Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandro Puga.
Hi Alejandro, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve spent my entire professional life in the hospitality industry, and along the way, I fell in love with one simple but powerful idea: quality. Hospitality taught me that quality isn’t just about products—it’s about intention, care, and the way something makes people feel.
One of my earliest passions was wine. Through the industry, my studies at the Chaplin School of Hospitality at FIU—especially under the mentorship of Chip Cassidy—and my love for history and geography, wine became a deep personal interest. I went on to formally study it and earned my Level 1 Sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Wine taught me to slow down, pay attention, and respect where something comes from.
Over time, I faced an honest truth about myself. I’m a very active, health-driven person, and eventually alcohol and peak performance don’t coexist the way they once did. I didn’t fall out of love with quality—I simply began looking for it elsewhere. That’s when coffee quietly entered my life.
A few years ago, I bought my first serious espresso machine, and everything changed. Coffee became more than a drink—it became a ritual. For the past three years, my fiancée and cofounder, Oragnis (Ori), and I have shared our mornings over espresso. Those moments—sipping coffee, having meaningful conversations, and fueling our bodies before workouts—became the foundation of something bigger than we realized. Ori has an incredible ability to keep us organized and grounded, and she brings creative, thoughtful ideas to life through the content we create. Her vision and structure help turn ideas into reality.
I also carry deep pride in being Peruvian. Peru’s cuisine, culture, and natural products deserve to be celebrated on the world stage. In recent years, I’ve seen something beautiful happening: the word Peruvian is increasingly associated with quality. During my most recent visit to my hometown of Cajamarca in mid-2025, that connection became personal. I tasted the coffee being produced there—and it stopped me in my tracks. The quality was undeniable. The more I learned, the more I understood how the land itself—its altitude, soil, and climate—was shaping something truly special.
That journey led me to Las Damas de San Ignacio, a woman-led cooperative producing organic coffee under a fair trade agreement with the U.S. There was no hesitation—this was the coffee I needed to bring to people.
When I returned to Miami, I couldn’t let it go. I immersed myself in research, tasting, and learning. I realized that while Peruvian coffee isn’t new, it still hasn’t been given the spotlight it deserves. Even more importantly, I saw how many people have never experienced specialty coffee the way it’s meant to be enjoyed.
For me, freshness is essential. Even the highest-quality beans can fall short if they aren’t fresh. That’s why we partnered with a local roastery in Wynwood, “Escondido Specialty Coffee”, which roasts our coffee in small batches. When great-quality beans are roasted fresh, the coffee experience becomes exceptional—and that level of excellence is exactly what we’re committed to delivering.
We launched a little over a month ago, so we’re still at the very beginning of our journey. But even in this short time, the response has been incredibly rewarding. It started with friends and family and quickly expanded to people who discovered us and gave us a chance. What excites us most isn’t just sales—it’s seeing people return, reorder, and genuinely enjoy the coffee. Customers placing multiple orders in just a few weeks reassures us that we’re building something real.
This isn’t just about coffee. It’s about honoring quality, celebrating origin, and building something meaningful together. With Ori by my side, this journey feels intentional, grounded, and full of possibility. And in many ways, this is only the beginning.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t been entirely smooth, but that’s something we expected when building a brand the right way.
One of our first and biggest challenges has been reaching and educating customers. Specialty coffee, much like fine wine, isn’t inexpensive—but when understood, it delivers value that far outweighs the cost. We know there is a market that appreciates and is willing to pay a fair price for specialty coffee. However, as a newer brand, discovering and connecting with that audience takes time. So far, our strongest support has come from friends, family, and their extended circles. While we’ve invested in Meta and Google ads, we’re still learning how to uncover those “unturned rocks” that lead to truly organic, out-of-the-blue customers.
Another ongoing challenge has been educating customers on the importance of whole-bean coffee. The reality is that most people don’t own a grinder—or don’t have a proper one—and specialty coffee begins to lose its essential oils and flavor characteristics within 24 hours of being ground. For many consumers accustomed to pre-ground coffee, this makes it harder to immediately appreciate quality. Despite this, we’ve embraced education as part of our mission. While we strongly encourage whole-bean coffee, we also offer ground coffee, ensuring it is freshly ground the same day an order is placed so customers receive it at peak freshness.
Our third major challenge has been securing faster and more affordable shipping options. While customers today are generally aware of shipping costs, passing that expense along is never ideal. Partnering with large fulfillment models like Amazon doesn’t align with our financial reality or, more importantly, our commitment to freshness. Preserving quality means maintaining control over how and when our coffee is roasted, packaged, and delivered.
Each of these challenges has reinforced our belief in building slowly, intentionally, and with the long term in mind. While the road isn’t always easy, every obstacle has helped sharpen our focus and strengthen our commitment to delivering a truly exceptional coffee experience.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve spent my entire professional career in the hospitality industry, where I currently work as a Restaurant Manager at a fine-dining steakhouse in Coral Gables. My specialty lies in team building and culture creation—developing environments where people feel respected, valued, and genuinely motivated to do their best work. I strongly believe that while great food matters, without great people behind it, the experience will always fall short.
What I am most proud of is people development. Helping others build skills, confidence, and the right mindset to grow has been the most fulfilling part of my career. I’ve seen individuals surpass limitations they once believed were impossible, and knowing I played even a small role in that growth is incredibly rewarding.
What sets me apart is my commitment to genuine intention. While everything we do operates within a business framework, my focus has always been on creating experiences—both for guests and for team members—that go far beyond a transaction. I prioritize long-term value over short-term wins, and that same philosophy is the foundation of the brand I am building today.
These values—quality, intention, patience, and people-first leadership—are not just how I work; they are how I live and build.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Resilience is one of the most important attributes I carry and consistently demonstrate throughout my life. Regardless of the circumstances, I find a way forward. To me, resilience is not synonymous with stubbornness; it is the discipline of a strategist—someone committed to long-term goals and willing to adapt the path to reach them.
It’s built through a lifestyle rooted in small, intentional, atomic habits that compound over time. These habits not only move me closer to the end goal, but also give meaning and purpose to the journey itself. Coming to the United States 20 years ago with just $700 in my pocket and no contacts—and building the life and career I have today—is a testament to this resilience. It shows that sustained effort, intention, and adaptability can overcome even the most daunting circumstances.
Pricing:
- $21.00 Whole Bean Coffee
- $21.00 Ground Coffee
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pugamilano.com
- Instagram: @pugamilano
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582913082465
- Other: tiktok @pugamilano
Image Credits
Alejandro Puga
