WRITTEN BY JORDAN KOSSUTH
Gabriela and Mario Rodriguez-Garcia at Bridge Street Market’s Meet the Makers event, 2021
Photo by Ashley Wierenga
A good cup of coffee can give you the energy needed to get up and go in the morning, or that extra kick to take you through an afternoon slump.
A great cup of coffee is a social experience. It tells a story, allowing you to slow down and savor aromas and flavors that can unlock forgotten memories and transport you to another time and place. And anyone who has tried it knows – Soldadera Coffee is here to provide one such experience!
Gabriela and Mario Rodriguez-Garcia, the sibling co-founders of Soldadera Coffee, can remember growing up in Mexico City and waking up to the aroma of Café de Olla wafting from their grandmother Cristina’s kitchen. Afternoons were often spent socializing while sipping on a fresh brew. Coffee plays a significant role in Mexican culture, a country currently serving as the eighth-largest coffee producer in the world, and a significant source of American coffee imports.
The passion for coffee was deeply engrained in the Rodriguez-Garcia family, continuing to evolve as the duo moved to West Michigan. While on a business trip in Monterrey, Mexico, Mario sat down for a cup of coffee that stimulated forgotten memories.
"I remember as a small child accompanying my grandmother to religious retreats in the early morning to the Spanish-styled Cathedrals of Mexico City. As soon as we came off the Greyhound buses, my Grandmother Cristina would set up tables with carafes (pitchers), full of hot Cafe de Olla, as a token of kindness for the community. It was during these cold mornings, with a loaf of Spanish bread in one hand and a cup of Cafe de Olla in the other, that I drew inspiration from my grandmother and became passionate about making a difference in the community as my grandmother did for the people around her."
– Mario Rodriguez-Garcia
Upon returning to Michigan, Mario began experimenting with various blends and spices, producing about 70 brews before perfecting the cold brew Café de Olla that Soldadera Coffee produces today. During this trial and error, he began to learn more about the rich cultural significance of Café de Olla, and Las Soldaderas.
Photo by Ashley Wierenga
Culturally Significant Cold Brew
The inspiration for Soldadera Coffee dates back to the early 1900’s, during the Mexican Revolution. This was a time of political, social, and economic upheaval that served as a defining event in modern history, providing an unprecedented opportunity for women to distance themselves from perceived gender roles and join the cause.
Las Soldaderas – female soldiers – made several significant contributions during the Mexican Revolution, maintaining forces by assisting in battles, cooking, cleaning – some even went on to become colonels. During cold fall and winter nights, Adelitas (revolutionary women) would brew coffee with herbs, spices, and sugar to keep soldiers warm and alert. This blend was generally made in a clay pot to better retain heat, giving the coffee a pleasant, earthy flavor. The name, Café de Olla, literally translates to “coffee from a clay pot”.
Café de Olla – and Beyond
While Café de Olla was historically consumed hot, Soldadera Coffee’s unique take is a Mexican-style cold brew bursting with complex flavors and spices. The best way to describe it is a dirty chai cold brew and tea fusion that you won’t find anywhere else!
A beverage this specialized requires beans roasted to a very specific profile by Ohio-based Caruso’s Coffee Roasters. The beans themselves are sustainably sourced from farms in Guatemala and Honduras.
The secret behind Café de Olla’s rich chocolatey aroma and earthy cinnamon and licorice flavor? It’s all in the brewing process. Similar to tea-making, herbs and spices are boiled and fused with coffee that’s been steeped for 10-12 hours. The result is a low-acidity, low-sugar cold brew that energizes naturally for long-lasting concentration without the jittery nerves, anxiety, and mid-day crash that can come from other caffeinated products.
In addition to the Café de Olla, Mario continues to develop other flavor profiles, including a Jamaican Hibiscus Cold Brew and Canelita – a Cinnamon Mexican Style Cold Brew. Canelita was inspired by the traditional Mexican Christmas celebration known as Posadas (inn or shelter). The festivities take place during the nine days leading up to Christmas Eve, and include traditional rituals, social gatherings, authentic food, and – of course – coffee!
Photo by Ashley Wierenga
Celebrating Diversity & Making a Difference
Soldadera Coffee is a brand dedicated to making a change in women’s economic inequality through the distribution of beverages, following in the footsteps of their social activist grandmother, Cristina.
According to the US Department of Labor, women currently account for 46.8% of the labor force, yet they remain under-represented in high-level/high-income positions, as well as in certain fields – something Gabriela is all too familiar with from her work in the tech industry.
Women matter – yet gender bias continues to create barriers in economic equity, and women still face violence, discrimination, and institutional barriers to equal participation in society. Women – especially women of color – have also been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This is why Soldadera campaigns to bring more awareness to women’s issues within the United States.
In 2020, Soldadera Coffee received funding from Rende Progress Capital, a lender committed to providing opportunities for those facing barriers in acquiring traditional loans due to racial inequity and bias, and Fair Food Network, a nonprofit pioneering solutions to strengthen local economies and increase access to healthy food. These funds allowed them to continue expanding, building inventory, and spreading their social focus of empowering women and racial equity.
This past spring, they sponsored She Runs Grand Rapids, energizing runners with Soldadera Coffee’s Hibiscus Cold Brew – a fruity, bright, and refreshing coffee and tea fusion. They were a featured vendor SpringGR Juneteenth Festival at John Ball Zoo. And you can always find Gabriela and Mario at the Grand Rapids Wine, Beer, and Food Festival, where they’ve been showcasing their product’s versatility, affordability, and quality since 2019.
Building Community Partnerships
Soldadera Coffee is also committed to celebrating diversity within our community by supporting and collaborating with locally owned businesses. In 2019, they teamed up with City Built Brewing Company to brew Soldadera Porter, a dark beer sweetened with piloncillo (pure cane sugar), spices, and a touch of lactose. Next time you’re craving a cocktail near the lakeshore, stop into Muskegon’s Burl & Spring for Escenciolla, a rum-based beverage made with Café de Olla.
Mario and Gabriela Rodriguez-Garcia are joined by Meijer Supplier Diversity Manager, Kavy Lenon on FOX 17 Morning Mix
Brightening Up Shelves at Bridge Street Market
Gabriela and Mario credit many of their community collaborations to the network they built in Start Garden, where they also received an introduction to Kavy Lenon, Meijer’s Supplier Diversity Manager. Since their successful debut in Meijer stores across six states – as well as our very own Bridge Street Market – Gabriela and Mario have received an outpouring of community support.
“We see you – we see that minority individual shopping for a product they can see a reflection of themselves in. When they see Soldadera Coffee and read the stories behind our development and the inspiration behind the recipes, they connect with that.”
- Gabriela Rodriguez-Garcia
Each Soldadera Coffee flavor is packaged in a brightly colored, eco-friendly can that stands out on shelves. This recent rebrand, brought to life by Raul Alvarez, has helped the duo share their story and expand its reach to new heights. In fact, this eye-catching packaging – along with their commitment to quality ingredients and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts – won them the “Golden Ticket” award at KeHE Distributor’s Diversity Trendfinder event last year.
This vibrant branding is a testament to what Soldadera Coffee is all about. At the end of the day, representation is everything! And it’s just one of the many unique hallmarks of Soldadera Coffee that makes us so excited to follow this duo on their journey of continued success.
Photo by Ashley Wierenga