Welcome to bugkalotcoffee.

com

Bugkalot Coffee Company (BCC) is a socially responsible enterprise that exists to

create sustainable economy and livelihood in partnership with the Bugkalot tribe,
former headhunters living in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Our goal is to alleviate
poverty in the community and empower them by working with and walking alongside
them, partnering to set up sustainable, long-term business. 

Our Purpose

BCC was established in 2013 through the initiative of Global Empowerment (GE), a

small mission organization based in the United States. Our purpose is to develop,
operate and manage plantations of coffee and other agricultural products, as well as
other related downstream processing and value-added activities in the Bugkalot
Ancestral Domain. Value-added activity is an activity that increases the value of the
product at a given stage in the production cycle.

Our Commitment

Empowerment

We are building the capability of the Bugkalot farmer-growers through step-by-step

technology transfer, onsite training & demo, holistic business development and
structured training programs. We are investing in the community’s long-term growth
and empowerment.

Value Creation

We produce high-grade Arabica green beans and other high-value agricultural

products to maximize economic benefit for the community, encourage value-add
activities onsite and bring in resources and revenue from the outside into the
community.
Work & Enterprise Opportunities

We create jobs & opportunities for small businesses, while also providing the
Bugkalot the opportunity to own a meaningful part of the coffee plantation. We value
equal opportunity and hard work.

Collaboration

We work together and are equal partners with the community. We grow and win
together, or not at all. We encourage honesty and seek to develop trust. We believe
that collaboration creates synergy.

Sustainability

We create sustainable, scalable business through long-term agreements, inclusiveness,

organic farming technology, profit-sharing and ownership opportunities. We support
government reforestation and seek to protect critical watersheds.

Integrity

We operate ethically and with integrity. We believe in doing the right thing.

Order Online

Bugkalot Coffee currently offers 250g bags of 100% Specialty Grade Arabica whole
beans for P420 (plus delivery).

Click below to order freshly roasted Bugkalot Coffee, or find us on

Facebook/Instagram (@bugkalotcoffee) and send us a message with your request.
The Bugkalot
The Sierra Madre Mountains of Nueva Vizcaya are home to some of the most
beautiful scenery in the Philippines. They are also home to the Bugkalot, a fierce and
warlike people. For generations the Bugkalot were headhunters. Headhunting was
such an ingrained part of their culture that it was impossible for a young man to get
married until he had taken a head. In their headhunting they ranged further and further
into the lowlands surrounding them until a time came when it seemed to the
Philippine government that the only possible solution to the problem was to send the
military into the mountains of the Sierra Madre to deal with the Bugkalot men who
were killing so freely. God intervened in 1954 when a Filipino missionary named
Florentino Santos moved in among the Bugkalot and began to learn their language. He
preached the good news of the Gospel and in the late 1950′s Tebdey and many other
Bugkalot men came to faith in Christ and learned to be afraid to kill. The headhunting
continued for many years before it was finally brought under control as more and
more men and women learned to follow Christ, which finally brought peace to the
Sierra Madre.

Today more than sixty percent of the men, women and children among the Bugkalot
have become followers of Christ and headhunting has become a part of their living
history. The men who once sought to take the lives of other men are today seeking
something very different. In 2011 the Bugkalot churches sent out the first Bugkalot
missionaries to the Agta tribe living in Bicol. The Bugkalot had visited Bicol and seen
how difficult life is for the Agta and it broke their hearts. The first group of
missionaries was followed by a second group and together they have learned the Agta
language and begun to teach. Now a third group of missionaries is preparing to join
the first two groups. The Bugkalot are shining the light in the darkness in Bicol, and
many of the Agta who live there have already placed their faith in Christ, while many
other villages are requesting that someone come to their village to teach the Good
News.

We Bugkalot have been the ones to whom others have

gone and now it is our turn to go to others who need to
hear.
Milyano, a Bugkalot pastor
They face a daunting task because more than ninety percent of the Bugkalot still have
no source of income, but they will not let their own poverty stop them from keeping
their promise. They are determined to send Bugkalot families to help the Agta. We in
turn are determined to help create an economy among the Bugkalot by starting
businesses that they can run to both support their families and sustain their promised
outreach to the Agta.

From Seeds…

Bugkalot Coffee has our own nursery for seedling production. Every year, we set
aside seeds specifically for the nursery. They are sown in seed beds, then transplanted
to individual seedling bags until they’re ready for planting.

…To Cherries…

Our plantation is now almost 40 hectares with about 40,000 coffee trees. In the last
few years, we have added between 5,000-10,000 new coffee trees to the plantation.
They flower and fruit once a year, with harvest season from October to February.
During the off season, we focus on pruning, fertilization, pest control, and other
maintenance activities.

