Kery Café

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
Hi! We are Paola and Kevin, partners and founders of Kery Café, Kevin is a tax lawyer and accountant; he has his own office and dedicates himself fully to that, and I, Paola, am a lawyer by profession, but a barista at heart, and I take care of our business one hundred percent.

Our first venture began in 2018, with a flower shop: Kery Flowers. This business gave us a lot in a very short time. We embraced it and reaped the rewards, until the pandemic exploded and it grew like never before thanks to the fact that we were one of the few businesses that could continue working from the digital world.

This inspired us to want more, and to consider whether having a physical Kery Flowers location was a good idea, but for me (Paola), something more than just a flower shop was needed. Or at least I believed that the space could be used in another way, and diversified with a coffee shop. 

It was at that moment that the desire arose to open a floral café, at the time the first in Puebla, and the only one with this concept. So, from this thought, the idea emerged Kery Café / Cafetería Floral, an innovative project that made me believe in my “crazy” ideas. We call ourselves Kery, for Ke-vin and Eri-ka, boyfriend and girlfriend since 2013, and partners since 2018. 

Kery Café was very well received from the beginning, I must admit it was complicated due to the pandemic, because the waves of Covid continued, but overall with a very warm welcome. 

Our space was unique and eye-catching from the very beginning, thanks to the fusion of flowers and coffee. Our entire menu had a floral theme, from lavender and rose lattes to our famous pink lattes, and dishes adorned with beautiful geraniums and carnations. These small details caught the attention of many people; it wasn't common for a local coffee shop to invest so much in the aesthetics of its menu.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Kery's team consists of eleven people: cooks, baristas, floor staff, management, and the general manager. We all contribute ideas according to our roles, but I think what we enjoy most is that we don't have any real limitations when it comes to expressing ourselves. Sometimes ideas come to fruition, and sometimes they don't, but they are always heard and analyzed. 

We love being deeply committed to our seasonal menus, conducting countless tests and offering feedback to improve recipes. Our creativity extends beyond the menu itself, encompassing special events and their organization. We strive to be a welcoming space that our guests will always want to return to. 

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Don't miss our pink waffles, chilaquiles, and mochas. They're unique and classic recipes, created since our beginnings.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
When we opened Kery, we realized that every day brought challenges and obstacles. The first year we grew faster than we expected, but there were still those empty days that made you wonder if it was really going to work. 

In 2022, we grew a little more, but the demands of our customers were too much for us: we actually started with a very small space, a tiny kitchen and bar, and although we wanted to, we were giving the maximum possible, but this was not enough for all the diners. 

On several occasions we were left looking bad due to lack of space and organization, but this vicious cycle was constantly repeated because of the expectations people had of us; we didn't really understand why, but that was the vision they had of our coffee shop. 

In 2023, our sales stagnated. We were doing everything, but we no longer had the boom we once did. Every week a new coffee shop opened, with a beautiful aesthetic and interesting offerings that attracted a lot of attention. The famous coffee fever and the reality is that it was becoming increasingly difficult to meet people's expectations.

Let's not forget the important reason we create a business: to obtain financial reward—although sometimes our passion for what we do makes us forget that—but behind that there's also a team that doesn't always function well, or that you don't know how to manage correctly. So that year we also had a lot of staff turnover. We usually hired many young people who were still studying, and although we grew very fond of them, their circumstances didn't allow them to continue with us, and emotionally this was also difficult to cope with. 

So, in 2024, I started the year feeling very demotivated. I was really sticking with the project because I didn't know what I was going to do with my life, because I was passionate about it, I loved what I was doing and everything that had been achieved with that space. But on the other hand, it wasn't enough to satisfy what I wanted for Kery Café. I had two options: give it up for good, forget about this venture and pursue the professional career I studied for, or reinvest in that "crazy idea" of growing this project with the focus that the public and I wanted: a larger kitchen and bar that would allow me to streamline my processes and service; and to prominently display my flower shop so that the fusion of flowers and coffee was more directly reflected.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The idea of ​​"flourishing collectively" has always existed and has evolved, but what we really want is to continue growing as a community and strengthening ties with our clients.

Although our floral coffee shop concept is no longer what we promote, we want to share with the public that that was our essence, what made us connect and exist.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Personally, the place that has inspired me the most is Santa Hierba in Oaxaca, I'm sure they have no idea we exist, but since Kevin is from Oaxaca, we always visit them whenever we go, and their whole concept is incredible. For me, it's a place that connects with its people through its authenticity; it's constantly evolving, and it doesn't just focus on foreign customers, like some restaurants in that area that have lost their essence. Not them; you can tell they know who they are and what they want to project every day. I love places that pay attention to the smallest details and share the origin of what they serve, and Santa Hierba does that very well.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We would love to collaborate with Julián Martínez Morales, a barista with extensive experience and a deep love for coffee. We met him at EXPO CAFÉ 2025 because we bought his book, which he even signed. We clicked immediately and started following each other on social media. But as I read more, I became increasingly impressed by his character and passion for his work. He's been involved in every aspect of coffee traceability and has grown tremendously, yet he remains a humble and down-to-earth person who invites you to learn more about coffee without judgment. My ideal collaboration with him would be to invite Kery to give a workshop or training session for the team, but from the humanistic perspective that allowed him to connect with the world of coffee.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
One of the teddy bears we have as decoration was a gift for our first anniversary in 2014.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
If Kery were a city, it might be Amsterdam, with a welcoming yet free and uncomplicated atmosphere. Good coffee, good food, and a good vibe.

Answers by Erika Paola Arrieta Martínez, owner and founder of Kery Café.