Casa Italia, the Singapore-based gelato cafe chain, has opened its first store outside Singapore – in the Philippines.

The new store is located at Forbestown Rd in Bonifacio Global City, the privately-owned modern city in the heart of Manila.

Coffee, as well as gelato, will be centreplace on the menu of the Philippines outlets. The company promises its Arabica beans – branded Coffee Otto – are consumed within eight weeks from roasting to ensure maximum freshness.

“We’re really guaranteeing freshness in our coffee… From roasting until the day we can sell it last, eight weeks long,” said Jermyn Tan of Waterwoods Group Corporation, the Philippines master franchisee of Casa Italia.

“Coffee for eight months is still okay, but the aroma is already different.”

Casa Italia started in Singapore in 201 and has three channel formats: gelato takeaway bars, gelato and coffee cafes and restaurants offering pizzas, pasta and other food as well.

In keeping the with Italian theme of the brand, Casa Italia hired an architectural firm from Italy to conceptualise the design, and imported the furniture from Italy.

“It’s very fresh and modern. I call it contemporary Italian,” says F&B director Chef Donato Mazzola.

“It’s a place where you can hang out from morning to evening. It’s casual but elegant, but not intimidating.”