…To Green Beans…

We hand pick only ripe cherries, which are then centrally processed, ensuring
consistent quality. Our beans undergo a semi-washed process:

1. Cherries are pulped, then floated to remove rejects

2. Pulped cherries are fermented
3. Fermented beans are washed then dried on elevated drying beds to avoid
foreign objects or debris getting mixed into the coffee
4. Dried beans are manually sorted to remove rejects and to separate peaberries
5. Beans are stored as parchment
6. Right before roasting, parchment coffee are manually hulled
7. Green beans are sorted again to remove broken beans or rejects
In the 2020 Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, Bugkalot Coffee was officially
certified as Specialty Grade green coffee, following SCA grading standards.

Coffee Standards

What is a standard? 
Standards can be great tools for the coffee industry as they are trusted reference instruments
established by knowledgeable subject-matter experts. An SCA standard is a high-quality
recommendation by the Standards Committee. It is a quantifiable and qualifiable measure,
based upon scientific testing, which set values and/or ranges of values for coffee. Currently, the
SCA has standards for water, green coffee, and cupping coffee.

Green Coffee Standards

Allowable Defects for Specialty Grade Coffee
To be considered specialty grade, green coffee shall have zero category one (1) defects and
five or less category two (2) defects. See the SCA green grading handbook for more
information on these defects. 
Green Grading Sample Size
A 350 gram sample of coffee is necessary to grade green coffee. 

Lighting for Green Grading

When grading green coffee, the light level on the tabletop and grading mat shall be full
spectrum and at least 4000 Kelvin (K) /1200 Lux (lx) /120 foot-candles (fc). 

Surface for Grading

Green grading shall be done on a table at least two (2) feet long and two (2) feet wide
(0.6096 meters by 0.6096 meters), on a black grading mat of at least the same size. 

Water Activity Standard

Specialty grade green coffee beans shall have a water activity measurement lower than
0.70aw. 

Water Activity Standard: Background Information

Standard: Specialty grade green coffee beans shall have a water activity measurement lower
than 0.70aw. 
Aim: To control wholesomeness and sensory quality of coffee raw material by minimizing
the possibility of microorganism infection.
Background: Compared to moisture content, water activity (aw) is considered a better
parameter for quantifying the degree of binding of all water present in food, both free and
bound and, therefore, its availability to act as a solvent and participate in chemical,
biochemical and microbiological transformations (Fellows, 2006), becoming the main
indicator of food deterioration.

Presence of water in coffee may be seen as undesirable for several reasons:

 As a foreign material present in raw coffee, water content is part of the weight at time
of purchase and therefore affects coffee price;
 As a spoilage factor of raw coffee at field and transport, water enhances mold attack
opportunities, eventually leading to lot rejection;
 As a spoilage factor of raw coffee during final storage, water leads to enzymatic
reactions that in the long term produce off-tastes;
 As a roasting/quenching/packaging technological aid, water is part of the weight of the
coffee in the finished product and therefore affects final wholesale and retail price.

Water activity (aw) is a measurement of the availability of water for survival and growth of
microorganisms on nutritious substrates, including green coffee.
It differs from moisture content inasmuch as water can be bound in different ways to food
substrate, making it unavailable for microorganisms' growth and production of metabolites,
e.g. undesirable contaminants like flavor taints or toxins. Only the fraction of water that can
go in equilibrium with vapor phase (i.e. evaporate) can be profited by microorganisms like
bacteria, yeasts and – more importantly – molds for germination, survival and growth. Such
fraction can be accurately inferred by measurement of aw.

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. Toxigenic fungi can grow
both in the field during harvesting and storage, due to several factors inherent in the substrate
and factors inherent in conditions involving the substrate (Scussel, 1998).

The most common mycotoxin related to coffee is ochratoxin A: there are three major
ochratoxin A-producing fungi that are associated with coffee: Aspergillus carbonarius,
Aspergillus ochraceus and, rarely, Aspergillus niger (Silva et al., 2008).

The fungus Aspergillus ochraceus is the leading producer of ochratoxin A in coffee. It

develops in environments with temperatures between 8°C and 37°C, with the optimum
temperature between 24 and 31°C. The minimum water activity for its development is 0.76 at
25°C, with the optimum aw ranging from 0.95 to 0.99 and pH between 3 and 10 (Hocking
and Pitt, 1997). Although Aspergillus ochraceus develops from a water activity of 0.76, the
toxin is produced in coffee beans from 0.85, and 0.97 is the optimal aw (Moss, 1996).

