not often you hear the words enduring or durable when describing a cafe, but in Caravan Black’s case—particularly for co-founders and owners Miguel Rodriguez, Chicho Suarez-Rodriguez, Andrei Aquino, and Rico Serrano—this deliberate word choice is an apt summation of the cafe’s 10-year tenure in Bonifacio Global City.
In an industry that is already difficult as it is—think thin margins, high operating expenses, a competitive market, customers with high expectations—and one that is also beset by global challenges such as supply chain disruptions, geopolitical conflicts, and a pandemic, lasting 10 anxiety-inducing years is a feat Miguel and Chicho couldn’t have anticipated.
Especially given the fact that Caravan Black was their first foray into foodservice.
On a trip to Australia from the Gold Coast to Sydney, the couple fell in love with the local cafe culture and decided to recreate the experience in Manila. “If we bring it home, we have to make it our own,” says Miguel. “Or, a place where we’d like to hang out. So that’s how we came up with the concept of Caravan.”
Banking on Chicho’s brief stints at Le Roches and Le Cordon Bleu, Miguel’s retail and furniture background, and an ambition to scratch an itch to find a new direction, Caravan Black successfully opened in 2016 and, despite the high-pressure circumstances, continues to thrive and connect with its customers.
Culture is the big idea
At the heart of their longevity are things that most have always known: connection, innovation, and culture.
“To us, it’s really about community building,” shares Chicho. “What we really love about what this place has become is that we feel every area should have a sort of third space. And that only happens with cafe culture and community building [working] synonymously together.”
Caravan Black’s location further explores this relationship. Situated at the base of an office building that acts as a pedestrian corridor, the cafe’s permanent liminal space itself is a strategy designed to address demands of corporate workers in nearby offices, bridge sustenance with the power of connection, and become part of someone’s daily routine.
“Coffee will get you through the door. But what will make you come back?” Miguel asks. “Culture is very important. If you have the wrong culture—from service to how the baristas greet you or the feel of the place—[and] if you don’t get it right, then even if you have good products, customers are not going to come back.”
“You can’t have it on day one. You kind of have to keep working until you finally… I don’t even know if we’re there,” he adds. “I hope we’re there until we finally get it. And then, people will always support.”
Still dreaming big
Long before the first sip of their cold brew sago’t gulaman or bite of the orange chicken grain bowl, Miguel and Chicho send a clear signal of the brand through signatures that make an impact: a warm and industrial atmosphere, unobtrusive decor, reading materials you can borrow, and a reputation that encourages repeat visits.
Like their culture, the cafe’s 10-year triumph is a direct result of Miguel and Chicho embracing evolution. “[Comparing] when we started to where we are now, we are definitely not the same people. And we feel that your business grows as you grow as a person,” admits Chicho. “This cafe has grown with us for the last 10 years, and all the time, we have to find a way to just make the whole product or the whole experience better.”
Being better in this case means adhering to consistent and transparent standards that result in rewarding experiences. “For us to put a dish on the menu, we have to be confident enough to serve it to our families,” says Miguel. “If you serve it to your family, then you can serve it to your guests.”
And though their mortadella sandwich, bacon and egg bun, Asian mushroom noodles, and pandan buttermilk pancakes are defiantly delicious (and fairly priced, too), the dream, Chicho says—and perhaps a sentiment shared by entrepreneurs and baristas—is to thrive on beverage sales.
“Like in other countries, you can survive on just coffee. They will churn out 500 to 800 cups a day,” she says. “Here, it’s like food and coffee are synonymous. Just like two peas in a pod.”
Whether the scene reaches that point or not, Caravan Black has left a lasting impression that will tide them into the next decade.
