Alquimista Café

9 de febrero de 2026 por

Federico Solutions, Myrko Federico

Alquimista Café - Complete setup of a business (Tepoztlan, Mexico)

Sector:Food Service / Entrepreneurship

Period:2020-2021 (design, construction, launch, training, handover)

Location:Tepoztlan, Morelos, Mexico

Context

In 2020, I decided to create a café in Tepoztlan (Morelos, Mexico) from scratch. The project: transform aempty warehouseinto a functional café, create the identity and concept, structure the organization, train the team, and launch the business.

Final goal:Build a viable and self-sustaining business, then hand it over to the person who would manage it.

Problem

Physical transformation challenge:

Raw space (warehouse) to be transformed into a welcoming café space
Complete infrastructure creation: electricity, plumbing, restrooms, kitchen
Interior layout and terrace
Budget constraints and tight deadlines

Organizational challenge:

Create the entire operational model from scratch
Define production processes, procedures, menu
Train a team with no prior experience (baristas, service)
Train a manager to become autonomous in management

Entrepreneurial challenge:

Launch in a COVID context (2020-2021)
Local Mexican market with its specificities
Transition to a recovery by the manager

Solution

Phase 1: Transformation of the premises (2020)

Work completed:

Electricity: Complete installation of the electrical network (standards, outlets, lighting)
Plumbing: Creation of the water system (supply, drainage)
Restrooms: Addition of toilets (construction, installation)
Kitchen: Layout of the production space (work surface, equipment)
Layout: Central tables, terrace, furniture
Decoration: Creation of the atmosphere and visual identity of the place

Approach:Design and direct execution — I designed the plans, coordinated, and carried out a large part of the work myself.

Phase 2: Creation of the operational model

Organizational structure:

Definition of roles: barista, service, kitchen, management
Simple and clear organizational chart
Distribution of responsibilities

Production processes:

Preparation workflow (coffee, kitchen)
Quality standards
Inventory and supply management
Opening/closing procedures

Operational procedures:

Manuals for each position (barista, service, kitchen)
Cleaning and hygiene procedures
Cash management
Customer service

Menu:

Menu design (coffee, drinks, dishes)
Definition of recipes
Sourcing local ingredients
Pricing adapted to the local market

Phase 3: Team training

Barista training:

Comprehensive training of the team in barista techniques
Myself trained to be able to train others
Preparation, presentation, and service standards

Management training:

Support for the manager: team management, decision-making, finances, customer relations
Gradual transfer of responsibilities
Complete empowerment

Phase 4: Launch and handover

Launch:Opening of the café in 2020-2021

Operation:Operational management during the trial phase

Handover:Sale of the business to the manager (2021) — she became the owner

Result

Deliverables:

Transformed space: warehouse → functional and welcoming café
Complete infrastructure: electricity, plumbing, restrooms, kitchen, terrace
Structured operational model: processes, procedures, organization
Trained and autonomous team
Manager became owner and autonomous in management

Impact:

Viable and sustainable business: the manager bought and continues the business successfully
Autonomous team: capable of functioning without my presence
Reproducible model: documented, transferable processes and procedures

This project demonstrates:

Ability tomanage a project from A to Z: design, execution, structuring, training, handover
Versatility: physical work (electricity, plumbing, layout) + business structuring + human training
Field approach: no theory, concrete execution and successful transmission