CROFT: A Little Life Update
It’s been a long time since I’ve written an update about Croft Bulk Foods. Life has a funny way of keeping you so deep in the day-to-day that you sometimes forget to pause and take a proper look at how far you’ve come. So today, I thought I’d sit down, breathe for a moment, and share what’s been happening with Croft — the little bulk food store we started with a lot of hope, a few barrels, and a dream of making package-free shopping a bit more accessible. A lot has changed since we first opened our doors in August 2018. Some changes we planned, some life just threw at us, but either way, I’m grateful for all of it. Seven years later, Croft is still here — still learning, still growing, and still trying to do things in a way that feels right.
JUNE 2024 - CROFT MAKATI OPENS
In June 2024, we opened our Makati branch — our first step outside Davao.
Opening in a city like Makati was something we thought about for a long time but never rushed into. It always felt important to get the timing right. We didn’t want to expand just for the sake of saying we did. We wanted to build something sustainable, something that felt like Croft, even in a bigger and faster environment. The Makati store is still very much us — simple, humble, and focused on making package-free shopping approachable. It’s not a flashy flagship store; it’s just a space where you can scoop your oats, fill your jar with shampoo, and maybe bump into a few like-minded people doing the same.
There were a lot of lessons (and headaches) along the way, of course. The logistics of opening a bulk store in Manila are not exactly for the faint-hearted — but with the help of some very patient people (and a lot of double-checking courier shipments), we made it happen. Makati has been good to us. Not perfect, not easy, but good. We’re still growing into the space, learning what products people there love most, and figuring out how to stay true to who we are in a much bigger pond. It’s a slow and steady kind of growth, which honestly, suits us just fine.
OCTOBER 2024 – CROFT MARFORI FLAGSHIP STORE
October 2024 marked another big milestone: we officially made our Marfori Heights branch our flagship store.
When we first opened in Marfori in August 2018, the shop was just 18 square metres — basically a large cupboard — but it was full of heart. We had a handful of bulk bins, some refill cleaning products, and a very stubborn belief that people would come with their jars (or at least give it a go). Fast forward to October, and after a lot of thought (and a few construction delays), we finished renovating the space. Marfori is now 75 square metres. It’s still the same Croft you know — just with a little more breathing room. More products, more local suppliers, more space to chat with customers who want to linger and ask questions (and we love when you do). We finally have a little area for workshops and community events too, which has been a quiet dream of mine for years. We didn’t make it fancier — just a little more practical, a little more inviting.
It feels fitting that Marfori, the place where it all started, is now the heart of Croft. Every scratch on the wall and every shelf we hammered in by hand is still there under the fresh paint. It reminds me daily that small things can grow if you just keep showing up.
MARCH 2025 - CROFT SIARGAO OPENS
And most recently, in March 2025, we opened a Croft Bulk Foods branch in Siargao. Opening a store in Siargao wasn’t about chasing a dream lifestyle or expanding for the sake of it. The reality is simple: island communities often struggle with logistics, and basic essentials can be hard to find — especially in sustainable or low-waste forms. We’re not pretending to be locals or trying to insert ourselves into the island culture. Our goal is straightforward: to offer products that locals otherwise can’t easily access, and to do it in a way that reduces unnecessary packaging and waste. Being on an island also means being even more mindful about ocean waste — which is something we take seriously. Siargao store is small, practical, and built to serve a need without adding to the problem.
LOOKING AHEAD
Looking back over the past year or so, it’s been a lot. Expansion has never been our end goal — making zero-waste living a little more accessible has always been the point. Some days that feel easy and hopeful; other days it feels messy and complicated. But either way, we keep going. Croft has grown, but it still feels small in the ways that matter. We still know most of our regular customers by name. We still get excited when someone new brings their own containers for the first time. We still believe that small changes matter, even when the world feels overwhelming. And honestly, none of this would have been possible without all of you — the people who believed in the idea of bulk buying and low-waste living even when it wasn’t trendy, the ones who kept showing up with your recycled jars, your own containers, your questions, and your support.
