Our Story

Ayala Coffee was founded by Matt and Trixie in 2021 in dedication to Trixie’s lola (grandma) who survived COVID. While their passion for coffee grew for years, they also realized their culture was lacking representation in the New York and New Jersey area, and their hometown was in need of a community cafe. With the hopes of solving these issues and shining a positive light on their culture and cuisine, Trixie and Matt started Ayala Coffee without having any previous coffee shop or restaurant experience. Months were spent performing research, taking numerous SCA-certified coffee classes, and consulting with other Filipino coffee shop owners across the country prior to their first pop-up event in October 2021.

Ayala is named after "Ayala Heights," the neighborhood in the Philippines from which co-founder Trixie's family is from. With their families and culture serving as a huge source of inspiration (behind both the name and the drinks), Ayala strives to create a unique and thoughtful experience with every sip. Being first generation Filipino-Americans, Matt and Trixie are proud to represent their culture and humbled by the opportunity to serve coffee made from the heart. Ayala is a culmination of our respect and obsession for coffee, culture, unique flavors, and experiences — all while practicing sustainability. We believe we have a unique opportunity to give back to the Philippines, the farmers, local small businesses, and provide an experience for the New Jersey (and beyond) coffee-loving community.

Our Beans

We partner with Kalsada Coffee, whose focus is championing Philippine specialty coffee and prioritizing the support for local Filipino coffee producers and farmers.

Our Menu

Inspired by the cuisine of our motherland, we create the syrups and milks for our drinks in-house. We use real ingredients in an effort to
best replicate the flavors we grew up eating.

Our Mission

Our goal is to uplift the Philippines by highlighting the uniqueness of its coffee beans, and provide a cultural awareness to our country’s rich cuisine and diverse flavors.

Meet the Team

  • Co-Founder

    Cali-born, Jersey-raised, and a proud daughter of immigrants! Before pursuing Ayala Coffee, I was an accountant for five years, and drank coffee twice a day to help get me through busy seasons and late nights studying for the CPA exams. Outside of my interest in coffee, I love to dance, travel, and find any reason to create a good excel spreadsheet. I'm an animal and nature lover, doggo mom to my two pups Mas and Mello, and a sucker for a good broadway musical.

    Fun fact: I have seen every episode of Friends more times than I can count. Patiently awaiting someone who can out-trivia me :)

 

  • Co-Founder

    Coffee nerd, flavor adventurer, and grateful doggo dad of Mas and Mello (IG: @mas_mell0) <3

    I'm a proud first-gen Filipino, born & raised in NJ, Kean alumni, and honored co-founder of this crazy opportunity that is Ayala Coffee. Initially planning to go into the culinary field, Ayala has been a blessing of an experience to revisit an old passion, exercise my creativity, and let my curiosity explore this wild world of coffee.

    Apart from my passion for the fruitful beans, I love going to music shows, playing basketball, venturing food spots, and traveling with the other co-founder ;)