The eager sound of the rooster’s crow pierced through the early morning calm. The sun had begun to peak slowly through the darkness as I sleepily opened my eyes. As the sound of the rural Texas alarm clock rang louder through our house, I stretched beneath the warm quilt in my bed, not quite ready to get up to start a day of work on the family ranch. Then I smelled the unmistakable scents of cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, mixed with the richness of freshly ground coffee beans. 

I rose from my bed and sauntered into the kitchen. My grandmother greeted me with her signature sweet smile, “Good morning, mjio!” She handed me a warm mug of coffee. I raised the cup to my nose to smell the goodness then put it to my lips and took the first sip. I closed my eyes and savored the rich flavor of her delicious blend that till this day reminds me of the sun rising across the Hebbronville sky and the start of a new day full of excitement and opportunity.  That cup of love my grandmother handed me each morning is what we capture in each can of Puro Nitro.  

Puro Nitro is reminiscent of the taste of my grandmother’s coffee with a modern twist. Bringing together the old – the cinnamon flavor of traditional Mexican coffee – with the new element of nitrogen infusion that gives the traditional coffee flavor an unexpected kick. The design of the packaging features the rooster that woke me every morning. I have always wanted to replicate the coffee experience of my youth – to relive that sensory experience that I had each morning when my grandmother handed me a fresh cup. 

As cold coffee options began to populate store shelves, I tried them, curious to see if I could find one that reminded me of grandmother’s coffee. Most of the cold brew varieties I tried were bitter and much too strong. They were nothing like what my grandmother used to make. Since I could not find what I was looking for, I decided to create my own brew. That is when Puro Nitro was born.

After months of research and a year of tastings, I discovered that by hot brewing and then flash chilling my coffee, I was able to create a better tasting cold coffee. I give credit to the Japanese who started the flash-brew trend when they poured hot coffee over ice to preserve the hot-brewed taste. Japan’s “Boss Coffee”, which is a flash-brew, is the 3rd leading beverage consumed in Japan. Though I do not flash chill my coffee with ice, I follow the same concept but use a different form of cooling adopted by the beer industry.  In addition to our unique production method, our coffee blend and spices were chosen specifically for their flavor profile to go along with this style of brewing.  We took it further by adding nitrogen to give our coffee a silky texture and an exciting fizz pop when the can is shaken and then opened.  All of these elements make Puro Nitro a one of a kind product that is becoming a new favorite among cold coffee drinkers here in San Antonio and soon across Texas. 

Prior to creating Puro Nitro, I worked in politics for nearly two decades. During that time, I was made aware of many issues facing our community none more important to me than the health crisis associated with obesity and diabetes in our population.  While I was not an office holder, I advocated for programs and funding to fight these diseases when speaking to public officials. What frustrates me till this day, is that even though everyone is aware of these diseases, rates keep going up.  In reading research, I learned higher rates of obesity and diabetes were associated with unhealthy food being consumed. Therefore, the focus when creating my product, was to use different techniques that would enhance the delicious flavor of my coffee while reducing the calories associated with a cold coffee drink. Today, the need to combat obesity and diabetes has become more important since our population has been hit with the Coronavirus pandemic.  People with these underlying conditions have been hardest hit by the Coronavirus.  This pandemic has reminded us a as a society and me as a food manufacture, why it’s so important to have a healthy diet. Puro Nitro aligns with this passion of mine because it serves as a healthy alternative to other caffeinated beverages. It has far less sugar than soda and sugared coffee drinks. Its unique flavor, convenient packaging and attractive design make it an attractive choice for a caffeine boost that folks can feel good about drinking.