Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorena Nunez.
Hi Lorena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
San Fernando Coffee Company came about after years of being in the coffee and breakfast space. It was time for a new concept that brought latin-inspired flavors to a part of the greater Los Angeles area that did not have those flavor profiles in any coffee shops nearby. The first location, located in the heart of San Fernando, was opened three years ago in a repurposed trolley that came from one of the power companies in another part of the state. It seemed natural to open up for business in a place that I call ‘home.’
Fast-forward to three years later, we have been able open up several more brick-and-mortar shops that serve as community hubs for meetings, gatherings, and social dates. Most traditional coffee shops, or even specialty ones, only serve coffee and pastries, whereas we have opted to include delicious handhelds, wraps, crepes, and an assortment of warm pastries, like Nutella or almond croissants, banana nut bread, and cinnamon rolls.
Our shops have been able to serve the communities we form part of by providing a ‘third’ space for many students, families, and workers to enjoy their coffee. There is nothing we love more than being able to provide that for our patrons.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I do not believe that any business has been a smooth road but we have been able to grow because of the team that we have and because of the support of our coffee-loving customers. Starting and growing at a fast rate has brought on many challenges like storing extra coffee beans in small spaces, delivering product to all locations, sourcing vendors that can keep up with higher amounts of stock requirements, and even how we can improve employee trainings as a small business. Every challenge brings on a new opportunity to improve and better serve our communities.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in graphic design and the overall brand identity of the company. It is so fun to be able to design and paint the murals at each shop, come up with the design of our sleeves for the different menus and seasons, create visuals for social media, and create marketing material for advertising opportunities.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up as the only girl in a family of three older brothers was interesting. While they were into their sports and gaming activities, I was playing with dolls, writing in my journal, and hanging out with my dog. I have always been drawn to creating and using my hands to sew, knit, paint, draw, bake, and now, illustrate on my tablet. Having control over the colors that go on our packaging or being able to create visuals for a new brand really excite me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.SanFernandoCoffeeCo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanfernandocoffeeco
