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Coffee break with Jackie Chan
International superstar Jackie Chan took some time off the set of his upcoming flick, Rush Hour 3, to have a cup of coffee with members of the Philippine press.
Upon entering the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati on the afternoon of Aug. 4, Jackie was stormed by fans and members of the media who were all curious about a new coffee shop franchise he is brewing in Manila.
Coming from a storm himself, Jackie proved his might as an action star by taking a rush flight on a stormy day in a chartered flight from Hong Kong. After a waterlogged trip, all what the Hollywood star wanted was a few sips of coffee and a warm chit-chat with the investors and the press about Jackie Chan's Java-his Hong Kong-based coffee shop whose first international franchise is about to open in the Philippines.
"Coffee is a language itself," said the international superstar. "I'm going to talk to the world using coffee because it is a product that does not have a language barrier. Almost everyone in the world loves it."
Inspired by the countryside's relaxed and neighborly ambiance, Jackie Chan's Java aims to provide its customers with an escape from the daily grind of work.
Despite the presence of a ballooning café industry in the country, Michael Bacco, one of Chan's business partners, expressed optimism that Jackie's Java will still do well.
"The Philippines is a diverse country. Its capital-Manila-is an international crossroad that provides a perfect venue for the offering of Jackie's premium coffee blends," he said. "Leveraging the power of Jackie's popularity, we expect that Jackie's brand of coffee will grow rapidly in volume and visibility."
According to Chan's other business associate, Thomas Kazas, unlike other coffee shops, Jackie's Java will be more accessible to people from all walks of life through kiosks that will adapt to all venue sizes. Similarly, he explained that their beverages came from freshly packed Arabica beans, which were cooked using the latest in coffee roasting technology.
"We want to suit Filipino flavors so we'll be using local coffee from Baguio, Batangas, and Cavite," he said.
"I love the Filipinos' hospitality, so I want to give back that hospitality to Filipinos through java," added Chan.
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