Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Torres.
Hi Jason, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The first time I tried to build a coffee business, I got a lot wrong.
Around May 2025, I traveled to Colombia with my wife, Yenny, and visited her parents’ farms. They told us that they used to grow coffee, but it was difficult to maintain. A neighbor was still growing it and offered to sell us a batch. We decided to try it ourselves.
My in-laws showed me how to remove the parchment and separate the green beans. Then my mother-in-law taught me to roast the coffee in a pot, the old-school way. It was my first roast, and it wasn’t good. By the time we tried it back in the United States, the coffee was darker than we expected and tasted burnt.
Friends and family still supported us, and that first batch sold out within a few days. I was grateful, but I also knew support alone didn’t mean I had the product right. If I wanted this to become a real business, I had more to learn.
So we tried again, this time working with someone who had spent a lifetime around coffee and knew how to roast it well. The difference was clear. People started asking about the coffee, its flavor, where it came from, and how it was made.
Then Las Américas Latin Market gave us our first chance to be on a store shelf. I still remember taking pictures of the bags and pointing to them. The owner smiled because he knew what that moment meant to me. I couldn’t believe Café del Llano was really there.
Getting onto that first shelf was only one part of the journey. I had to learn the business side, too: improve the packaging, form an LLC, work through trademark paperwork, get insurance, and buy equipment. I learned the coffee details that helped me explain what made it special, the variety, the washing process, the farm-to-cup story, and the cupping score.
The early encouragement from friends and family gave me a boost. Then came the harder work of convincing new stores. I pitched for a long time. I learned that telling an authentic story matters, but so does knowing your product and earning a retailer’s trust.
Café del Llano also carries a story larger than coffee. The name honors the Llanero people and culture of Colombia’s eastern plains. I saw people dancing joropo, learned about coleo, and experienced the countryside and its traditions. I wanted to help people recognize a culture that is sometimes overlooked, and the farm communities whose hard work helps bring products to tables around the world.
Today, Café del Llano is carried by about 15 retail stores. We’re still a small company, but we’re resilient. We’re building a Colombian specialty coffee brand that can stand alongside much larger names, one relationship at a time.
Alright, 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?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. One of my first challenges was learning that excitement and support from family and friends weren’t enough, I had to make sure the coffee itself was right. My first roast came out darker than expected and tasted burnt. That was disappointing, but it pushed me to learn more about roasting and keep improving the product.
I also had to learn how to run a business while building one. I needed to improve the packaging, form an LLC, work through trademark paperwork, get insurance, and buy equipment. Then came the challenge of introducing Café del Llano to stores. Earning a retailer’s trust takes time. I had to keep pitching, learn how to explain the coffee clearly, and stay persistent when the answer wasn’t immediate.
There have been times when growth moved more slowly than I wanted, especially as a small business with limited resources. I’ve learned to take things one relationship at a time and focus on what I can control: the quality of the coffee, keeping my word, and continuing to learn. Every obstacle has taught me something I needed for the next step.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently work as a Senior Lead in oilfield completions. I help coordinate field operations, support safe chemical handling, prepare stage reports, communicate with clients, and train team members. The work requires attention to detail, clear communication, and the ability to respond when conditions change.
Before this, I spent about 7 years working in intelligence as a Spanish analytical linguist for the Department of Justice, and I also gained experience as a supervisor. Those roles strengthened my ability to analyze information, communicate across teams, and stay focused under pressure.
I’m most proud of the trust I’ve earned in roles where accuracy and follow-through matter. I bring both analytical experience and hands-on field knowledge, and I’m known for taking responsibility, solving problems, and keeping people informed.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something people might not know about me is that before my work in intelligence and the oilfield, I pursued music as a reggaeton artist. It was a very different path, but it taught me to be creative, put myself out there, and keep going even when the outcome is uncertain.
Pricing:
- 16.99 for a 1lb bag of either ground or whole beans
- 8.99 for a 12ct box of coffee pods.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Cafedellano.com
- Instagram: @cafedelllanousa
- Facebook: @cafedellanousa
- LinkedIn: @cafedelllano
- Youtube: @cafedelllano
