Mural in the bar of the fresh Teofilo Coffee in Los Alamitos, Orange County, California. All images courtesy of Teofilo Coffee.
There is a fresh coffee place where you can buy coffee beans from the Philippines called Teofilo Coffee Company launched in full swing in Orange County, California, with the opening of its first brick-and-mortar café.
Ron Dizon, who came to the United States from the Philippines at age 4 and became an automotive and jet propulsion specialist, recently opened a shop in Los Alamitos.
Dizon supervises Coffee artisans The Artisan 3-E fluid bed roaster that transforms beans from green to brown, showcasing the quality of different Philippine coffees and recognizing the efforts of those who produce them.
Ron Dizon at Coffee Crafters.
Dizon sold coffee under the name Teofilo — after his grandfather — at local farmers markets and events before opening a enduring shop that features custom furniture, such as a table made from a repurposed electrical cable spool.
As a professional engineer, Dizon has experience testing parts used in SpaceX rockets and evaluating hybrid vehicle propulsion systems for Toyota. Dizon is currently involved in development for an electric vehicle startup based in Los Angeles. Faraday’s Future.
Dizon has implemented engineering and R&D practices in its roastery so that the batch numbers on each package correspond to archived roasting data should a wholesale or retail customer have any questions, comments or compliments.
The brewing in the shop is also done using rocket-like technology. The only handheld brewing device is Aeropresswhile larger batches are brewed in the powerful Ground Control Cyclops brewery.
Ground Control Cyclops Brewery.
“We tell people, ‘If the coffee sucks, let us know,’ and they’re surprised, like, ‘I don’t expect that kind of honesty,’” Dizon said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t take feedback, and I do for a reason. I want to improve, and I want people to see that our coffee is, in my opinion, the best and that we have some really special things in the Philippines.”
Teofilo serves Filipino meats like longanisa and tocino, as well as ube favorites including ice cream, cookies and waffles.
Dizon sources green coffee directly from farmers in the Philippines as well as in partnership with Filipino Coffee Board.
The goal is not only to buy green coffee at prices that meet or exceed what is needed to support farmers, but also to import green coffee to sell to other coffee roasters in the United States. The coffee company is currently doing everything it can to support the Philippine Coffee Board.
“We’re working to support them get the resources they need,” Dizon said. “So if something happens during the tsunami, or even if they’re not having problems, we donate a moisture sensor or a Q Grader test — any resources we can support them get, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Teofilo Coffee Company is located at 10525 Los Alamitos Blvd, Los Alamitos. Tell us about yours new cafe or roastery here.
Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the deputy editor of Daily Coffee News at Roast Magazine. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
