Tiger Sugar opens world’s first café in Philippines, collaborates with Hello Kitty

MANILA, Philippines — To celebrate its fifth anniversary in the Philippines, Taiwanese food and beverage brand Tiger Sugar recently unveiled its first ever café concept in the world – in the second floor of One Ayala mall, Makati City, and revealed its first-ever collaboration, with iconic Japanese cartoon character Hello Kitty.

Genellane Go, Marketing Manager at Making Fine Beverages Corp., Tiger Sugar’s Philippine franchiser, told Philstar.com that not even Tiger Sugar’s home country Taiwan has the brand’s café concept yet.

According to her, the Taiwanese label chose to open its first café concept in the Philippines following strong demand for more sitting areas. The Philippines, too, she said, is the top country in Asia that patronizes the brand.

Likewise, the Hello Kitty collaboration is exclusive for the Philippines. Go explained that they chose Hello Kitty because both kitty and tiger come from the same feline family.

Apart from reusable cups with straw covers that can be bought from all of Tiger Sugar’s 34 branches nationwide, the collaboration gave birth to two new drinks, Jelly Party and Pink Slushie with Salted Cheese Cream.

Go said Pink Slushie is Tiger Sugar’s first ever slushie, while Jelly Party takes cue from customers’ strong demand for sinkers.

These new drinks complement well with the café’s pasta dishes, burgers, fries and pastries. The bestsellers, said Go, are pastas and burgers, while for the drinks, it is still the brand’s signature brown sugar milk tea with pearls.

After Makati, a second café was recently opened in SM City Fairview, with more plans to open more cafes and beverage stores all over the Philippines.