Caffeto Specialty Coffee Crafts a Colombia-Carolina Connection

Howard Bryman | February 23, 2026

Inside the new Caffeto cafe in Cornelius, North Carolina. All images courtesy of Caffeto Specialty Coffee.

With coffee sourced from the founders’ family farm in Colombia, roasted nearby in Manizales and shipped to North Carolina every two weeks, Caffeto Specialty Coffee has opened its first brick-and-mortar cafe in Cornelius, just north of Charlotte.

Inside the Shops on the Green shopping center, Caffeto shares space with outdoors retailer The Outpost at Lake Norman. Natural wood floors and furniture sit beneath woven rattan pendants, while a green couch, leafy plants and corrugated bar paneling steer the room toward an easygoing tropical vibe.

“The lighting is layered and warm — never harsh — creating a golden, welcoming glow that makes you feel good the moment you walk in,” Caffeto Co-Founder Valentina Castellanos told Daily Coffee News. “Caffeto isn’t just a coffee shop. It’s a mood.”

Communal tables and lounge seating give guests room to linger over Colombian-inspired drinks, ceremonial-grade matcha and a dessert-style latte named after Valentina and Maria Castellanos’ grandmother, Pily, finished with whipped cream cheese foam.

“Each drink is a story. Each flavor is intentional,” Castellanos said. “Everything we serve connects back to who we are.”

Food in the roughly 2,000-square-foot cafe includes Colombian treats such as pandebono, arepas and dedo de queso, plus pastries, banana bread and other baked goods.

The Cornelius opening builds on a Caffeto mobile coffee truck the sisters launched in late 2024 in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood. Parked near Canvas Tattoo and the cocktail bar Chief’s, the truck has also doubled as an outdoor gathering spot for events such as yoga, a running club and social meetups.

Caffeto Specialty Coffee Carolina truck Charlotte

The Caffeto mobile bar in Charlotte.

“Our truck has always lived in the heart of NoDa, a vibrant, walkable, artsy neighborhood in Charlotte with a tropical, creative energy that perfectly matches our roots,” Castellanos said. “We wanted to be accessible, welcoming and woven into the daily rhythm of the city.”

Valentina and Maria Castellanos were born in Manizales, and they said their parents’ entrepreneurial background — including the recent purchase of a coffee farm — helped shape the business. The farm is located in Neira, Caldas, about 30 minutes from Manizales, and sits at about 1,800 meters above sea level. Castellanos said the coffees show panela-like sweetness with chocolatey and nutty notes.

At the family farm in Colombia.

“The farm has been around for a long time, but my dad purchased it a few years ago and continued growing it with love, care and traditional methods,” Castellanos said. “This makes Caffeto not just a business. It’s truly ours. It is part of our family’s legacy.”

Beyond the coffee that makes its way to North Carolina, the farm also sells green coffees through local and domestic channels.

“We’re currently in the process of obtaining FDA approvals to begin importing green beans,” said Castellanos. “Our vision is to supply other small businesses with high-quality coffee without overpricing it, making specialty coffee more accessible.”