Q&A: Leonor Gaviña-Valls

A: It has. In some areas of our business it has. Especially in restaurants and even in some of the coffeehouses. I think it's like 85% of all coffee is drank before 11 o'clock in the morning. So breakfast is a huge, huge area for your restaurants and coffeehouses. If a person doesn't have to go out to work because they don't have a job, they won't go out to get a cup of coffee. They'll stay home and brew a cup of coffee.

Q: Do you think coffee shop culture is a fad that will die out?

A: I don't think it's a fad. If it was a fad it wouldn't have stayed with us for so long. It's a way of people going out and being in a community.

Q: How are American tastes now different from Cuban tastes? Would Gaviña coffee from the United States sell in Cuba also?

A: It would, if Cuba was free. But Cuban-style coffee would be espresso with a lot of sugar.

Q: Would that be popular in the United States also?

A: It is. Our Café La Llave espresso is one of the No. 1 brands in South Florida for the Cuban community.

Q: What happened to the company in Cuba?

A: Oh, Castro took it over. It's gone.

Q: How do you feel about the Castro regime?

A: I'm not political.

Q: Have you ever tried one of your blends that you thought was just plain bad?

A: There are some flavors that I don't like. And that I learned a long time ago that you have to give the customer what the customer wants. You cannot force a client to drink what you like. It's what they like.

Q: Have you ever had too much coffee?

A: Never.

Q: How many times a day do you have coffee?

A: Probably seven cups, eight cups.

Q: Do you have the same kinds of coffee the whole day?

A: I change. My first thing is always the same. I make myself an espresso with milk.

Q: Do some of your relatives not like coffee?

A: Not that I know of.