MANILA — Allegro Beverage Corporation celebrates a milestone as part of the global integrated coffee business Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. (UCC) with the opening of its new headquarters and showroom.
Allegro has been around for 24 years and has been one of the go-to distributors for one-stop beverage solutions, particularly for coffee shops.
“Allegro started out as an expert in the coffee equipment business. It was better to partner with an expert in premium coffee.,” said Allegro Beverage Corp. CEO Yasmin Vasquez.
UCC began its acquisition of Allegro Beverage in 2017 as part of its global direction and strategy to have more integrated partnerships with local coffee equipment distributors. This started with Lucky Coffee Machine in Japan and continued with similar arrangements in Thailand and Australia. This enables UCC and its subsidiaries to approach coffee equipment manufacturers as a unified group to get better deals and support.
Browsing through the new headquarters showroom is like a catalog of everything the company has to offer. The showroom’s centerpiece is the bar where potential customers can try out their consumables — the UCC roasted coffee, syrups, and milk.
Surrounding the center bar are displays with high-end espresso machines that are specced in global coffee competitions from Victoria Arduino and Nuova Simonelli and coffee grinders from German company Mahlkönig are on display.
Those starting off with a budget can try out the more affordable Crem espresso machines from Sweden and Hey Brew grinders which Allegro packages in starter coffee business packages with consumables.
Bean-to-cup machines Franke and Kalerm commonly used in hotels round out what can be found in the showroom.
At the back is the service center where technicians are trained to maintain all the machines in its catalog.
According to Hubert Young, president and chief executive officer of UCC Philippines, the addition of Allegro Beverage to the renowned UCC Group complements their business as they operate across the entire coffee value chain — from farm to cup.
“At UCC, we strive to create better lives for all through coffee,” said Young.
He emphasized that the UCC Group is committed to driving positive change in the coffee industry, and this acquisition aligns with its vision to promote sustainable practices and support coffee communities worldwide.
He further stated that UCC is dedicated to transitioning to 100% sustainably sourced coffee for all UCC brands by 2030.
Currently, Allegro Beverage has branches in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Pampanga, with dealers in Bohol, Cavite, Laguna, Pangasinan, Quezon Province, and Iloilo, with Palawan and Albay opening soon.
The new Allegro headquarters and showroom is located at 7 Sheridan St, Mandaluyong and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
