Brewing a generation of Filipinos “batshit-crazy in love” with the Philippines.

Led by an IT executive who quit his job, a lawyer who has taken a hiatus, and a Gawad Kalinga worker who manages farm-based businesses, a new brand of iced teas is set to accomplish this considerable feat.

A brand of iced tea that's brewing a generation of Filipinos "batshit-crazy in love" with the Philippines

(Photo Credit: Bayani Brew Facebook Page)

Bayani Brew is bringing traditional Philippine concoctions to health-conscious urbanites, while giving farmers who grow the ingredients a sustainable source of income. It ranked second highest among more than fifty concessionaires at the Ultimate Taste Test in September, organized by Anton Diaz, the man behind blog Our Awesome Planet, in partnership with Rockwell.

French intern Marie-Alphie Dallest at the Ultimate Taste Test in Rockwell last September.

(Photo Credit: Ron Dizon)

Lemongrass, pandan, calamansi, and sweet potato tops make their way into the drinks, which come in two flavors: Classic and Purple Leaf. These are the recipes of two nanays from a GK village in Angat, Bulacan, which is why the profits from the infusions go to a scholarship fund for their children.

While today sales are just enough to finance the schooling of these kids, Dizon and his partners consulted with the community and agreed to grow the proceeds to a scholarship fund for the kids of the entire village. It will also be used as a microfinance fund to bankroll the start-up enterprises in the community.

“We didn’t want to just give royalties. The next generation will just be earning passive income. They’ll think they’re entitled to a million while just resting on their laurels,” said Atty. Xilca Alvarez, who is in charge of community organization and development.

“Since this is a social enterprise, our goal is, at a certain point, we should reach a stage that it’s sustainable, even for the entrepreneurs. That’s why it’s a business,” said Dizon.

“(Sana) magkasweldo rin kami (I hope we get to earn from this as well),” said Alvarez with a laugh.

But the communities come first. Bayani Brew taps into organic farms in Tarlac and Bulacan, including agrarian reform beneficiary cooperatives in Donya Remedios Trinidad, for ingredients.

“As we produce more, we’ll be needing more suppliers. That’s the whole point. I think our social impact is really based on just increasing the agricultural productivity of our country, making sure that our subsistence farmers make a whole lot more,” said Alvarez.

Farmers carry bunches of freshly-cut lemongrass on their shoulders. Bayani Brew uses ingredients such as these from organic farms in Tarlac and Bulacan.

(Photo Credit: Tajen Sui)

These same farmers were initially surprised at the orders for such “easy cash crops”, as Alvarez calls them, a far cry from their “biennial or annual harvest of rice”. Their incomes are improving, thanks to erasing the middleman from the picture and the fair prices they are able to sell their goods for.

It is this “higher purpose” that keeps the entrepreneurs, who were used to earning big bucks at their previous jobs, motivated.

>> Read more in "Young People Who are Changing the World"

The team behind Bayani Brew: Xilca Alvarez, Ron Dizon and Shanon Khadka

(Photo Credit: Destination Changemakers)

Dizon, for example, was a manager at a multinational IT company, able to fund his indulgences and enjoy his job. After nine years, however, he realized that it was time to give back.

“If I would be this stressed out about work, if I would work X hours a week, might as well do it for something more meaningful,” he said. It wouldn’t just be for the weekends and after office hours, however.

He hasn’t “earned a single centavo” from his latest venture yet, but then, the worlds of business and social enterprise have very different definitions of success.