Implementation: Water activity is defined as the ratio of the vapor pressure of water in a

given material to the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. When vapor and
temperature equilibrium are obtained in a sealed measurement chamber, the water activity of
the sample is equal to the relative humidity of air surrounding it.

Relative humidity measurement is a straightforward albeit delicate analysis, best performed

in dedicated apparatus commercially available.

Guidelines: Follow the calibration and operations instructions given by the water activity
testing equipment manufacture, placing the appropriate quantity of coffee beans into the
device.

Caveat 1: Any analytical determination is at most as good as the sampling step that precedes
it.

Caveat 2: aw determinations cannot assure that previous infection and spoilage did not occur
on the green coffee in the past. Monitoring plans for extant presence of mycotoxins should
always be in place throughout the farm-to-roaster supply chain.
Cupping Standards
Coffee to Water Ratio for Cupping
When cupping, the ratio of 8.25 grams (whole bean) coffee (± 0.25 grams), to 5.07 fluid
ounces (150 ml) water shall be used. When adjusting due to vessel size, a ratio of 1.63 grams
(whole bean) coffee per 1 fluid ounce of water (or 0.055 g coffee per 1 ml water) shall be
used. 

Cupping Vessel
Cupping vessels shall be of tempered glass or ceramic material. They shall be between 7 and
9 fluid ounces (207 ml to 266 ml), with a top diameter of between 3 and 3.5 inches (76 - 89
mm). All cups used shall be of identical volume, dimensions and material of manufacture,
and have lids. 

Cupping Water Temperature

Cupping water temperature shall be 200°F ± 2°F (92.2 – 94.4°C) when poured on grounds. 

Cupping Water
Cupping Water shall meet all the requirements listed in the SCA Standard 'Water for
Brewing Specialty Coffee', which can be found on the SCA Resources web page. 

Grind for Cupping

The coffee used for cupping shall be ground so that 70-75 percent of the grinds pass through
the 20 mesh sieve. 

Roast for Cupping

The roasting of coffee for cupping shall take between 8 and 12 minutes, and shall be used for
cupping between 8 and 24 hours after roasting. 

Roast Level for Cupping

The roast level for cupping shall be measured between 30 minutes and 4 hours after roasting
using coffee ground to the SCA Standard Grind for Cupping and be measured on coffee at
room temperature. The coffee shall meet the following measurements with a tolerance of ±
1.0 units:

 Agtron “Gourmet”: 63.0

 Agtron “Commercial”: 48.0
  Colortrack: 62.0
 Probat Colorette 3b: 96.0
 Javalytics: same as Agtron measurement using either “Gourmet” or “Commercial” scales
 RoastRite: same as Agtron measurements using “Gourmet” scale
 LightTells CM-100 and CM-100 plus: same as Agtron measurements using “Gourmet”
scale
 Dipper KN-201: same as Agtron measurement using either “Gourmet” or “Commercial”
scales
 X-Rite PANTONE RM-200 COFFEE: same as Agtron measurements using “Gourmet” scale
Cupping Room Size
Cupping room minimum dimensions (for exactly one cupping table) shall be no smaller than
110 square feet (10.22 m2). The cupping room shall be sufficient size to accommodate all
students for cupping at the same time. Each cupping table shall have 36-inch space
surrounding the table for cuppers. No other furniture or fixtures shall be closer than 36-
inches from the cupping table. If two or more tables are in the cupping room, a 60-inch
radius shall be required between tables. 

Cupping Spoons
Cupping spoons shall hold 0.135 – 0.169 fluid ounces (4-5 ml) of coffee sample and should
be of non-reactive metal. 

Cupping Tables
Cupping tables (for 6 people) shall have a surface area of at least 10 square feet (0.93 m2).
Cupping tables shall be a comfortable height for all student sizes, abilities, and disabilities.
(Cupping table shall be stationary and the students shall move around the table. Spinning
table are inefficient and do not allow each student to direct their own cupping experience and
should only be used in extreme situations when the student has no mobility.) 

Water Standards
Water For Brewing Standards
The Statistics & Standards Committee of the Specialty Coffee Association has determined
the following standards for the water used to brew specialty coffee. For a superior quality
extraction of coffee solids, the brewing water should have these characteristics: 

Characteristic Target Acceptable Range

Odor 1 Clean Fresh / Odor Free
Chlorine None None
 Characteristic Target Acceptable Range
Calcium Hardness 50-175 ppm CaCO3 50-175 ppm CaCO3
Alkalinity 40 ppm At or near 40-70 ppm CaCO3
pH 7.0 6-8
1. Odor is based on sensory olfactory determination.
2. Color is based on sensory visual determination.
3. TDS measured based on 4-4-2 conversion.

