It has been more than 20 years since the first Starbucks was opened in the Philippines—but despite the fame of that white and green coffee cup, it was a ballsy move made by the Rustan's Coffee Corporation in the middle of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

Noey Tantoco Lopez, then its Chief Operating Officer, launched the coffee chain targeting an upscale clientele. But through his innovation and leadership, Starbucks has evolved into more than that: it has become a fixture in Filipino culture, breaking boundaries through its rapid expansion, menu specials, and venture into merchandise. With Lopez’s business acumen, Starbucks became a symbol of both the everyday and the celebration—becoming the go-to coffee for a work-day latte while being part of what drives Christmas in the Philippines.

For Lopez, the success of his coffee empire has always been something close to his heart, and that is working with the people he cherishes and valuing the experiences they share, one that trickles down to the customer. “We have this mantra,” he says. “Build one store at a time, one customer at a time.”