INTERVIEWS: Real Coffee Boracay Founders Shares 30 Years of Hospitality Wisdom
- Amanda Virrey
- 20 hours ago
- 10 min read
43 years ago an adventurous single mother from California set sail to the Philippines with her daughter to explore the country’s pristine islands. A virgin tropical island surrounded by crystalline white beaches captivated them from afar, taunting them to sail towards it. Thus, they landed in Boracay, an island that presented them a promise of building a simple island life within a small community of local and foreign people who were as adventurous, dynamic and fun-loving as them.
That promise took form in Real Coffee Boracay on December of 1996 as one of the first coffee shops on the island, founded by Lee Rosaia and her daughter, Nadine, who eventually dry-docked their sailing boat in place of their beach front nipa hut coffee shop where they created their famous Calamansi Muffins, and a homely cafe where locals and tourists can return to.
So, on one sunny morning on the island, Discovering Hospitality sat with Mommy Lee and her daughter, Nadine to hear about their iconic entrepreneurial and hospitality journey in Boracay, through Real Coffee.
Real Coffee has become an institution in Boracay. What was the original vision when you started, and how has that vision evolved over the years?
Lee: Well, I just wanted to have a little coffee shop and a simple life on a beautiful tropical island. I have a beautiful life here. But I have a big coffee shop, and it's been a wonderful asset.
Was it opening a coffee shop that inspired you to do it?
Lee: No, my daughter inspired me to open a coffee shop. Nadine and I were in California having a coffee, thinking about what we can do in the Philippines. And then suddenly, we looked around, and Nadine said, “we can open a coffee shop, mom.” I said, “wow, that's a good idea!” and we were all shopping for a coffee machine, and cups and saucers, and all kinds of things. And it happened.
Nadine: Honestly there was no vision, it was an idea born out of the love of a mother to see her daughter change and be happy. An opportunity, Lee threw out, and I grabbed. Boracay was very different back then. It was something to do on a beautiful island, while healing a broken heart. I know now that our intention is/was to make people feel welcome and feed them.
How has Real Coffee evolved over the years?
Lee: Oh, very well. We've grown. We started out as a little nipa with about eight seats, and now we have a large coffee shop with about 65 seats.
People come to Real Coffee also for the Calamansi Muffin. How did that start?
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