Little Waves Coffee Roasters was founded in 2017 by Areli Barrera Grodski and Leon Grodski Barrera as an extension of the Cocoa Cinnamon coffee shop they’d successfully run since 2013. As their three cafes have gotten busier and busier over the years, they realized they needed an equipment refresh. After weighing their options, the two decided to install a La Marzocco KB90 espresso machine in each retail location. We recently spoke with the team behind Little Waves and Cocoa Cinnamon to learn more about their decision.
How has your coffee program grown since you started your first café?
We started off as a coffee bike about 14 years ago and have grown into three retail shops called Cocoa Cinnamon and our roastery, Little Waves Coffee Roasters. We took each step with intention, supported by our mission and without the influence of outside capital.
The shops are rooted in the intersection of the history of coffee, starting as a seed in East Africa, then spreading across the Middle East as a drink. The initial travel of the drink overlapped with the Western edge of ancient spice routes, and coffee and spice have intermingled ever since. Our shop designs and menus explore and play this out in wonder as an homage to that history.
Little Waves Coffee Roasters has a similar heart but with a focus solely on coffee. At Little Waves, we love sourcing some of the world’s best and rarest competition coffees. At the same time, we believe that only cherry picking the top lots is harmful for farmers and the industry in general. So, we have a program that takes our whole view of coffee into account over time.
We have no outside capital or investment and grow organically, building upon connecting quality and relationship impact from crop to cup and cup to crop. We’ve had the good fortune of being featured in ways that let us share our story and connect more deeply with coffee lovers worldwide and the industry near and far.
Little Waves is a Latina-led, women-forward, specialty coffee program that seeks to serve top-quality coffees that deeply and honestly connect quality, relationship, and impact. We offer an integrated array of offerings to express this ongoing work.
How has your approach to coffee developed over the years at Little Waves?
We have gone from triple ristrettos (in 2013) to basing dose on freshness and using a 1:2-1:2.1 double on most beverages while being open to trying other methods, and adaptation, depending on what the coffee requires. We have also started using coarser grinds on certain pour-overs with tighter brew ratios to accentuate sweetness and clarity. Incorporating KB90s on all our bars has allowed us to keep better consistency with the integrated scales.
What’s the most important consideration you have when it comes to picking out the right espresso equipment for your cafes?
Quality of results, Consistency, Longevity, Customer Service.
What made you decide to upgrade your machines to the KB90?
Ergonomics and volumetrics. We used them at our residency at the KEXP Café, and our team had an incredible experience using them. We’ve had one at one of our shops for the past couple of years and decided recently, supported by roastery growth, to unify the machines in all of our shops.
Aesthetics. We have been upgrading our shops methodically, and the sleek and customizable look of the KB90s fits our desires for an upgraded shop design. Like our shops, each has its own “color.”
What was the main feature of the KB90 you were most drawn to?
Elements like the auto steam flush after brewing create less work for the barista. Pro-touch steam wands protect our barista from accidental burns that can happen during a rush or due to absentmindedness. Straight-in portafilters reduce fatigue on the wrist/hand for baristas.
More barista-friendly for repetitive movements, more streamlined. It’s a powerful tool for consistent, measured, excellent extraction in the busiest times.
Have you noticed any change in workflow speed since the upgrade?
Yes—while any equipment change presents a learning curve for baristas due to changing what has become muscle memory, the KB90 has built-in mechanics that support consistency and efficiency on bar.
What’s next for Cocoa Cinnamon and Little Waves?
New roastery location! We are building a new roastery and lab for Little Waves Coffee. We don’t want to spoil the surprise… but part of the space will also be a place for learning about coffee from seed to cup in a peaceful setting.
For Cocoa Cinnamon, we have an article coming out in the upcoming Barista Magazine that features our summer wonder menu, which is a collaboration between us and a coffee pro on every continent. We’re super proud of it, in awe of our collaborators, and hope that people check it out. It feels beautiful and pertinent in the context of today’s world.
