Wichita Kansas | December 10, 2024
By Claudia Amaro
“Cada familia tiene una historia, bienvenida a la nuestra” (Each family has a story, welcome to ours) greets customers on a new sign at Las Adelitas Coffee shop.
Oscar and Flor Pineda have been serving coffee roasted by Oscar, who has perfected the craft for over 15 years. The café, located at 120 E. 1st Street in downtown Wichita, opened its doors in March 2023. However, the Pinedas’ journey began long before that.
In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pinedas started roasting coffee at home and incorporated their business as Esperanza Coffee Roasters LLC. Initially selling their coffee at pop-up markets and events, they eventually opened their brick-and-mortar café. Now, after operating under two names for a while, they are merging “Esperanza” with “Las Adelitas” to create Adelitas Coffee Co.
“Esperanza was not just a name; it was the hope of starting a business, the hope of a better future for the family,” said Oscar. “Esperanza will continue to be embedded in our vision and mission, but everything will be under one brand now: Adelitas Coffee Co.”
Adelitas Coffee Co. has been revolutionizing Wichita’s coffee landscape with Latin American flavors blended with American favorites. A combination of nostalgia and industry inspires Oscar to create the different coffee flavors. Nostalgia from Oscar’s childhood inspires many of their creations like the horchata or Mazapan flavors, alongside the latest coffee trends. “People like to come and try our different coffee flavors; that is why we love to create new products,” he shared. One example from the industry is their pumpkin-inspired coffee, offering a unique twist on a U.S. seasonal favorite.
The business, which started with two full-time employees in 2023, has grown to five team members as they plan for future expansion. By 2025, the Pinedas aim to open a second location at Revolutsia, a shipping container development at Central and Volutsia, where they will also roast coffee.
Expansion efforts have already begun at their downtown location, where they have added more seating to make customers feel at home. “We want families to come and enjoy the space,” Oscar said. Despite the growth, their mission remains steadfast: community, coffee, and family.
Oscar reflects on his journey: “When I started the business, I used to think I just wanted to make ends meet, but as time went by, I realized I want to keep growing my business for me and for my family.”
Although Oscar has extensive experience roasting coffee, he admits that running a business has been a learning curve. “It’s not an easy task,” he said. “The cost of coffee is not consistent; prices go up and down.” He credits his team for helping him balance roasting, serving customers, and handling administrative and marketing tasks.
“I don’t have a marketing strategy. I do most of the social media for now, and what I do is try to show up happy and positive to show our clientele our authentic selves,” he explained. “I believe Americans like our authenticity, so we don’t have to pose. We just show up as ourselves.”
Proud of their bicultural identity, the Pinedas express their roots through every aspect of business. “We can’t identify as 100% Mexican or 100% American, and we show that in the way we serve every individual who walks into the shop,” Oscar said. “People come here happy, sometimes not happy, but we are always thankful for all our customers. We want them to know that we are here for them.”
Other recent changes include selling more coffee wholesale to local shops and expanding their hours. Currently, the café is open Tuesday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Monday from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Collaboration with other local businesses is a cornerstone of Oscar’s philosophy. “Competition is not among small businesses but with big companies,” he said, emphasizing the importance of keeping local money within the community.
Looking back, Oscar shared a piece of advice from his own experience: “I come from hardworking people. I come from nothing, so I have nothing to lose. If something goes wrong, I can start from nothing again.”
Oscar takes pride in every step of the coffee process, from valuing the labor of farm workers to creating a welcoming environment for customers. “We are always thankful for all our customers, and we want them to know that we are here for them, we want families to come and enjoy our newly added space and create memories with the smell of coffee, just like I did as I was growing up” he concluded.
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