Reynosa coffee chain Moots Café opens seventh location, eyes franchise growth

A coffee shop that began with two entrepreneurs and a single location in Reynosa has grown into a chain with seven cafés and about 80 employees.

Moots Café invested about 1 million pesos, or roughly $57,000, to open its newest location in Reynosa’s historic downtown district.

The company opened its first café on Boulevard Hidalgo in April 2019, Óscar Emir Rodríguez Gallegos told the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal.

Rodríguez Gallegos, who co-owns the company with Giovanni Gastelum Araujo, said the concept grew out of their shared interest in coffee and their desire to start their own business after working together at another company.

“Ever since you’re young, you look to have your own business,” he said. “That’s where the interest came from — to create this coffee shop and become independent.”

Building a local brand

The café’s name reflects the identity the founders wanted to create.

“Moots is a Mayan word that means roots or origins,” Rodríguez Gallegos said.

The concept is reflected in the business’s design, which uses stone, wood and natural elements to create a calm atmosphere for customers.

“We have always focused on bringing a different concept to Reynosa that highlights quality and freshness, but from an organic and sustainable approach,” Gastelum Araujo said.

As the brand expanded, the company also began building its workforce.

“We started as two friends and now we are a very large family,” Rodríguez Gallegos said.

Today, the company employs about 80 people, many of them working their first job.

Expanding production and products

The company’s early growth came during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We hadn’t even reached our first anniversary when the pandemic hit,” Rodríguez Gallegos said.

To keep operations running, the team launched its own delivery service.

“We used our own cars and began delivering orders to customers’ homes,” he said.

As Moots Café grew, the founders invested in their own production capabilities.

Two years ago, the company created a bakery production center using European techniques.

“We work laminated dough with very high-quality butter. This has allowed our customers to distinguish our bread,” Rodríguez Gallegos said.

The company also launched its own coffee brand.

“We introduced our house blend, which is what we use in the coffee shop, as well as three specialty coffees from different farms in Veracruz,” the founders said.

The company works directly with coffee producers and places orders every two weeks to ensure freshness, and its menu includes a range of options designed to appeal to different dietary preferences, including salads, keto desserts and artisanal baked goods.

“No matter your dietary regimen, you will surely find something on our menu,” Rodríguez Gallegos said.

Preparing for franchising

With seven locations now operating, the founders say the next phase of growth could come through franchising.

The company has documented its operating processes and registered the brand with Mexico’s intellectual property institute.

“We are waiting for, or open to, an opportunity… from people who want to invest with Moots,” Rodríguez Gallegos said.