Why Louie Gutierrez loves the fragrant smell of coffee
Fun fact to perk up your morning: Did you know that eight out of 10 Filipino adults consume an average of 2.5 cups of coffee every day, with 93 percent of households buying coffee every week?
Now, that’s a whole lot of coffee! Coffee is, inarguably, the most consumed beverage in the country—and probably in the world.
On this balmy afternoon, with the fragrant aroma of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air, coffeeholics fill up the Urban Farmers Lounge in Bonifacio Global City not just to smell the coffee and enjoy a cup or two but also to find out how they can do their bit for Mother Earth through coffee.
Slowly taking a sip of my Arabica coffee, brewed on site by an expert barista, I suddenly feel a warm hug caressing my soul. We are, indeed, soil-grateful to Mother Earth for giving us these amazing coffee variants we’re enjoying today. Like the Arabica Blend, which is a hands-down favorite. A signature blend, it’s rich in flavor, always very chocolaty (my kind of coffee), using only the highest-quality, single-origin coffee beans.
A cup for Mother Earth
And now, we smell something really good: Arabica Philippines and Urban Farmers PH are collaborating and brewing new ways for a greener future for our planet, one recycled cup at a time. This partnership is about giving used 0/0 Arabica cups (left behind by customers in cafes) a second life as containers for seedlings to make it easier for city residents to grow plants in their own home (or condo/apartment), be it ever so humble. It’s about turning used coffee grounds into natural fertilizers. All this to reduce waste—think of all those cups ending up in landfills! More importantly, it’s about stirring the consciousness of the community to take small steps towards a more sustainable future.
Among the animated (or is it stimulated?) crowd, we spot Louie Gutierrez, a familiar face we knew back in his days at Silverworks. Years ago, Louie traded his crisp shirt for rugged workwear as the smell of the soil lured him like a scintillating perfume.
“I never imagined myself working in the field, having spent 40 years as a jeweler at Ocampo’s Fine Jewellery and Silverworks,” says a beaming Louie, who’s got an Economics degree from Ateneo tucked under his belt.
He shares, “When all of my stores closed in the malls during the pandemic, I did not have any income, so I looked for ways to give jobs to my displaced workers. I also didn’t feel good when the ‘plantitos’ and ‘plantitas’ were posting their P300,000 plants while a lot of people were going hungry at the time.”
So, he rolled up his sleeves and got his hands dirty—literally! “The foundation of life all starts with the earth, and that is where every living being gets nourished. The pandemic made me realize that I had to go back to the soil where it all started,” says Louie, dressed in easy-breezy denims with matching farmer’s hat.
Turn your passion into purpose
The golden awakening came as Louie turned from jeweler to social entrepreneur farmer. “We should all evolve in our lifetime, and I am happy to turn my passion into purpose. I am usually an introvert, but when there is an opportunity to inspire more people to take up more sustainable causes, I will keep on spreading the word.”
And they came—all these souls with a passion for the soil—from all over the metro, and Urban Farmers PH, a social enterprise and non-government organization, was born, with the mission of putting up a farm in every city.
“Hunger and malnutrition in Manila are so prevalent,” Louie laments, “but if all unused spaces in the city are turned into temporary farms, no one has to go hungry.”
Luckily, Urban Farmers PH has found a temporary home—a 1,200-sqm oasis in BGC’s concrete jungle. “We are blessed to work with Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation, which lent us this wonderful property to promote our advocacy,” says a grateful Louie. “Location plays a big part in the success of a business. Here, we are able to engage individuals, communities, and the business sector through our workshops and volunteer activities.”
Standing beside Louie at this partnership launch is Eduard Wium, 0/0 Arabica PH chief operating officer. “We have two simple but profound principles in mind: to make excellent coffee and explore the world,” he addresses guests. “‘See the world through coffee’: Our mantra has developed from that.”
More than churning out excellent coffee beans (the Philippines is one of the few countries producing four commercially viable coffee varieties, one of which is Arabica), Arabica PH is committed to protecting the environment, organizing community events focused on sustainability, and better waste management.
Urban Farmers PH is proof positive that yes, we can grow a vegetable farm smack in the middle of the city. And, yes, we can have fresh veggies on our dining table every day.
Louie sadly observes, “Filipinos eat the least amount of vegetables compared to their Asian neighbors in countries like Thailand and Vietnam, where, when you order lumpia or spring rolls, there would also be a big plate of herbs and leafy greens to wrap around them.”
Since they started the BGC urban farm, Louie happily adds that his family gets to eat veggies every single day. People who knew Louie back then also noticed how he had effortlessly maintained a healthy weight.
Of course, urban farming has its share of challenges. “Planting in the field has taught me patience,” Louie confesses. “Sometimes, the weather can get too hot, or there will be nonstop rains that will affect the growth of your crops. But with proper care, they will grow well.”
Plant wherever you can
“Having a garden is like printing your own money,” says Alice Waters, chef, restaurateur, writer who created the farm-to-table movement. Guesting on the Netflix show With Love, Meghan, she stresses, “That’s the thing that’s important. I think we have to plant wherever we can.”
Yes, why not go to pot—literally! As Louie would advocate, by planting even just in pots, or even used coffee cups, you can have your own small piece of garden right in your own home.
Today, Louie, a 40-carat urban farmer, enjoys the fragrant aroma of coffee and the earthy smell of the soil in his own slice of paradise.
