Meet Velveth & Leo Avila of and I you cafe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Velveth & Leo Avila

Hi Velveth & Leo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hi! Thank you so much for having us.

We’re Leo and Velveth Avila, a husband-and-wife team behind a health-centric and earth-kind coffee cart. I (Velveth) emigrated from Guatemala at a young age; coffee has always been a cornerstone of my family life—every meal, gathering, or celebration felt incomplete without it, often accompanied by pan dulce. For me, no event is truly finished without a cup of cafecito. Leo, on the other hand, came to the U.S. from El Salvador a little less than ten years ago, bringing with him a deep appreciation for the art and precision of brewing that he honed in his homeland. Starting our coffee cart has become a beautiful way for me to reconnect with another part of my roots and for Leo to celebrate his own ties to coffee culture.

Our cart was born from a profound love—for coffee, wellness, community, and the people who make each sip possible. When we were dating, we bonded over a shared dream of having our own café and creating a space where people could gather, share meaningful mindful moments, and enjoy incredible coffee while nurturing people and the planet. Shortly after our wedding, we opened our doors- literally to our backyard- in November 2022. We quickly became a part of the vibrant street vendor community, before pivoting back to our backyard in the Fall of 2023 when we’re not vending at pop ups or nurturing guests at private events.

The name of our café, “and I you,” is from a heartfelt moment while camping in Death Valley, where Leo said, “I love you,” and I instinctively replied, “and I you.” That exchange became the heart of our café’s name, a reflection of the love and connection we aim to cultivate with every cup- a reminder of the simple, beautiful conversations that happen over coffee & tea. It also reminds us to do all things with love and not lose sight of our mission for profit. This sentiment is at the core of everything we do. Our mission is rooted in love and purpose, ensuring that we not only serve delicious beverages but nourish consumers while honoring the farmers and minimizing our impacting on the earth.

As we developed our concept, we shifted from a focus on our heritage to a commitment to holistic wellness. In a city like LA, often dubbed the “coffee shop capital” by the LA Times, we found a surprising lack of truly healthy and sustainable options. Often times, cafes will check one box but not others- like specialty organic coffee but no organic milks or sweeteners or their take-away cups are made with petroleum based liners/products that can leech toxins into our bodies. We believe it’s our calling to create a café that not only delivers great flavor but also prioritizes health and sustainability. Inspired by the Japanese concept of “ikigai,” we believe this is something the world needs, we’re passionate about, we’re good at, and will be a thriving business. We strive to make every drink nourishing, supporting both our customers and the environment. Our motto, “Rooted in Love, Brewed with Purpose: Where Every Sip is Earth-Kind and Nourishing,” reflects this commitment.

Whether it’s the warmth of sobremesa—those cherished family moments after a meal spent laughing and sharing stories—or Leo’s meticulous brewing techniques, we put love and intention into every detail. We want each experience with us to feel as nourishing to the soul as it is to the body. With us, you’re not just getting a drink; you’re experiencing a heartfelt craft that fosters health, sustainability, and community.

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?
Our journey has definitely not been easy or smooth. While a coffee cart might seem simple, especially compared to a full-service restaurant, the reality is far more complex- especially since we handle every aspect ourselves. As self-taught entrepreneurs, we’ve come a long way in managing day-to-day operations like opening our “shop”, prepping for events, or dialing in the perfect espresso shot. However, the behind-the-scenes challenges- from strategic decision-making and marketing to being profitable- are harder to hone down especially with limited financial resources.

The 5 hardest areas have been:
1. Permits- Health Codes are difficult to navigate and costly to obtain. They’re not any easier for coffee carts.
2. Marketing- This is one of our weakest abilities and most time-consuming-task. Each stage: ideation, creating, editing, publishing, and promoting is a struggle for us. A 10 second video can take us hours to execute. This all excludes navigating the constant algorithm changes on each platform. This in turn makes it harder for us to shift perceptions and share our passion for holistic wellness. Marketing ourselves to a point where customers perceive their purchase from us an investment in their health as opposed to just a caffeine kick or a sweet treat has been a challenge
3. Finances – As a self-funded venture with limited resources, our ability to invest in growth is constrained. We’ve chosen to reinvest every dollar we earn back into the business instead of paying ourselves wages, which has made it challenging to manage our personal financial needs.
4. Work-life-balance- We often feel guilty when we’re not actively working on the business, whether that’s reaching out for collaborations, creating content, bookkeeping, or investing our time into continuous improvement.
5. Things out of our control- As outdoor vendors, weather has significantly impacted our ability to work, forcing us to close or cancel events during rain or extreme heat. Our family also experienced a serious hardship shortly after we started that has required us to step in and support each other, adding extra demands on our time and resources as we manage the business.

Despite the hurdles, the satisfaction of perfecting a drink, getting compliments on our content, or witnessing a customer’s joy after their first sip makes it all worthwhile. We’ve learned to embrace imperfection and take each day as a new opportunity to grow.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about and I you cafe?
From the quality of ingredients to our speakeasy-like backyard cafe, we offer “more than meets the eye”.

On the surface, our iced coffee & matcha beverages are made using our signature coffee and matcha ice cubes. We do this to prevent them from being diluted with water and so customers don’t feel like they’re paying just for ice. For all other iced drinks, we use ice made from water that’s been filtered through Clearly Filtered’s system. This system removes over 365 contaminants while preserving beneficial minerals in water.

