Today we’d like to introduce you to Raven Woodley & Audi Bunchien.
Hi Raven Woodley & Audi Bunchien, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Thaiyo is a Filipino + Thai couple ran pop-up (cha)fe that started in San Diego, California. It was inspired by two things – our deep love for the craft of food & drinks, and a passion towards deepening our connection with our cultural roots and shedding light on flavors, experiences, and ideas that aren’t talked about enough in the mainstream media. The word Thaiyo has 3 different layers. “Tayo” in Tagalog (from Raven’s culture), translates to “together/us”. “Tayo” in Japanese translates to “the sun”(which is what you need to grow majority of the drinks we serve). So we took the word “Thai” to fit into these two words, thus creating Thaiyo, which we feel is the perfect representation of us and our brand. We specialize in high quality teas ranging from matcha, to hojicha, to authentically made thai tea & green thai tea. But of course, implementing our own little Filipino + Thai inspired twist to every drink item on the menu, aiming to bring something new and unique to the space.
We started this pop-up in 2025, while still working our full-time jobs every day that we weren’t doing Thaiyo. But soon realized it was something we wanted to give our all to, to turn it into what it is today and what it can become in the future!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been far from smooth, we would say. But that just makes every win all the more appreciated. When we first started, we didn’t really have much guidance or someone we could go to for help, because we didn’t know anyone personally that was taking on a similar path. So we went through tons of trial and error. Figuring out what permits and documents we needed to start, finding places that would accept us and allow us a space to share our product, learning how to navigate social media and create a strong online presence that would stick, because as a pop-up that’s constantly on the move, we rely on social media to tell people where we are. It’s always tough starting off in an industry that everyone wants to get into, because it almost feels like you have to prove yourself and prove your belonging in a space before people start to listen to you, and pay attention, and give you the time of day to want to work with you. So the hardest part in the beginning, was continuing on even after all the no’s, and seeing/believing in what we were building to keep going.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a specialty tea pop-up, that’s known for it’s unique twists & flavors on some of your favorite types of drinks!
We believe our uniqueness comes from the fact that we really dive in on bringing out unique flavors from our Thai & Filipino cultures, and finding a way to put them in our drinks. We feel like we’ve truly created a space that doesn’t just feel like your average cafe that you go to, but feels like a real community. Where you come in and catch up with your barista on what’s been happening at work, or where you order your drink and make a new friend with the person behind you because they just ordered the same thing, or even where you come to a Thaiyo & Friends event because you know you’re going to discover one of your new favorite local artists. And then you get to have a drink on top of all that. We don’t aim to just be a cafe. We aim to be an experience, a comfort zone, a hangout spot. The good drinks are just a plus.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Raven: One of my favorite childhood memories is when I had my own art business in school, and I would advertise my work to all of my friends. I would make a bunch of custom pieces for everyone in my class whether that be prints, stickers, painted tote bags, painted shoes, etc. I loved being crafty when I was younger, and all I wanted to do was share it with everyone!
Audi: One of my favorite childhood memories would be times where my brother, mom and I would be all working in the kitchen at my mom’s restaurant. We’d work together to get through the rush. It always felt accomplishing getting through the rush as a team and it was always natural because that was how we were raised. There was always a learning opportunity and sense of camaraderie which was an unbeatable feeling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thaiyo.square.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thaiyo.cafe/
Image Credits
Images by Raven Woodley & Audi Bunchien
