Phoenix bakery profits by speaking Spanish

Authentic menu, modern tweaks
The Masa Men management sought out a Mexican coffee brand and brought in a baker from Mexico to help refine recipes, Conforto said. Executives wanted to make sure the menu was authentic.

But Panaderia Taza includes some Starbucks-like qualities, including wireless Internet access and a modern interior.

The prices of the coffee and pastries are lower than in most area coffeehouses, with cookies that sell for 33 cents and a large cup of coffee going for $1.29 — allowing it to compete with other bakeries and the convenience store that sells coffee across the street.

The staff and pastry labels are bilingual.

“The whole goal is to make sure our customer, no matter who comes in, feels comfortable here,” Conforto said.

Ray Ramirez, 54, used to get his coffee at a local convenience store but after Panaderia Taza opened, began stopping in a couple of times per week, carrying his plastic Taza-logo mug.

“I’d like to see them make a success of this,” he said.

The bakery is better organized than many typical to the area, and he prefers the lighter roasted coffee.

Appeal to non-Hispanics
Conforto said one thing that has pleasantly surprised the owners is that Taza has good crossover appeal. It was designed to reach Hispanic consumers, including both recent immigrants and later generations, but as many as 30 percent to 40 percent of customers are non-Hispanic buyers who prefer the coffee or pastries.

Cassandra Mason-Motz, 58, is a native of New York, but she’s developed a taste for Mexican coffee and pastries and often brings them to share with co-workers.

“The price is good, and it’s in the neighborhood. It’s a warm feeling,” said Mason-Motz, who noted that children and parents can be seen sharing cookies or other treats at the store’s stainless steel tables.

The executives at Masa Men are still refining Panaderia Taza, but they hope to have it ready for franchising by the end of the year, Conforto said.

The key to making a Mexican coffeehouse chain viable over a large number of markets will likely be that ability to appeal to all consumers, not just Hispanics, said Harry Balzer, a food industry analyst at market researcher NPD Group.

People are willing to try new things but will only make a habit out of foods that are fairly close to familiar ones, he said. “We are more alike than we are different” in our food taste, Balzer said.

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