The Target is the most desirable point in the Acceptable Range, although falling within the
range is considered meeting the standard. These variances are in place to take into
consideration real world circumstances, and the target gives the optimum measurement of
each characteristic to strive for.

For details of testing equipment & protocols, please see the SCA Water Quality Handbook.

Brewing Standards
Golden Cup Standard
Coffee shall exhibit a brew strength, measured in Total Dissolved Solids, of 11.5 to 13.5
grams per liter, corresponding to 1.15 to 1.35 "percent" on the SCA Brewing Control Chart,
resulting from a solubles extraction yield of 18 to 22 percent*.

…And Roasted Coffee

Bugkalot Coffee has a medium roast, delivering a medium-heavy body, with a dark
chocolate sweetness and light fruit finish. Click here to order your bag of roasted
Bugkalot Coffee.

NV COFFEE CHAMPS REAPED HIGH COFFEE GREEN GRADING RESULTS IN 2021 PCQC
The Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) is an annual event that aims to identify the best
quality coffees in the country and promote the Philippine Specialty Coffee to domestic and global
markets that can improve business opportunities for all Philippine coffee key players.
This year's PCQC was held last April to May 2021 and three DTI-assisted entities from Nueva
Vizcaya engaged in coffee production joined the said competition and marked another milestone for
the province's coffee industry. These Coffee Champs are Tiblac-Langak Farmers Association, Inc.
represented by Mr. Alfredo Annu-ay, Bumolo's Integrated Farm owned by Ms. Juliet Morales, and
Bugkalot Coffee Growers Cooperative represented by Mr. Patricio Pasigian. Two entries each were
submitted under the Arabica and Robusta Coffee Categories.
The Coffee Green Grading Results that were released last May 26, 2021 revealed that the Arabica
Coffees of the Bugkalot Coffee Growers Cooperative and Bumolo's Integrated Farm were classified
under the specialty grade, the highest classification for the said category, while the Robusta Coffees
of Tiblac-Langak Farmers Association, Inc. and Bumolo's Integrated Farm were graded as Fine and
Premium respectively. "Fine" is also the highest classification for the Robusta Coffee Category
followed by "Premium".

SINGLE ORIGIN COFFEE FROM THE SIERRA MADRE

REDEMPTION COFFEE is exclusively grown on the slopes of the Sierra Madre in the Philippines.
The Sierra Madre is home to the Bugkalot Tribe who were once fierce headhunters but are now
Christian growers of one of the finest coffee beans in the Philippines/World.
REDEMPTION COFFEE is Limited Edition, Single Origin and 100% Arabica.
REDEMPTION COFFEE is an exotic variant; the result of coffee beans grown in Ideal soil
conditions combined with just the right shade, rain and sunshine. These lively coffee beans yield a
distinctly tropical Sierra Madre taste.
Tasting Notes: Exotic with citric overtones.
In partnership with the Bugkalot Coffee Company
A BEST SELLER!

Adlai, or Job’s Tears, has been gaining a local following, offering itself as a healthier,
gluten-free alternative to rice. This short grain’s creamy, chewy texture has been compared
to Arborio rice, and can be used for risottos, paella, rice casseroles, or just the usual white
rice replacement
FARM UPDATE! Although we’ve seen some early cherries appearing on trees, most are in the
flowering stage and it’s looking beautiful!
Arabica trees are self pollinating, but some research has shown that bees can help harvest production
as well as create stronger biodiversity. It may be a little late for National Bee Day, but we wanted to
give some love to these little friends

