coffee bean & tea leaf – Jellybeans in the City

Coffee & Play: Sun Life and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Make Financial Literacy Fun

Picture this: the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the hum of friendly chatter, and a table buzzing with excitement as players strategize their next move in a life-inspired board game. This is no ordinary coffee break; it’s “Coffee and Play,” a unique collaboration between Sun Life Philippines and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) that infuses financial literacy into casual coffeehouse moments.

Through this innovative partnership, Sun Life is taking its advocacy for financial literacy to new heights by creating an inviting space where people can learn the fundamentals of money management in a relaxed, interactive, and—dare we say—fun way.

“We’re excited to engage even more Filipinos and help enrich their financial knowledge,” shared Carla Gonzalez-Chong, Sun Life’s Client Experience and Chief Marketing Officer. “The enthusiastic response to the Play for Life board game during its launch early this year has inspired us to create more versions to cater to different needs and experiences.”

From Coffee Cups to Life Lessons

The centerpiece of “Coffee and Play” is Sun Life’s original board game, Play for Life: A Game of Choices, designed to mimic real-life financial scenarios. With versions tailored to employees and professionals, business owners, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the game offers participants insights into budgeting, investing, and planning for the future—all through an engaging and competitive format.

To bring this initiative to life, select CBTL branches will host game sessions where coffee enthusiasts can sip their favorite brews while making financial decisions in a simulated setting. It’s a blend of education and entertainment that resonates with people from all walks of life.

“Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is committed to nurturing connections and enriching the lives of our community,” said Kimberly Cruz, CBTL’s Senior Marketing Manager. “Sun Life’s advocacy for financial literacy complements this by equipping individuals with knowledge and tools that lead to personal growth and financial well-being.”

A Coffeehouse for Every Crowd

Each “Coffee and Play” session is crafted with its audience in mind:

Game Night for Employees and Professionals

On November 28, 2024, at The Kitchen by CBTL in Bonifacio Global City, professionals will gather for an evening of gaming, dining, and camaraderie. Beyond the board game, attendees can enjoy exclusive merchandise, raffle prizes, and a chance to network—all while sipping their favorite coffee blends.

Coffee, Play, and Cooking Demo for Business Owners

Business owners will find inspiration not just in financial strategies but also in culinary creativity. On November 29, 2024, Chef Tatung Sarthou will join the session at the same venue, treating participants to a live cooking demo and tips for running a successful food business.

Game Day for OFW Families

In Bacolod, where family ties are cherished, Sun Life will host a special session for OFWs and their families on November 30, 2024, at CBTL in Ayala Malls Capitol Central. It’s a holiday homecoming event that combines financial learning with family bonding over coffee and an exclusive Shine Pinoy travel kit.

Brewing a Future of Financial Wellness

By transforming coffeehouses into hubs for financial learning, Sun Life and CBTL are redefining the way Filipinos approach money matters. The collaboration is a testament to the belief that financial literacy doesn’t have to be intimidating—it can be as comforting as your go-to coffee order.

“Sun Life is always on the lookout for allies who can help us promote our financial literacy advocacy in a more engaging way,” Gonzalez-Chong emphasized. “We are glad to collaborate with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to demonstrate how learning about money matters can be a fun and memorable experience.”

For Sun Life and CBTL, the partnership is more than just a series of events—it’s a movement to make financial wellness accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Follow Sun Life Philippines (@SunLifePH) on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more updates about “Coffee and Play” and other exciting initiatives.

Details provided in a recent press release.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brings childhood indulgence with its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

What is it about chocolate chip cookie dough that we can’t just stop ourselves from licking the spoon when our mom whips up a batch of cookies?

Who would have thought that the combination of flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and chocolate would be irresistible, even if the mixture has not yet achieved its final form?

CBTL Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Just the scent of a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookie dough is enough to get us salivating, right? What more if we actually get to eat it by the spoonful?

Well, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf heard our hearts’ (or tummies’) cry and came up with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake!

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (sometimes affectionately referred to as CBTL) hails all the way from Southern California, where founder Herb Hyman started importing and roasting coffee back in 1963.

Remember those ice-blended drinks we love so much? They actually came about in 1987 when a store manager had a burst of inspiration and mixed coffee, chocolate powder and milk together with ice at CBTL’s Westwood, California store.

Clearly, CBTL is no stranger to bringing new tasty items for its customers to enjoy. Its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake is no exception.

It is a melt-in-your mouth wonder from its base of crushed chocolate cookie crumbs right under a thick layer of rich vanilla cheesecake with bits of chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate syrup drizzled on top.

What would make this dessert even better? Pairing it with some of CBTL’s signature drinks such as Ice-Blended Caramel and Ice-Blended Vanilla!

So when you’ve got that craving for good ‘ole cookie dough that brings back memories of childhood, you know that you can always grab a bite and some drinks to go with it at CBTL!

