Category: Technology

What makes a good coffee experience?

For caffeine lovers, there is a sense of romanticism that comes with the whole experience of lining up at a cafe and having a pro customize their drinks. After all, is there anything else that can make you feel special other than the knowledge that your morning coffee is in the hands of someone who knows their craft?

But here’s something to think about. How would it make you feel if you can create your own cup of joe with the same level of precision and perfection as your go-to barista?

This is exactly what premium home lifestyle brand Breville Philippines offers with the newest and most innovative addition to their collection of top-tier espresso machines. Introducing the Barista Touch®, an intuitive and smart model that simplifies each step of coffee-making while retaining the premium quality of every cup.

“Helping coffee lovers better understand, appreciate, and create third-wave coffee has always been one of our goals,” Haj Cortez-Flores, F&B Business Unit Manager of Breville Philippines shares. “If you take a look at our collection of espresso machines, everything is aligned with that vision. We have the Barista Express which is more suitable for those who want to create their own drinks at the comforts of their homes and the Dual Boiler which is more suitable for start-up businesses. We have something for every type of coffee enthusiast, which makes it perfect sense for us to launch the new Barista Touch.”

When asked about the newest model, Flores described it as the glammed-up version of their current best-seller, the Barista Express. “It is the perfect model if you want an entry-level espresso machine that can give you the same quality as store-bought drinks, but it does have features that can be taken to another level.”

A good example of this, according to Flores is milk texturing. Users can try microfoam milk texturing by hand using the model’s steam wand if they want to create latte art or enhance the flavor of their drink. The challenge is that it can be a little tricky to pull off, especially for beginners.

This is where the Barista Touch® comes in. Breville Philippines decided to up their game by marrying the best features of their best-selling model with improved user experience. In a nutshell, this model is a simpler and much more intuitive espresso machine that gives coffee lovers the best of both worlds—ease of use and quality cups of joe.

The Barista Touch still covers the top four elements that Breville believes make up top-tier drinks: dose control grinding, precise espresso extraction, ideal temperature, and milk foam texturing. The model, however, comes with an automatic steam wand that lets you easily adjust the milk temperature and texture to suit your taste, as well as a one-touch coffee grinder with customizable grind size and dosage settings.

One of the best things about the Barista Touch®, moreover, is its intuitive system. You can easily customize your drink in three easy steps by choosing the right Grind, Brew, and Milk settings, and other aspects of the drink like coffee strength and temperature. To top it all off, you can save up to eight personalized coffee settings so you can easily create your preferred drinks with just a push of a button.

“The Barista Touch is like the meeting of the best of both worlds. It delivers quality, but it also makes the overall process so much smoother for our users, which I think is very important. If you ask any coffee lover, I’m sure they will agree that experience is a big part of their appreciation and love for coffee. We don’t just want to help them create their own drinks, we now bring the experience right in their very homes by giving them ‘the barista touch,’” Flores finishes.

The Barista Touch® is available in Breville outlets and select brand carriers. Know more about the newest model by visiting their website at Breville Philippines and following their Facebook page and Instagram account.

Filipinos now have more reasons to go cashless as PayMaya launches its “Don’t Pay Cash, PayMaya!” brand campaign promoting a more convenient and rewarding payment experience for all Filipinos nationwide.

PayMaya ramps up its efforts to increase cashless transactions in the country with the launch of its “Don’t Pay Cash. PayMaya!” Campaign, along with a fresh new look, exciting app upgrades and more rewarding promos. In this photo are executives from PayMaya Philippines (from left to right): Raymund Villanueva, Head of Growth and Brand Marketing; Mitch Padua, Chief Product Officer; Kenneth Palacios, Head of Wallets Business; Paolo Azzola, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director; Orlando B. Vea, Founder and CEO; Shailesh Baidwan, President; Miguel Fernandez, Group Chief Finance Officer; Mar Lazaro, Head of Enterprise Business; and Heidi Garayblas, Head of Brand and Marketing Services.

Through the upbeat consumer campaign, the digital financial services leader unveils an enhanced PayMaya mobile app, exciting new features, and more compelling merchant partner promos, as well as the best cashback promos and discounts for an overall more rewarding experience for all users.
PayMaya’s new brand campaign features a catchy jingle with lyrics promoting the best perks of going cashless, set against the tune of the song “Ligaya” popularized by the iconic OPM band Eraserheads. Through the campaign, PayMaya encourages all Filipinos to get more joy and value out of daily transactions by opting to use PayMaya instead of cash for all their payments needs.