PRESS RELEASE: THE CUP OF FAITH PARTNERS WITH BUGKALOT COFFEE COMPANY
PASIG, PHILIPPINES (April 25, 2021) – The Cup of Faith (COF) is adding Bugkalot Coffee as one
of their premium coffee bean offerings for their coffee bean home and office delivery. Bugkalot
Coffee, called ‘Redemption’ and grown by the Bugkalot Coffee Company, is Single Origin coffee
and 100% Arabica, coming from the Sierra Madre mountains in Nueva Vizcaya.
Tarny and Tess Perkins, Missionaries and Stewards of COF, said, “We are extremely passionate
about coffee and meticulously selective when choosing our coffee beans and partners. COF will only
source coffee beans that we have personally tested and/or blended for yields that bring a superior
taste and unparalleled quality.” They continued, “Tarny and Edgar (our GM) visited the Bugkalot
Tribe in the Sierra Madre and were impressed by the operation, their evangelism in sending their own
Bugkalot missionaries to other tribes around the country, and of course their coffee beans. The
Partnership brings together two Christian Companies with Jesus Christ at the core. Added their sons,
THE PERKINS TWINS (Jesse and Christian Perkins), “We believe we have created a wonderfully
smooth coffee taste that sets Bugkalot coffee apart from other Filipino coffee beans. We think the
new generation of coffee drinkers who really know coffee, are going to love the Bugkalot coffee!”
According to Joseph Tan-chi, President of Bugkalot Coffee Company, “We’ve been working with
the Bugkalot tribal community since 2013 and are excited about the partnership with the Cup of
Faith. We’ve known Tarny & Tess for a few years now but did not have enough production in the
past to really explore something with them, until now. We received a Specialty Grade classification
(green grade score) in last year’s Philippine Coffee Quality Competition so are really excited about
getting our beans to COF’s customers. The road to this point has not been easy these past few years
so this partnership represents a major milestone for us as we continue this journey of empowering the
Bugkalot by working with them to both lift their community up out of poverty, and also to sustain
their missions outreach to other tribes.”
Located at CCF Center, The Cup of Faith is the Philippine destination for worship, fellowship and
coffee. The Cup of Faith is a Christian Ministry and a most trusted source for quality coffee and
coffee bean supply.
The Cup of Faith and Bugkalot Coffee Company are Christian coffee companies, with a foundation
based on Colossians 3:23, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,” and
that assures only the very best coffee beans are delivered to our faithful customers.
The Cup of Faith is delivering their popular coffee beans throughout the Philippines and following all
necessary COVID-19 precautions.

TREKKING THE SIERRA MADRE FOR AN AWAKENING WITH COFFEE

The Cup of Faith had an exciting adventure visiting the Bugkalot Coffee Company several years ago.
(YOU CAN SEE THE CUP OF FAITH BLOG HERE:
https://thecupoffaithministry.wordpress.com/.../trekking.../)
At the time, the Bugkalot Coffee Company was just starting their coffee operation with the planting
of shade trees and also seedlings. I (Tarny Perkins) and my brother-in-law, Edgar Pazziuagan (GM
for COF) were invited by Jay Jackson (ex-New Tribes Mission) and Joseph Tan-chi (President of
Bugkalot Coffee Company), to witness the amazing transformation that was taking place in the Sierra
Madre with the Bugkalot tribe from subsistence farming to faith in Jesus Christ and profitability for
the Bugkalot Tribe through coffee.
We had just returned to the Philippines in 2013 to steward The Cup of Faith at CCF Center as
Missionaries working with youth and families in the Philippines and that's where I ran into Jay
Jackson at Christ’s Commission Fellowship during a wonderful Sunday gathering at The Cup of
Faith coffee shop, located at CCF Center..
By background, the Perkins Family had been in the coffee business in the Philippines since 1993.
Our coffee shops (under a different brand with 10 shops in operation and long before the 'coffee
chains' arrived) were frequented by actors, politicians, the general public and Missionaries. By God's
grace, we were perhaps the first in the Philippines to bring gourmet coffee to the market with our first
coffee shop at SM Megamall and 10 coffee shops throughout Metro Manila, Philippines. We
returned to California to experiment with surf cafes and for me to get back to my passion for Internet
content. Our twin sons, Jesse and Christian (then in kindergarten) were born in the Philippines and
raised in California.
Initially we opened our coffee shops as a way to meet people and share the gospel. And we were
blessed by meeting so many wonderful people, with fantastic conversations within our coffee shops.
We would testify to the glory of God and hear miraculous stories from Missionaries with New Tribes
Missions (now called Ethnos360) and other Christians who were dedicated to sharing the Gospel.
We also supplied coffee beans to Christ’s Commission Fellowship CCF) and attended CCF as did
most of the Missionaries from New Tribes.
On the day of our trip to the Sierra Madre, it had just finished raining. As we started our assent up the
mountain, we were joined by several other Christian Missionaries and by Jay and Patrick. Included
with our team were several of the Bugkalot Tribe. The stories told were fascinating. The Bugkalot, as
it turns out, were a headhunting tribe and referred to as ghosts. The Bugkalot were seemingly
impossible to track and they could appear suddenly as if out of nowhere.
As Jay was telling us this, I couldn’t help but think about what it must have been like during those
times and I was half joking when I asked if their head hunting days were long over - ha! New Tribes
was one of the first to share the gospel with The Bugkalot. Jay and his family lived with the Bugkalot
for many years and Jay could speak the Bugkalot language. And ultimately it was the Gospel and the
Bible and the Holy Spirit that ultimately stopped the head hunting.
And let me digress for just a moment. There is a story told of a missionary family that was about to
be killed by a local tribe. When the chief started the attack on their home in the jungle, he stopped
and quickly retreated back into the mountains. The next day, he appeared at the Missionary nipa hut.
He was curious and fearful. He told the family that he had intended to kill them and asked them who
the guards were that were outside their nipa hit that evening.
The family was shocked … they had no guards and no obvious protection. But the Lord protected
them. It was God’s army of warring angels that had been sent to protect the family and also to help
bring the gospel to the Chief. As the story goes the chief ultimately gave his life to Jesus as did the
rest of the tribe. To be honest, I’m not sure if this was the Bugkalot Tribe or another tribe but the
story is based on fact.
To God be all the glory.
The trip up the mountain took several hours. Many parts of the mountain were steep and slippery,
from the rains. But the scenery was breathtaking. We were told about how Bugkalot Coffee
Company was planning on providing a livelihood for the Bugkalot people. Jay and Joseph shared so
many miracles about how redemption was coming to the Bugkalot.
After spending many hours on the mountain, we met as a group at the base camp and learned more
about the operation and the goals of Bugkalot Coffee Company. We tasted our first Bugkalot Coffee
(we call our coffee beans Redemption). And immediately we knew this was a coffee bean that would
compete as a world class offering of single origin, Arabica coffee beans.
And as fellow believers, we were definitely singing from the same hymnal.
The Cup of Faith committed to help Bugkalot Coffee Company in any way possible.
The Bugkalot Coffee company provides this background on the Bugkalot:
The Sierra Madre Mountains of Nueva Vizcaya are home to some of the most beautiful scenery in
the Philippines. They are also home to the Bugkalot, a fierce and warlike people. For generations the
Bugkalot were headhunters. Headhunting was such an ingrained part of their culture that it was
impossible for a young man to get married until he had taken a head. In their headhunting they
ranged further and further into the lowlands surrounding them until a time came when it seemed to
the Philippine government that the only possible solution to the problem was to send the military into
the mountains of the Sierra Madre to deal with the Bugkalot men who were killing so freely. God
intervened in 1954 when a Filipino missionary named Florentino Santos moved in among the
Bugkalot and began to learn their language. He preached the good news of the Gospel and in the late
1950′s Tebdey and many other Bugkalot men came to faith in Christ and learned to be afraid to kill.
The headhunting continued for many years before it was finally brought under control as more and
more men and women learned to follow Christ, which finally brought peace to the Sierra Madre.

