Arjay Borja’s Mission to Elevate Capiz’s Coffee Industry
Before founding OG KOPI Roastery & Coffee House , Arjay B. Borja worked as a community organizer for an NGO, where he was deeply immersed in the coffee communities of Capiz. This experience helped him see the realities local coffee farmers face and the industry's challenges. "As a community organizer, I visited coffee farms across Capiz as part of our livelihood program. We helped farmers market their produce,” Borja recalled. Through these interactions, his passion for coffee grew, motivating him to take a bold step. Seeing that no one was interested in purchasing the farmers' Green Coffee Beans (GCB), he decided to buy them himself. Determined to add value to their harvest, he taught himself how to roast the beans, relying on YouTube tutorials and guidance from friends knowledgeable in roasting. During the pandemic, when home brewing surged in popularity, he successfully sold his roasted coffee to eager buyers. Borja describes himself as a "self-taught coffe...