CUTENESS OVERLOAD: Attendees of the “Don’t Pay Cash. PayMaya!” Launch were entertained by PayMaya’s official mascots, Maya, who danced to PayMaya’s newly launched jingle to the tune of the iconic Eraserheads anthem “Ligaya.”

“PayMaya is undoubtedly the best way to pay in the Philippines today. Our formula is simple – make digital payments accessible, more convenient, more secure, more rewarding, and more fun. With a newer and smoother app experience, the biggest discounts and cashback promos, and an ever-growing network of merchant and add money partners, it’s now better to ‘PayMaya’ instead of paying with cash,” said Paolo Azzola, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of PayMaya.

Better than cash rewards

PayMaya is taking the lead in unlocking the multiple rewards and benefits of going cashless. With the pre-holiday and e-Commerce sales just around the corner, using a PayMaya account for everyday transactions is the best way to get the best discounts and cashback for all your purchases.

Cashless convenience, just a click away: Attendees of the event experienced firsthand the cashless convenience featured in the “Don’t Pay Cash. PayMaya!” campaign launch with seamless payments via PayMaya QR available at the Eattogether Food Hall in Capitol Commons.

Just for September alone, PayMaya users can get as much as P5,000 in cashback from the various promos rolled out by the brand. All one has to do is use the PayMaya app for prepaid load and gaming pins, bills payments, sending money, PayMaya QR transactions with partner merchants, and online shopping.

Even getting a PayMaya account gets more rewarding as PayMaya is giving as much as P200 just by registering with a referral code and upgrading their account.
“We’re just getting started and this will get more exciting as we gear up towards the holiday shopping season. Our goal is to make every Filipinos embrace digital payments by multiplying the benefits of going cashless,” said Azzola.

Better than cash experience

To usher in a next-level experience, PayMaya has updated the mobile app to make it easier and safer to use.

The most popular services such as Sending Money, Buying Load, or Sharing Treats are now easily accessible with just one tap at the home screen of the app. Under the PayMaya Shop, one can also find more variants for digital goods such as telco load, gaming PINs, and treats vouchers – with the best discounts through promos.

Funding one’s PayMaya account is also easier–users can add money from your bank account through InstaPay or by linking their credit* or debit card.

PayMaya places high importance in security. All PayMaya users are encouraged to upgrade their accounts not only for higher transaction limits but also for safer transactions. To facilitate this, PayMaya has introduced a simpler and faster Upgrade process featuring selfie and AI technology. PayMaya also recently unveiled a sexier and safer black card design with the card number and other sensitive information at the back, instead of being displayed at the front.

Better than cash: Influencer Ashley Chan shows off her PayMaya card which sports a new, sleek design, as well as an added layer of security for instagram-savvy Pinoys. With her PayMaya in hand, she can easily hop on the cashless lifestyle and unlock awesome rewards!

The new app design, initially available to Android users and also soon for iOS devices, prominently features the latest promos and perks that account holders can take advantage of, so that they can easily discover ways to make the most of their money with PayMaya.

“Expect more features and services to roll out in the coming months. Our goal is to make the payments experience of every Filipino hassle-free and more secure,” explained Azzola.

Don’t pay cash. PayMaya!

With all these brand-new features and exciting new promos for users, PayMaya’s “Don’t Pay Cash. PayMaya!” campaign targets to accelerate digital payments adoption in the Philippines. This is in support of the National Financial Inclusion goals of the country and the aim to increase digital transactions in the country to 20% by 2020 under the National Retail Payment System (NRPS).

PayMaya is the only financial technology company in the Philippines offering integrated consumer and merchant payment solutions with the widest on-ground branch network. It is the first to give millions of Filipinos an e-wallet that allows them to pay cashless transactions at any time of the day, anywhere in the world, and from any device. It is the financial technology arm of Voyager Innovations, the leading technology company in the country backed by PLDT, KKR, Tencent, World

Bank’s IFC and the IFC Emerging Asia Fund.

Its “universal payments platform” enables the country’s top eCommerce sites, major retail and quick-service restaurants and government institutions, as well as MSMEs to accept multiple kinds of cashless payments.

To know more about how you can maximize your PayMaya account, visit paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.