Ikit Mylene is the team leader for our post-harvest processing (which covers several key
activities that ensure only the highest quality coffee). Ripe cherries are sorted, pulped,
fermented, washed, dried, sorted again and stored as parchment coffee to ensure
freshness. They are then dehulled and sorted (a third time) before roasting.
Last January, The Visionary team went to the Mountains of Sierra Madre in the province of Nueva
Vizcaya for an origin trip. There we witnessed the efforts of the coffee farmers, the Bugkalot Tribe
itself, from careful growing and picking to meticulous processing. And as part of our advocacy, we
extend our passion through roasting and brewing their coffee to ensure that we bring most out of the
beans.
Experience dark chocolate, prunes and molasses in a coffee cup.
Available on the hopper daily. Enjoy it as black , white, or filtered.
Let’s support our local coffee farmers!
See you all at the Vsnry!

For those north of the city, you can find Bugkalot Coffee at Sartin Cafe in Bambang Nueva
Vizcaya!

Our Sierra Madre concentrate is back and it's here to stay! ⠀

⠀
First released as a limited edition concentrate during the start of ECQ last April 2020, this
baby quickly became a best seller and sold out immediately. What makes it different and
what changed?⠀
⠀
This concentrate is THAT coffee for everything. While we love it with milk, it's just as good
enjoyed plain over ice. We recommend a 1:2 coffee to milk/water ratio for this one, so you
get your money's worth. Our coffee beans are also now certified 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚
which proves that it's definitely one of the best you'll try !⠀
⠀
First deliveries will be shipped out this FRIDAY, so make sure you grab your slot.

