Meet Angela Vannett and Robert Lobo of Pura Vida Grinds in Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Vannett and Robert Lobo.

Angela and Robert, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The Pura Vida Grinds story starts with 2 people who were searching for something more from life. Lobo comes from Costa Rica, where much of his family still resides and Angela has lived in Arizona for most of her life. Sampling double shots of espresso became a passion of theirs and they knew, without a doubt, that the Costa Rican coffee beans that they would receive in care packages from Costa Rica were by far the best around. They were convinced that they needed to bring the taste of PURA VIDA to Arizona and share it with as many people as possible. The question then became, how to do it?

A friend approached them about knowing someone who was selling a small coffee cart that had been in storage for quite some time. The cart needed some work but the potential was there and both Lobo and Angela knew it immediately. In August of 2016 they purchased the cart and began repairs and upgrades. They worked with friends and professionals to create the business name, logo, color scheme, menu and branding of Pura Vida Grinds. They were able to pick out the perfect small farm in Costa Rica to source their beans from. In November of 2016, they traveled to Costa Rica and loaded their suitcases with their first order of 40 kilos of 100% Whole Bean Arabica coffee. And so, Pura Vida Grinds began…

Great, 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?
We have definitely encountered our share of struggles since the day we began. Not knowing much about starting our own business or the intricacies of crafting espresso drinks, we found ourselves on the internet researching everything we could. We had long checklists of things to do before we could get started and it took us about 8 months from the time we purchased our trailer until we were fully operational.

We had difficulties with the DMV when trying to register the trailer, we had to purchase and return large items like our generator and point of sale system until we found the right one, we had to design our menu from scratch, we had to submit and resubmit our paperwork for our Maricopa County Health Dept. permit, and we had to learn how to navigate a new-to-us industry in order to find places to park our coffee trailer.

Each day there was, and continues to be, new challenges but we thrive off the feeling we get when we overcome and grow from them.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pura Vida Grinds – what should we know?
We are a mobile coffee business that proudly serves gourmet Costa Rican coffee and specialty handcrafted drinks on location. Our classy trailer is a full service espresso bar offering all the classics you get at your favorite coffee spot, as well as hot chocolate and a variety of other non-coffee items to choose from as well! With over 30 flavors to choose from, we can create incredible combinations with our Italian Sodas, Lemonades, and Iced Teas.

We take pride in using only the best ingredients in our drinks. The coffee beans are imported direct from a small farm in Costa Rica. The chocolate milk for our mochas, hot cocoas, and kid drinks comes from a local company in AZ, Danzeisen Dairy and is hands down, the best. Even our ice is made with a Reverse Osmosis system that creates the most incredible tasting ice cubes that are crystal clear.

In addition to great tasting drinks, we believe strongly in always providing top notch customer service. Our name, Pura Vida, is derived from Costa Rica’s culture and is more than just a phrase meaning “Pure Life” but an actual way of life that shows a true appreciation for others. The Pura Vida way brings a kind heart, a warm smile and new friendships to us every single day.

There are a million options for people to choose from when it comes to coffee and drinks, so we strive to be the absolute best in hopes that people will continue go out of their way to track us down and follow our coffee trailer wherever it goes.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Personality.

Being personable, attentive, friendly, happy, professional, and all around likeable is an integral part of our business. Which is not only important for us to maintain so our customers will return to our business, but also for the event planners/office managers/PTO coordinators/fellow food truckers/future catering clients that we deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Building good relationships is definitely one of the major keys to success.

Pricing:

• Cafe Latte – $5
• Americano – $3.50
• Hot Chocolate – $3
• Infused Tea, Lemonade – $3.50
• Flavored Italian Sodas – $3.50

Contact Info:

• Address: 3820 E. Main St. #9 Mesa, AZ 85205
• Website: www.pvgrinds.com
• Phone: 480-600-7528
• Email: angela@pvgrinds.com
• Instagram: @puravidagrinds
• Facebook: @puravidagrinds

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.