Caffeto owner Valentina Castellanos recently opened permanently in a coffee truck next to Canvas Tattoo in NoDa, and Castellanos has big plans for the brand moving forward.
Five years ago, Castellanos’s father bought a coffee farm in Colombia. Since then, the family has been perfecting their coffee craft, and Castellanos decided to open Caffeto here in Charlotte to showcase the coffee grown at the family farm.
“All my family, we’ve always been coffee drinkers,” Castellanos told What Now Charlotte. “I’ve always loved the industry of food and customer service, and I always wanted a cafe-bar.”
Caffeto’s name is a nod to what they call coffee trees in Colombia. Castellanos said that they serve specialty coffee, using only high-quality beans from the farm to craft items on the espresso menu. Menu highlights include the spicy mocha and cardamom latte.
The permanent coffee truck in NoDa is Castellanos’s first step toward what she envisions to be a large brand in the area. She is currently working toward building a franchise model, and she soon hopes to set up more permanent coffee trucks throughout Charlotte, targeting different neighborhoods.
“I want different locations. In the not-too-far future, we want a storefront,” Castellanos said. “It’s going to be a different concept, but it will [still] focus on coffee, matcha and DJs.”
Castellano’s goal is to provide a safe, alcohol-free space where people can enjoy music, coffee and local art.
