Jefferson Parish Pulse: Agua Fresca Coffee

On this episode of the Jefferson Parish Pulse powered by JEDCO, we’re excited to share an interview with Francisco Gutierrez, founder of Agua Fresca Coffee. Agua Fresca is an importer, bringing handpicked coffee beans froma  farm in Nicaragua to New Orleans.

Francisco grew up on a coffee farm in Nicaragua, but his family left during a tumultuous time in the country’s history. Years late, we went back to his home country and bought a coffee farm. This farm has about 40-50 employees in pre-harvest season and up to 500 during harvest.

When he launched his import business years later, Francisco knew he would need a loan. That’s where JEDCO came in. Francisco used a JEDgrow Loan for costs associated with his startup.

In addition to running a coffee farm and import business, Francisco also holds a job in the medical industry. He is a pulminary perfusionist, running the heart-lung machines during open heart surgery.

On the show, Francisco talks about returning to his family roots and juggling several demanding jobs. His passion for all of his careers is on full display throughout the interview.

Feel free to listen to the full interview below (or you can click here). You can also hear us anywhere you listen to your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. We would LOVE your feedback. Please send your thoughts, questions and show requests to Kelsey Scram at kscram@jedco.org.

Interested in learning more about financing options through JEDCO? Check out our loan programs here or email loans@jedco.org to connect with the JEDCO Finance Team.