THE CUP OF FAITH PARTNERS WITH BUGKALOT

COFFEE COMPANY
PRESS

PASIG, PHILIPPINES (April 25, 2021) – The Cup of Faith (COF) is adding

Bugkalot Coffee as one of their premium coffee bean offerings for their coffee
bean home and office delivery.  Bugkalot Coffee, called ‘Redemption’ and
grown by the Bugkalot Coffee Company, is Single Origin coffee and 100%
Arabica, coming from the Sierra Madre mountains in Nueva Vizcaya.
Tarny and Tess Perkins, Missionaries and Stewards of COF, said, “We are
extremely passionate about coffee and meticulously selective when choosing
our coffee beans and partners. COF will only source coffee beans that we
have personally tested and/or blended for yields that bring a superior taste
and unparalleled quality.”  They continued, “Tarny and Edgar (our GM) visited
the Bugkalot Tribe in the Sierra Madre and were impressed by the operation,
their evangelism in sending their own Bugkalot missionaries to other tribes
around the country, and of course their coffee beans. The Partnership brings
together two Christian Companies with Jesus Christ at the core.  Added their
sons, THE PERKINS TWINS (Jesse and Christian Perkins), “We believe we
have created a wonderfully smooth coffee taste that sets Bugkalot coffee
apart from other Filipino coffee beans. We think the new generation of coffee
drinkers who really know coffee, are going to love the Bugkalot coffee!”
Edgar Pazziuagan, GM of The Cup of Faith with Joseph Tan-chi, President of
Bugkalot Coffee Company

According to Joseph Tan-chi, President of Bugkalot Coffee Company, “We’ve

been working with the Bugkalot tribal community since 2013 and are excited
about the partnership with the Cup of Faith. We’ve known Tarny & Tess for a
few years now but did not have enough production in the past to really explore
something with them, until now. We received a Specialty Grade classification
(green grade score) in last year’s Philippine Coffee Quality Competition so are
really excited about getting our beans to COF’s customers. The road to this
point has not been easy these past few years so this partnership represents a
major milestone for us as we continue this journey of empowering the
Bugkalot by working with them to both lift their community up out of poverty,
and also to sustain their missions outreach to other tribes.”
Tarny Perkins, Founder of The Cup of Faith with Jay Jackson (formerly of
New Tribes Mission)

Located at CCF Center, The Cup of Faith is the Philippine destination for
worship, fellowship and coffee. The Cup of Faith is a Christian Ministry and a
most trusted source for quality coffee and coffee bean supply.

The Cup of Faith and Bugkalot Coffee Company are Christian coffee
companies, with a foundation based on Colossians 3:23, “And whatever you
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,” and that assures only the
very best coffee beans are delivered to our faithful customers.

The Cup of Faith is delivering their popular coffee beans throughout the
Philippines and following all necessary COVID-19 precautions.

TREKKING THE SIERRA MADRE FOR AN AWAKENING

WITH COFFEE
The Cup of Faith had an exciting adventure visiting the Bugkalot Coffee
Company several years ago. 

At the time, the Bugkalot Coffee Company was just starting their coffee
operation with the planting of shade trees and also seedlings.  I (Tarny
Perkins) and my brother-in-law, Edgar Pazziuagan (GM for COF) were invited
by Jay Jackson (ex-New Tribes Mission) and Joseph Tan-chi (President of
Bugkalot Coffee Company), to witness the amazing transformation that was
taking place in the Sierra Madre with the Bugkalot tribe from subsistence
farming to faith in Jesus Christ and profitability for the Bugkalot Tribe through
coffee.  

We had just returned to the Philippines in 2013 to steward The Cup of Faith at
CCF Center as Missionaries working with youth and families in the Philippines
and that’s where I ran into Jay Jackson at Christ’s Commission Fellowship
during a wonderful Sunday gathering at The Cup of Faith coffee shop, located
at CCF Center.

Tarny Perkins, Founder of The Cup of Faith with Jay Jackson, formerly of
New Tribes Mission

By background, the Perkins Family had been in the coffee business in the
Philippines since 1993.  Our coffee shops (under a different brand with 10
shops in operation and long before the ‘coffee chains’ arrived) were
frequented by actors, politicians, the general public and Missionaries.  By
God’s grace, we were perhaps the first in the Philippines to bring gourmet
coffee to the market with our first coffee shop at SM Megamall and 10 coffee
shops throughout Metro Manila, Philippines.  We returned to California to
experiment with surf cafes and for me to get back to my passion for Internet
content.  Our twin sons, Jesse and Christian (then in kindergarten) were born
in the Philippines and raised in California. 
Initially we opened our coffee shops as a way to meet people and share the
gospel.  And we were blessed by meeting so many wonderful people, with
fantastic conversations within our coffee shops.  We would testify to the glory
of God and hear miraculous stories from Missionaries with New Tribes
Missions (now called Ethnos360) and other Christians who were dedicated to
sharing the Gospel.  

We also supplied coffee beans to Christ’s Commission Fellowship CCF) and

attended CCF as did most of the Missionaries from New Tribes. 

On the day of our trip to the Sierra Madre, it had just finished raining. As we
started our assent up the mountain, we were joined by several other Christian
Missionaries and by Jay and Patrick.  Included with our team were several of
the Bugkalot Tribe.  The stories told were fascinating.  The Bugkalot, as it
turns out,  were a HEADHUNTING TRIBE and were referred to as ghosts. 
The Bugkalot were seemingly impossible to track and they could appear
suddenly as if out of nowhere.

