Exploring Life & Business with Jenn Cao of Kaffeine Alley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenn Cao.

Hi Jenn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After living in Vietnam and traveling throughout different parts of the world, I returned to California with a deep longing for the coffee culture I had grown to love abroad. In Vietnam, coffee was never just a quick caffeine fix—it was a way of life. It was about slowing down, sitting together, and building relationships. No matter how busy the day or what time it was, people always made time to stop for a cup of coffee or tea and connect with one another.

That sense of community stayed with me. When I moved back to California, I searched for cafés near my neighborhood that felt welcoming and intentional—places that valued people just as much as quality ingredients. I came up short. So I did what I’ve always loved doing: I went into the kitchen. Cooking and serving others has always been my love language, and coffee became another way for me to express care, creativity, and hospitality.

I started making drinks at home, experimenting late into the nights, testing flavors, and refining recipes until they felt just right. What began as a personal passion slowly turned into something bigger. Eventually, I took the biggest leap of my life and invested my life savings into opening a café—one that could serve as a space for connection, conversation, and community.
In November 2019, I opened Kaffeine Alley in my childhood city of Anaheim Hills. The café features coffee- and tea-based drinks inspired by flavors from around the world while remaining deeply rooted in Vietnamese tradition. Every drink is made with intention—from organic coffee and teas to house-crafted simple syrups and thoughtfully chosen alternative dairy options.

But my passion didn’t stop there. As Kaffeine Alley grew, so did my desire to create more spaces centered on community, care, and shared humanity. In 2024, I extended that vision by opening Humanity Coffee in Newport Beach—a café rooted in the belief that coffee can connect us not only to one another, but to the farmers, baristas, and communities involved in every step of the process.

Whether through Kaffeine Alley or Humanity Coffee, my goal remains the same: to create spaces where people feel seen, welcomed, and invited to slow down. Because sometimes, all it takes to build connection is a good cup of coffee and the time to share it.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey hasn’t been smooth. I opened Kaffeine Alley just months before the pandemic, and launching a new business while the world was shutting down tested me in ways I never could have imagined. I found myself navigating the highs and lows of small business ownership largely on my own, while quietly wrestling with imposter syndrome. Am I really an entrepreneur? My background is in education—this was never the path I was trained for.

One of the hardest parts has been learning how to handle moments that don’t always go as planned—encounters with inconsiderate or rude customers, or the reality that I can’t meet everyone’s individual tastes. Letting go of the need to please everyone has been a difficult but necessary lesson. Through it all, I’m still learning, growing, and reminding myself that building something meaningful is never linear—and that resilience, much like community, is built one day at a time.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Kaffeine Alley and Humanity Coffee are built on the belief that coffee is more than a beverage—it’s a catalyst for connection, culture, and community.

At Kaffeine Alley, located in Anaheim Hills, we specialize in coffee- and tea-based drinks inspired by global flavors while staying rooted in Vietnamese tradition. We’re known for our bold, creative menu, house-crafted simple syrups, and commitment to real ingredients—organic coffee and teas, alternative dairy options, and absolutely no high-fructose corn syrup or powdered mixes. Every drink is made intentionally, blending cultural storytelling with thoughtful flavor development.

Humanity Coffee extends that same care beyond the cup. While the café is rooted locally, many of our guests come from all over the world, making the space a meeting point of cultures, stories, and lived experiences. The brand centers on people—baristas, neighbors, and travelers alike—and highlights the interconnected journey of coffee from seed to service. Humanity Coffee is known for creating a warm, inclusive space where learning about one another’s stories and cultures is just as meaningful as what’s being poured behind the bar.

What sets both brands apart is our emphasis on hospitality with heart. We don’t chase trends or mass production. Instead, we focus on craftsmanship, cultural respect, and slowing down in a world that often rushes past connection. Our menus are designed to be approachable yet intentional, inviting customers to try something new while still feeling at home.
Brand-wise, what we’re most proud of is creating spaces that feel personal—places where people feel seen, remembered, and welcomed. These cafés are extensions of lived experiences, cultural heritage, and a genuine love for serving others. They’re not just places to grab coffee, but spaces to linger, connect, and belong.

We want readers to know that when they walk into Kaffeine Alley or Humanity Coffee, they’re stepping into more than a café. They’re entering a community built on care, creativity, and the simple power of sharing a cup together.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like best about our city is the opportunity to grow a business while staying deeply connected to the neighborhood. There’s a strong sense of community here—people genuinely support local businesses, show up consistently, and build real relationships over time. That connection makes it possible to grow something meaningful while still feeling rooted and supported.

What I like least is that, like many growing cities, it can sometimes feel fast-paced and transactional, which can make it challenging to preserve the slower, more intentional sense of community I value. That said, it also reinforces why creating welcoming spaces where people can slow down and connect feels so important.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kaffeinealley.com and www.humanitycoffeenb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaffeinealley/ and https://www.instagram.com/humanitycoffeenb/
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/kaffeinealley
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kaffeine-alley-anaheim and https://www.yelp.com/biz/humanity-coffee-newport-beach