So, thank you. For being patient with us, for sharing your feedback (good and bad), and for helping Croft become what it is today. We don’t have grand plans for whatever type of domination — just small, steady steps toward a better way of living.
Hope to see you in store sometime soon.
- Sahara
JUNE 2024 - CROFT MAKATI OPENS
In June 2024, we opened our Makati branch — our first step outside Davao.
Opening in a city like Makati was something we thought about for a long time but never rushed into. It always felt important to get the timing right. We didn’t want to expand just for the sake of saying we did. We wanted to build something sustainable, something that felt like Croft, even in a bigger and faster environment. The Makati store is still very much us — simple, humble, and focused on making package-free shopping approachable. It’s not a flashy flagship store; it’s just a space where you can scoop your oats, fill your jar with shampoo, and maybe bump into a few like-minded people doing the same.
There were a lot of lessons (and headaches) along the way, of course. The logistics of opening a bulk store in Manila are not exactly for the faint-hearted — but with the help of some very patient people (and a lot of double-checking courier shipments), we made it happen. Makati has been good to us. Not perfect, not easy, but good. We’re still growing into the space, learning what products people there love most, and figuring out how to stay true to who we are in a much bigger pond. It’s a slow and steady kind of growth, which honestly, suits us just fine.
OCTOBER 2024 – CROFT MARFORI FLAGSHIP STORE
October 2024 marked another big milestone: we officially made our Marfori Heights branch our flagship store.
When we first opened in Marfori in August 2018, the shop was just 18 square metres — basically a large cupboard — but it was full of heart. We had a handful of bulk bins, some refill cleaning products, and a very stubborn belief that people would come with their jars (or at least give it a go). Fast forward to October, and after a lot of thought (and a few construction delays), we finished renovating the space. Marfori is now 75 square metres. It’s still the same Croft you know — just with a little more breathing room. More products, more local suppliers, more space to chat with customers who want to linger and ask questions (and we love when you do). We finally have a little area for workshops and community events too, which has been a quiet dream of mine for years. We didn’t make it fancier — just a little more practical, a little more inviting.
It feels fitting that Marfori, the place where it all started, is now the heart of Croft. Every scratch on the wall and every shelf we hammered in by hand is still there under the fresh paint. It reminds me daily that small things can grow if you just keep showing up.
MARCH 2025 - CROFT SIARGAO OPENS
And most recently, in March 2025, we opened a Croft Bulk Foods branch in Siargao. Opening a store in Siargao wasn’t about chasing a dream lifestyle or expanding for the sake of it. The reality is simple: island communities often struggle with logistics, and basic essentials can be hard to find — especially in sustainable or low-waste forms. We’re not pretending to be locals or trying to insert ourselves into the island culture. Our goal is straightforward: to offer products that locals otherwise can’t easily access, and to do it in a way that reduces unnecessary packaging and waste. Being on an island also means being even more mindful about ocean waste — which is something we take seriously. Siargao store is small, practical, and built to serve a need without adding to the problem.
LOOKING AHEAD
Looking back over the past year or so, it’s been a lot. Expansion has never been our end goal — making zero-waste living a little more accessible has always been the point. Some days that feel easy and hopeful; other days it feels messy and complicated. But either way, we keep going. Croft has grown, but it still feels small in the ways that matter. We still know most of our regular customers by name. We still get excited when someone new brings their own containers for the first time. We still believe that small changes matter, even when the world feels overwhelming. And honestly, none of this would have been possible without all of you — the people who believed in the idea of bulk buying and low-waste living even when it wasn’t trendy, the ones who kept showing up with your recycled jars, your own containers, your questions, and your support.
So, thank you. For being patient with us, for sharing your feedback (good and bad), and for helping Croft become what it is today. We don’t have grand plans for whatever type of domination — just small, steady steps toward a better way of living.
Hope to see you in store sometime soon.
- Sahara