From farmers markets to a full-blown café movement, Lanz Castillo is quietly redefining specialty coffee in the Philippines — not with snobbery, but with sarcasm and soul.
Today, Candid Coffee is one of the country’s fastest-growing homegrown cafés, known for its bold brews and even bolder branding. But before all the milestones, Castillo’s story began with a strong distaste for the very industry he’s now reshaping.
From Hate to Habit
“I hated coffee culture,” Lanz admits with a laugh. “I watched a guy in a suit brew pour-over like he was hosting a TED Talk. It felt so performative. That disconnect lit a fire in me.”
Back then, specialty coffee felt intimidating. “It didn’t feel accessible or fun. I thought, “Why does good coffee have to come with an attitude?”
That question led Lanz, who didn’t even consider himself a coffee person at the time, to experiment. What started as curiosity became obsession, and eventually, a mission.
By 2019, Candid Coffee was born: first as a humble pop-up in farmers’ markets, later evolving into a roastery, and now a café brand challenging the status quo.
Candid, By Name and Nature
“What began as a solo cart is now a multi-branch coffee company serving thousands monthly, still rooted in the same authenticity.
The name “Candid” wasn’t just clever branding; it reflected a philosophy. “We wanted to keep it real. Specialty coffee without the elitism. And we wanted people to taste the difference without feeling judged for ordering oat milk or asking for sugar.”
In true Candid fashion, Lanz’s approach to roasting also strays from convention. “I don’t follow all the roasting textbooks. I like being playful, even if it makes purists squirm.”
Leading with Heart
Ask Lanz what drives him today and he won’t talk about numbers.
“Smiles. That’s the KPI,” he says. “It’s seeing people enjoy coffee the way they want it. It’s baristas feeling proud of their craft. It’s customers hanging out because they feel at home.”
For him, leadership isn’t about hierarchy either. “More than the coffee, it’s the people. Our team culture is built on honest feedback, grit, and never taking ourselves too seriously. I want baristas to feel like they’re building something with me — not just clocking in.
I’m proud to have shared our growth via vesting opportunities for long-time team players. I look at my people as partners because without them, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.”
Brewing the Future
Eight years in, and we’re just getting started.
From a one-man cart with big dreams to a 70-person team and 9 thriving branches, Candid has grown not by chasing trends — but by doing coffee our way. We’re not in it for scale at all costs. We’re not pretending to be a tech company. And we’re definitely not cutting corners with quality just to move faster.
Instead, we’re building a company anchored on shared values, honest craft, and a culture where baristas are treated like partners — not headcount. Our stores earn back their investment in under two years, and our roasting operations now fuel both retail and a growing wholesale network.
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