What truly makes us unique, though, is our blending of craft coffee, tea, and cacao with holistic wellness. As a health-centric, purpose-driven café, we aim to ensure that every cup serves a greater good. Each beverage is carefully crafted using organic ingredients that retain their nutrients, and most uniquely, have been tested to be free from toxicants like heavy metals, mold, and mycotoxins whenever possible. We take pride in sourcing ethically, serving 100% grass-fed organic dairy, and making our own sweeteners and plant milks to: minimize waste, control quality, and minimize exposure to unnecessary & harmful ingredients. When sourcing store-bought products and ingredients, we prioritize those that are organic and made of minimal whole-food ingredients. We even use compostable, non-toxic cups for to-go orders.

Our commitment to continuous improvement drives us to be the best. We don’t do this out of competition but to embody Gandhi’s message of “being the difference.” We take quality very seriously. We partner with trusted suppliers who share our commitment to organic and sustainable practices. Every ingredient is carefully selected, and we prioritize transparency in sourcing. This way, our customers can make an informed decision and feel good about what they’re consuming, knowing it’s good for their bodies and the planet. Our backyard café and coffee cart is perfect for a community with limited health options, coffee aficionados, and holistic enthusiasts.

Beyond coffee, tea, and cacao, our menu includes aguas frescas, mocktails, and occasionally homemade ice cream and pastries- all crafted with high-quality organic ingredients.

We also offer catering and collaboration opportunities. Whether it’s for teacher’s appreciation, being a vendor at a market, celebrating a life event, or showcasing an artist’s talent in our backyard, our coffee cart/backyard café is a great opportunity to elevate an event or enhance fundraising efforts. We also have beginners home-barista training workshops in the pipeline for 2025.

[Leo] Not just because she’s my wife, but because she’s truly an amazing person that deserves recognition, when you visit us, you’ll experience Velveth’s unparalleled customer service. She greets every customer with warmth and takes the time to engage, whether it’s a simple chat or a deeper conversation about coffee or our business journey. In her customer-service role, her kindness goes above and beyond.

A fun fact is that Leo channels his woodworking skills into crafting beautiful pieces for our business (fun fact, he built our cart using scrap wood!) and has expanded to building coffee carts and accessories, or home furniture and decor for others, in addition to being our barista.

Lastly, we’re both self-taught in the world of coffee! Although we’ve loved coffee our entire lives, we initially knew very little about it- our early experiences were largely with instant coffee. Today, we can brew a variety of methods- espresso, pour-over, and drip- and enjoy the nuances of a simple cup of coffee. We encourage anyone with a similar dream to pursue it; while it’s challenging, it’s also incredibly rewarding

Anyways, we can keep going. Reach out to us for more information on our products or services—we’re always happy to connect!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking has been an integral part of our journey, and our perspective on it has evolved significantly. A pivotal moment for me was when I was laid off for standing up about a health decision my previous employer refused to accept. At that crossroads, Leo and I faced a choice: we could take a break to travel and enjoy our newfound status as newlyweds, or we could dive headfirst into our dream of becoming coffeepreneurs.

We ultimately chose the latter, recognizing that this was a unique opportunity to pursue our passion. We believed it would be challenging to find another chance like this, and we could always travel later. However, this decision came with significant financial risks. We devoted ourselves full-time to starting our business, relying on our savings and government assistance as we work to establish ourselves.

One of the major risks we took was deciding to vend on the street without obtaining the necessary permits (not because we didn’t want to, but because it’s difficult and expensive). We’ve heard horror stories of cases where street vendors get their products thrown away and equipment confiscated. We feared getting caught even though it brought in good revenue. Eventually, an inspector did catch us and we had to stop street vending. Thankfully, he was kind and didn’t take our stuff away. The silver lining, this instance allowed us to focus on creating a more sustainable business model. Our next financial risk involves securing financing for a coffee truck, which will enable us to reach more customers and expand our presence. Being debt free for a few years now, taking out a business loan is something we wanted to avoid. However, we’ve reached a point where it’s necessary

While we haven’t hit it big yet (for us, this means earning enough to pay ourselves wages), we’re encouraged by the shifting consumer preferences toward organic and healthy options, which align with our mission. In this venture, we’ve learned that taking calculated risks can lead to meaningful opportunities, even if the journey is slow. We firmly believe in our dream and are committed to nurturing it, step by step. Ultimately, taking risks has brought personal fulfillment, reinforcing our commitment to pursuing our dream together.

Pricing:

• We’re glad you asked! You’ve likely heard the saying, “you get what you pay for,” and this rings especially true for us. Each drink we serve is more than just a cup of coffee; it’s an investment in your health and an experience crafted with care.
• We aim to keep our pricing accessible while prioritizing quality. For example, we use double shots in all our espresso drinks— something that many cafés charge extra for our standard size of 8oz. Our large (12 oz) espresso drinks come with a triple shot to ensure balance and value.
• We don’t charge extra for our homemade plant milks because we believe everyone should have access to quality options without having to pay more.
• We also incorporate coffee or matcha ice cubes to prevent coffee and matcha drinks from being diluted with water and keep the flavor intact.
• We’re pleased to offer a variety of discounts to support our community and promote sustainability. Customers who bring their own cups receive a discount, and those who prefer a milder flavor can enjoy lower prices on single-shot beverages. We also support fellow entrepreneurs with vendor discounts at events, and cash payments come with an added discount. We believe in providing value while maintaining our commitment to quality

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/and.i.you_cafe/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@andIyoucafe
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/and-i-you-caf%C3%A9-sun-valley-2?osq=and+i+you+cafe

Image Credits
Chris Rivera (@outer.haven)