When Two Cultures Embrace: A Collaboration of Almond Koka and Auro Chocolate

Japanese brand Almond Koka collaborates with Auro Chocolate for a Valentine's pop-up café at MITSUKOSHI BGC.

Love knows no boundaries, especially when shared passions unite. This is exemplified by Japan’s beloved almond milk brand, Glico’s Almond Koka, and the award-winning Filipino tree-to-bar chocolate brand, Auro Chocolate, both committed to celebrating culinary diversity. This Valentine’s season, these two brands have come together to create ORINASU CAFÉ, a special pop-up cafe that blends Japanese and Filipino cultures through handcrafted drinks and treats. Located at MITSUKOSHI BGC, ORINASU CAFÉ will add a touch of sweetness to the season from February 1 to February 19, 2024.

Japan’s Almond Koka, known for its superior quality taste, is the best-selling almond milk brand in Japan. Crafted with precision and Japanese technology, Almond Koka offers a richer and stronger nutty flavor by emulsifying honey and almond oil into ground almond paste. Collaborating with Japan’s Almond Koka is the Philippines’ premier chocolate brand, Auro Chocolate, renowned for its excellence in the global chocolate scene. For ORINASU CAFÉ, Auro Chocolate has partnered with MITSUKOSHI FRESH to select the finest Japanese ingredients, such as Matcha, Hojicha, and Miso, for crafting the menu. This collaboration showcases the best of Filipino and Japanese epicurean cultures.

ORINASU CAFÉ, Japanese for 'weave', symbolizes the weaving of two cultures through the harmonious fusion of Almond Koka’s and Auro’s product versatility. The café offers a limited-edition line of “Choc Au Lait” vegan-friendly drinks and snacks. One of the highlights is the Miso Salted Caramel, a vegan-friendly white chocolate drink infused with Maruhide’s top-quality Miso, Auro’s Salted Caramel, and Almond Koka, offering a unique twist on Salted Caramel. Another standout is the Hojicha, featuring Auro’s creamy white chocolate infused with Ikeda Senchado’s top-quality Hojicha, complemented by the richness of Almond Koka.

For those seeking a matcha experience, ORINASU’s vegan-friendly white chocolate matcha provides a perfect balance of sweet and earthy flavors, using Ikeda Senchado matcha blended with Almond Koka. Additionally, the Dark Choc offers a bold and smooth indulgence, combining Auro Dark Chocolate and Almond Koka for a rich treat.

Completing the menu is the Dark Chocolate Stuffed with Strawberries French Toast, featuring Auro dark chocolate filling and tarty strawberry jam, enhanced with Almond Koka. Each treat from ORINASU CAFÉ is a testament to the collaboration between Almond Koka and Auro Chocolate. For more information, follow @glico_ph and @aurochocolate on Instagram.