The brews brothers

Brothers Harris and Eric Lim have embarked on a project that was once their father’s dream. However, they have taken the dream a step further. Instead of just another coffee franchise, they have put up their own complete coffee company.

The Lim patriarch once wanted to own a coffee shop but he was too busy with the abaca rope business, and the project did not take off. The plan to put up a coffee shop finally saw light in 2002, when Harris returned to the Philippines after graduation from college in Canada. Still, there were difficulties in finding the right franchise. “We never found the right place for us,” Harris says. Thus, he decided to put up a coffee company of his own. The project includes a Lifestyle Café at the SM Mall of Asia.

Conlins, The Coffee Company, is a full-service coffee company that provides local roasting services, supplies roasted coffee beans and ground coffee, and customizes blends using beans sourced from all over the world. The coffee line is marketed under the label Blue Notes and is quickly gaining a favorable response from the local coffee-drinking crowd. Aside from being marketed in the Philippines, Conlins coffee is currently available in Guam, with the company looking at a wider export market next year.

Aside from their superior product, Conlins is also the exclusive Philippine distributor of such world-class coffee machines as the Swiss-made Jura Impressa Super-automatic espresso machines, WMF Super-automatic espresso machines and traditional Italian-made La Pavoni automatic and semi-automatic espresso machines. Why venture into coffee-maker distributorship? “The machines complement the quality of our coffee. You can have good coffee but without a nice way of brewing, it is wasted,” explains Harris. “In the same manner you can have a good machine, but if your coffee is not so good it is also wasted. Putting the best blends and machines together makes coffee-making perfect.”

Helping Harris develop the market for Conlins is his 25-year-old brother Eric, who shares that he and Harris likewise complement each other. “I am good at certain things, while his expertise is in other areas,” Eric says. “If you give me the option, I’d say let’s do everything.” Harris is the one who tells me to tone it down, focus and keep on track. He is the strategist.” On the other hand, Harris is all praise for his younger brother. He chuckles, “I’m very good at delegating my job. Eric executes the plans, and he does this very well.” He appreciates that his brother is there to run the coffee company when his other job as vice president of the family-owned Pacific Continental Company requires more time and attention. 

How did the brothers develop their business sense? “It is from being thrown into corporate life and being exposed to business while growing up. Taking risks is part of it, and common sense goes a long way,” says Harris. Their father continues to play a major role in influencing the way the brothers conduct business. “A vital aspect is the direction of our father. We know that we have to set a good example,” Harris asserts. Conlins is a division of the Pacific Continental Company that the Lim patriarch controls.

Is it more difficult to be the sons of the boss? “Not when the boss is like our dad,” reveals Harris. “He is very supportive and although he now takes the backseat, he is an advisor who speaks with the wisdom which we still lack.” Eric agrees: “It’s a good balance. We’re in our mid-20s and experience-wise we don’t have much exposure to speak of. After living in Canada for a long time, I find that it is a different culture here. I do appreciate that my dad is there to give guidance.”

The Lim brothers believe in the democratic approach when dealing with their employees. “The staff we work with are an extension of our family,” declares Eric. “It is very important to show that you value your employees. They are key to your success. As your front liners, they are exposed to a lot of things.” When dealing with their father’s long-time employees who have worked for the company for as long as 30 years, Harris’s admirable humility and willingness to learn is apparent when he says, “We treat everyone with respect. I always keep in mind that they have wisdom commensurate to their age.”

With so many players in the coffee market today, what would make Conlins, The Coffee Company stand out? Twenty-seven year old Harris Lim confidently replies, “Aside from the quality of the product and the quality of the service, we have youth behind us. We’re in here for the long haul.”