As Jay was telling us this, I couldn’t help but think about what it must have
been like during those times and I was half joking when I asked if their head
hunting days were long over – ha!  New Tribes was one of the first to share
the gospel with The Bugkalot.  Jay and his family lived with the Bugkalot for
many years and Jay could speak the Bugkalot language. And ultimately it was
the Gospel and the Bible and the Holy Spirit that ultimately stopped the head
hunting. 

And let me digress for just a moment.  There is a story told of a missionary
family that was about to be killed by a local tribe.  When the chief started the
attack on their home in the jungle, he stopped and quickly retreated back into
the mountains.  The next day, he appeared at the Missionary nipa hut. He was
curious and fearful.  He told the family that he had intended to kill them and
asked them who the guards were that were outside their nipa hit that
evening.  

The family was shocked … they had no guards and no obvious protection. 
But the Lord protected them.   It was God’s army of warring angels that had
been sent to protect the family and also to help bring the gospel to the Chief. 
As the story goes the chief ultimately gave his life to Jesus as did the rest of
the tribe.  To be honest, I’m not sure if this was the Bugkalot Tribe or another
tribe but the story is based on fact.  
To God be all the glory.

The trip up the mountain took several hours.  Many parts of the mountain
were steep and slippery, from the rains.  But the scenery was breathtaking. 
We were told about how Bugkalot Coffee Company was planning on providing
a livelihood for the Bugkalot people.  Jay and Joseph shared so many
miracles about how redemption was coming to the Bugkalot.

The Cup of Faith visits The Bugkalot Coffee Company in the Sierra Madre

After spending many hours on the mountain, we met as a group at the base
camp and learned more about the operation and the goals of Bugkalot Coffee
Company.  We tasted our first Bugkalot Coffee (we call our coffee beans
Redemption). And immediately we knew this was a coffee bean that would
compete as a world class offering of single origin, Arabica coffee beans. 

And as fellow believers, we were definitely singing from the same hymnal.  

The Cup of Faith committed to help Bugkalot Coffee Company in any way
possible.

The Bugkalot Coffee company provides this background on the

Bugkalot:
The Sierra Madre Mountains of Nueva Vizcaya are home to some of the most
beautiful scenery in the Philippines. They are also home to the Bugkalot, a
fierce and warlike people. For generations the Bugkalot were headhunters.
Headhunting was such an ingrained part of their culture that it was impossible
for a young man to get married until he had taken a head. In their headhunting
they ranged further and further into the lowlands surrounding them until a time
came when it seemed to the Philippine government that the only possible
solution to the problem was to send the military into the mountains of the
Sierra Madre to deal with the Bugkalot men who were killing so freely. God
intervened in 1954 when a Filipino missionary named Florentino Santos
moved in among the Bugkalot and began to learn their language. He
preached the good news of the Gospel and in the late 1950′s Tebdey and
many other Bugkalot men came to faith in Christ and learned to be afraid to
kill. The headhunting continued for many years before it was finally brought
under control as more and more men and women learned to follow Christ,
which finally brought peace to the Sierra Madre.

Bugkalot Coffee Company

Photo from Bugkalot Coffee Company website

The Bugkalot Tribe is located in the Northern part of the island of Luzon.
Many may not have known much about them, and Joseph TanChi was
one of them. It was only when he had met some missionaries who had
worked with the Bugkalot that he was inspired to work with them and
expand his initiative and mission as well. There, he formed two
objectives–to send the Good News about Jesus Christ to the Bugkalot
community and to assist them out of poverty.

However, this mission does come with a lot of challenges. Mistakes were
made, but what Joseph decided to do, instead of giving up, was to keep
moving forward. He believed that his belief and his initiative were far
stronger than any challenge that they’d face. For them, they were given
the privilege, and with that comes the opportunity of helping not just the
people, but also the economy. In their words, “We’re able to learn so
much, meet so many new people, try so many new things, that the
momentary hardships pale in comparison when we take a step back and
look at the bigger picture of what we’re a part of.”

It was an arduous journey, but they kept their ‘why’s close to heart and
moved forward–something that all entrepreneurs should look up to.
When asked about their message for aspiring changemakers, they could
only end with this, “Because we’re missionaries, our first message to
anyone will always be to seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, He came
to give us life through a relationship with Him, and if we have that,
everything else follows. Also, realizing that there is more to life than
merely living for ourselves is always a great place to be. It’s such a
cliche, but that mindset can move us from merely spending our lives to
investing our lives.”