While everyone else was just getting started on their day, Yardstick was already packed and busy serving coffee after coffee. There must have been 40+ people that Saturday morning, and they were all there for one thing – to Spill the Beans. Spill the Beans is a quarterly get-together hosted by Yardstick and Purveyr , where ideas are shared, exchanged and challenged. What happens is the invited speakers will share their ideas and thoughts on a given topic, then there will be a quick panel interview just before we open the floor for questions from the audience.
The first Spill the Beans of 2017 was held last March 25 at Yardstick, and it circled around the question “How can handmade products remain competitive and relevant in this age of technology?” We extended this query to the invited speakers, individuals who support the handmade movement through their own brands and businesses.
Photos by Marvin Conanan
Jerard Jader, Co-Owner & Managing Partner, Sapatero Manila
Sapatero is a Filipino shoemaking brand that specializes in men’s leather dress shoes. Their goal is to revitalize the Philippine shoemaking industry by realizing the craftsmanship needed in making them. Jerard’s role is to seek out opportunities for Sapatero to grow locally, then later on be globally recognized with their high-quality footwear.
Simone Mastrota, Owner & Chocolate Maker, Tigre y Oliva
Tigre y Olivia is a bean to bar chocolate brand based in San Juan, La Union. After spending some time in California and Europe to perfect his craft of chocolate-making, Simone decided to move to the Philippines as he saw an opportunity for artisanal chocolate made from Filipino Cacao.
Chi Gibbs, Co-Founder & Designer, Neon Island
Neon Island is a Filipino clothing brand for women dedicated to celebrating the local. All their pieces use hand drawn prints designed by Chi. The clothes they put out are a representation of her creativity and passion for the arts, as she is the sole designer and textile print artist of Neon Island.
Ettore Scagliola, After Sales Specialist, La Marzocco (Italy)
La Marzocco takes pride in their high quality espresso machines handcrafted in Florence since 1927. It has been 90 years since their conception, so their world renowned reputation is as expected. La Marzocco strives to produce top of the notch specialty coffee equipment that goes beyond the actual machine and the coffee it produces.
After hearing these four individuals talk about their work and their passion, one can only imagine the positive energy that enveloped the room. The exchange of ideas was informative as it is inspiring leaving the audience eager to know more.
Join us at the next installment of Spill the Beans. Stay tuned and follow us on Instagram.
