A sip of local Tuburan coffee at Mezzo

TUBURAN, Cebu — High above the scenic hills of northwest Cebu, a new chapter for local tourism and sustainable agriculture unfolded at the breathtaking Tuburan 360, bringing local Tuburan coffee into the tables of Mezzo Hotel with the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on August 4 between Mezzo Hotel and Tuburan Coffee to bridge the gap between rural coffee farms and urban hospitality.

Tuburan Coffee Founder and CEO and former town mayor Aljun Diamante with Mezzo Hotel General Manager Mayet Ocariza and representatives from both organizations marked the event with a symbolic coffee planting activity at the Tuburan Coffee Farm in Barangay Kabangkalan, underscoring a mutual commitment to community empowerment, eco-tourism, and sustainable agriculture.

To curb illegal logging and charcoal burning in the highlands, the local government of Tuburan distributed tens of thousands of coffee saplings to upland residents. Today, Tuburan is recognized as the "Coffee Capital of Cebu," spanning over 2,800 hectares of coffee resurgence adds deep flavor to every cup.

The initiative was launched in 2012 by former Mayor Aljun Diamante as a livelihood and environmental recovery program, farmland across 29 barangays and providing a sustainable living for more than 2,000 local farmers.

Primarily cultivating high-yielding Robusta varieties carefully propagated through stem cuttings, Tuburan Coffee is celebrated for its bold, full-bodied flavor, rich aroma, and natural resistance to highland pests.

Through this collaboration, guests at Mezzo Hotel soon get a direct taste of Tuburan’s highland harvest without leaving Cebu City. The hotel plans to introduce specially crafted coffee brews, signature drinks, and curated food pairings designed to complement the distinct profile of Tuburan's Robusta beans.

By introducing homegrown beans to hotel patrons, the partnership offers travelers an authentic farm-to-table narrative while directly sustaining the livelihoods of coffee farmers in northern Cebu.

For a deeper look into how these local beans are harvested and processed high in the mountains, check out this Tuburan Coffee Farm journey video to see the step-by-step process behind Cebu's homegrown coffee industry. (Photos: Mezzo Hotel)