CBTL outlets are located at:

Las Pinas: Evia Lifestyle Center, Sipag Center, SM Southmall and Starmall
Makati: Ayala North Exchange, Ayala Triangle Garden, BDO Tower, Century City Mall, Circuit Lane, Convergys, Four Seasons Salcedo, Glorietta 2, Greenbelt 5, iAcademy, Philamlife Tower, Phinma, Power Plant Rockwell, Rada Street, SM Jazz, Enterprise Tower, The Residences
Manila: Adriatico, Avenue of the Arts, De La Salle University, Laperal Apartments, Midtown Padre Faura, One Archers Place, Robinsons Place Ermita, SM Grand Central, UST Bellagio Residences
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center, Asian Hospital, Ayal Malls Southpark, Festival Malls Filinvest
Paranaque: Ayala Malls Manila Bay
Pasay: Double Dragon, NAIA 3, SM MAAX, SM Mall of Asia, SMX Convention Center Manila, Solaire Casino & Resort, Two E-Com, W Mall
Pasig: Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls The 30th, Citadines Millennium Ortigas, Eastwood Mall, Estancia Capitol Commons, Ortigas Park, Rockwell Business Center, Shangri-la Plaza, SM City East Ortigas, SM Megamall, Victor R Potenciano Hospital
Quezon City: Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Banawe Lifestyle Center, Batasan Pambansa, Eton Centris, Fairview Terraces Mall, Gateway Cinema, Gateway Mall, Katipunan, M Place, Mezza Residences, Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Magnolia, SM Fairview Expansion Parkway, SM North EDSA, Tomas Morato, Trinoma Mall, UP Town Center, Vertis North
San Juan: Promenade Greenhills
Taguig: Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Stopover, Burgos Circle, Central Square Cinema, Every Nation Building, Newport, Resorts World, One Park Drive, Shell C5 Logcom, SM Aura, Starmall Taguig, Uptown Mall, Venice Piazza McKinley Hill

Photo Credits: Chocolate chip cookie flatlay by Georgie Devlin on Pexels and Chocolate chip cookie dough by Pam Menegakis on Unsplash

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf launches summer flavors with its coconut ice-blended drinks

Feeling the summer heat yet?

As the temperatures rise, so does the need for refreshing icy drinks to cool down the body and soothe the spirit.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf recently launched a series of drinks for local denizens like you to have a taste of #SummerInYourHands.

These three ice-blended drinks feature that staple flavor of summer: the coconut.

This tropical fruit has long been associated with cool drinks enjoyed at the seaside or while relaxing in the shade, a tasty escape for the body and tastebuds amidst the scorching heat of the sun. It is also known for its resilience, with fruits traversing oceans, setting roots and growing in new shores where their land.

Thanks to GiftAway e-gift coupons from CBTL, facilitated and shared by Marj Liwag of LittleMsPrinter.com, my officemates and I were able to sample the three new seasonal coconut-based drinks at a nearby CBTL outlet. These include:

White Chocolate Coconut Dream. This is the most subtly flavored of the three drinks, with the coconut and the white chocolate flavors blending together well. Among the three drinks, this is actually my favorite.

Dark Chocolate Coconut. More strongly flavored than its white chocolate counterpart, this drink has the coconut flavor taking a backseat to the richer and more complex dark chocolate.

Matcha Coconut Ice Blended. Who would have thought that matcha, essentially powdered green tea leaves, and coconut would go so well together? In this drink, the matcha serves as an earthy frame for the light coconut flavor.

My coworkers and I ordered the drinks to-go: these served as our lunchtime reward, refreshments that fueled us with energy and positivity for the rest of the work day.

These ice-blended coconut drinks are available At Php185 (regular) or Php285 (large) at all CBTL branches in the metro, ready to quench the thirsts and soothe the souls of us office workers this summer.

Check them out and tell me what you think!

Trivia: Did you know that The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf invented ice-blended drinks over twenty years ago?

In the summer of 1987, an employee brought a blender to one of the original Southern California stores and started whizzing together ice, coffee extract and chocolate powder. This started the blended coffee craze which continues until today. Imagine what our summers will be without these refreshing icy drinks!

Check out my other posts on The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf:

A Matcha Treat at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Tomas Morato

The last among The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s limited-edition matcha line that I tried is the Matcha Affogato.

On one of my lunchbreaks, I headed on to the CBTL branch in nearby M Place along Mother Ignacia Avenue to try it out. This branch offers coffee and tea addicts like me a place where they can relax and just hang out while getting our caffeine fix. Its open concept layout and floor-to-ceiling glass windows give the place a bright and airy feel that provides an interesting contrast to the vibe provided by dark wood furniture and colorful accents.

Did you know that CBTL invented Ice Blended drinks over 20 years ago? In 1987, an employee brought a blender to the Westwood, LA store and mixed together ice, coffee extract and chocolate powder. This paved the way for countless coffee lovers to enjoy their favorite drink cold.

This new addition to CBTL’s Ice Blended drinks, the Matcha Affogato (price starts at Php185), basically brings a caffeine, dessert and matcha fix in one delicious concoction. With the addition of frothy cream and a shot of espresso to its Matcha Green Tea Ice Blended drink, CBTL serves up an energy boost from the caffeine and the sugar rush. The icy drink also provides a welcome refreshment during the hot midday.

While my favorite among the three new drinks in the matcha line is the Matcha Raspberry Latte, the Matcha Affogato Ice Blended still is a welcome addition to the arsenal of icy drinks that I can beat the heat with.

This Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branch is located at M Place, Panay Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City and is open daily from 6.30am to 1am. For queries, call +63 2 7539372.

For more details on Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s limited edition matcha line, visit CBTL’s website, Facebook and Instagram pages.

Disclosure: I was provided promo codes that I can present to CBTL branches so I can sample the featured drinks for free.