Profile: Cafe Cà Phê
Join us as we chat with Jackie Nguyen, founder and creator of Cafe Cà Phê, KC’s brand new Vietnamese coffee truck.
All photos by Anna Petrow
There’s a new truck rolling into town, and it’s serving Vietnamese coffee like you’ve never had before– colorful concoctions with unique, bold flavors and an equally exciting and wonderful team. Meet Jackie Nguyen, founder of Cafe Cà Phê– and give her a warm welcome to KC!
Why is Vietnamese coffee important to you?
Being that I am first generation Vietnamese American, it's of the utmost importance. Growing up, my mom would make Vietnamese coffee every single day. I didn't realize it was "different" by any means until I started to see that not everyone drank Vietnamese coffee. Vietnamese coffee is actually pretty integral to the universal coffee experience, but many people don't know that. Did you know that Folgers, Maxwell House, etc... most of those big brands use Vietnamese beans? And yet, the exposure isn't there! This coffee movement is not only important for me on a personal level, but on a cultural level. I want the masses to know about the flavors, the profiles and the deliciousness.
What made you decide to move to KC to open up your shop?
The lack of Asian narratives here. There is only 2% of the KC population that is Asian. I am used to being in areas where there is a bigger presence of the Asian culture. Since Kansas City is directly in the middle of the country, it felt like the perfect place to start. Also, I was on tour with Miss Saigon in December of 2019 (pre-pandemic) and fell in LOVE with the Plaza Lights and the cool atmosphere of River Market. Something about it called to me.
Tell me about the design process behind your brand, and the build out that went into your amazing truck!
It was actually a pretty lengthy process. The only thing I knew were the colors. I HAD to have yellow and red because those colors represent Vietnam. Choosing blue was because I found that a lot of French culture was intertwined with Vietnamese in its architecture and cuisine, so I wanted to make sure blue was added in. The Vietnamese zodiac is a huge part of my culture, and my zodiac sign is the Dragon. Growing up, my mom called me "her dragon," so I wanted to make sure that was part of the brand. I worked really hard with my branding company called Love Letter Creative, which is a Queer, Woman-owned branding company in North Carolina, and they really took all of my ideas and brought them to life in our brand. For me, it was about making sure it was bold, bright, and powerful. The build out--- a WHOLE NOTHA' STORY! It was super complicated, and pretty stressful because prior to this, I didn't know s**t about the food industry, let alone the food truck industry. There were months of research, Googling, YouTubing, getting quotes and analysis from different contractors and teams. But, overall, the hard work paid off because our baby is dope.
What goes into the flavor development process for your different lattes, like the Hella Good Latte and the Electric Latte?
Flavor wise, I just looked into my favorite Vietnamese dishes. When I don't know something, anything, regarding my company– I try to remember my roots: my culture. Sesame, Cardamom, Ube, Lychee– I grew up with these flavors. It wasn't necessarily unique to ME, or to my culture. It was awesome introducing these flavors in a way that is accessible, like a latte. The drink making process really enabled me to be creative, and to put myself in other peoples' shoes to think about what people would like. How bold would people be willing to go to try something? It also had to sit well with me as far as sweetness levels go. I don't like my flavors TOO sweet, but subtly so. And I think that the strength of the coffee pairs well with the sweet flavors like Ube.
How has Cafe Cà Phê been received in KC? You opened in the middle of a pandemic-- that must have been a challenge.
To be honest, it's been the absolute best (not the pandemic part). People here in Kansas City have been THE MOST helpful and kind people I've ever met. Everyone is so willing to try the drinks, even if they are a bit nervous. Everyone has reached out and offered help in any way possible, which has been the best part. And yes, opening in the middle of a pandemic served as quite a challenge. Financially, mostly. When everything around you is crumbling, it's quite hard to build up something from nothing. But the pandemic did not stop my perseverance– which is half the battle of an entrepreneur. JUST. KEEP. GOING. And eventually, something will happen, and lucky for us, it did.
You've already launched some amazing partnerships with Cafe Cà Phê– like donuts, live music, crepes, and so much more! How do you come up with these plans, and who do you hope to collaborate with in the future?
To be honest, I straight up just ask people. Especially companies that I think are super dope and align with my values (being good humans, kindness, and understanding). I think there is beauty in simplicity and just saying, "Hey. Would you like to collaborate?" So, that's how I come up with the plans– I literally just ask. If there's a small business, especially run by a woman, an artist or a person of color, I get immediately drawn to finding partnerships with those companies. It's hard out here for a business owner, and partnering up usually helps both sides out tremendously. So, I am all about being able to collaborate as much as I can. I really want to continue to work with women of color. There aren't many of us out there, so the more we can help each other out, the better (in my opinion).
Any other hopes for your business in 2021?
We want to introduce the beauty of sesame milk to many more people. This Oat Milk is cute and all, but wait until you try sesame milk. JUST YOU WAIT! Not only does it give a wonderful cultural representation of the Asian flavor profile, but it's definitely way healthier for you than other milk alternatives. Secondly, we hope to bring more small business collaborations with other Asian businesses around town. Lastly.... continue to SLAAAAAAAY!
Cafe Cà Phê is parked for the winter at 1101 Mulberry Street. Give them a visit, and follow them at @cafecaphe to hear the latest!
