Raise a mug to Un Tinto

By Danna Bertel •

Last semester, junior Marcela Briggs stopped at the entrance of the Carl DeSantis building once a week for a lecherito, coffee and condensed milk, on her way to class. The taste of the coffee and unique recipes kept Briggs returning to Un Tinto.

“I only go to campus three days out of the week, so I visit once or twice a week,” said Briggs. “Their coffee is different from others I have tried. I never had coffee with condensed milk. I never thought to mix them together.”

Un Tinto’s founders come from different Latin American backgrounds with the dedication to share their diverse culture with the rest of the NSU community.

The students running the business are Daniel Poveda, senior entrepreneurship major, from Venezuela, Laura Gutierrez, senior marketing major, and Daniel Angel, senior accounting major, both from Colombia, and Michael Graham, senior entrepreneurship major, and Isabella Drumond, senior entrepreneurship major, both from Brazilian heritage.

The Razor’s Edge Shark Cage Scholars Program, which provides students with resources to open an on-campus business, welcomed 14 new businesses this academic year.

The team behind Un Tinto, which refers to what a cup of black coffee is called in Colombia, spent the summer creating business ideas that would reflect on their ethnic background, as well as passions and offer unique coffee and pastries from Latin America.

“We all remember how good coffee is and how good our pastries and our food is. The idea came as an opportunity to show the NSU community a little bit of our culture as well as the flavors we have back in our own countries,” said Poveda.

Un Tinto opened for business last semester, holding its grand opening in Mako Hall.

With a group of students running the business, they have separated their work into three areas, each managing different aspects of the business. Poveda and Gutierrez make up the marketing team and run the social media accounts. Drumond and Graham are in charge of product inventory, as well as conducting research on what students like most and how they can improve the product. When it comes to financials, creating income statements, and figuring out where the money comes and goes, Angel is in charge.

Though they all have designated roles, they work together to plan daily operations and plan for the future.

The founders of Un Tinto meet every two weeks to discuss the different sides of their business and plan toward expanding Un Tinto outside NSU. Co-founder Angel shares the struggles as a new student-run business.

“Everything we make is homemade. We make it every morning, so it’s fresh. Getting those recipes coming out with the flavors and getting exactly what I wanted was a hustle. It was not easy at first,” said Angel.

The menu offers a variety of drinks, ranging from homemade coffee, cold drinks and iced lattes. Cheese bread and brigadeiro cake, typical Brazilian flavors, are sold as well.

This semester Un Tinto does not have a set location. It is offering its services through catering and events.

“Their baked goods are simply amazing, I’ve had all of them and they are fresh and delicious every time,” said Stella Stanzione, senior entrepreneurship major. “Their various coffees are so energizing and leave me ready for class. I love having Un Tinto on campus.”