At Kazkara Coffee Roasters in Hazel Park, Michigan. All images courtesy of Kazkara Coffee Roasters.
Kazkara Coffee Roasters recently celebrated the grand opening of its roastery cafe just outside of Detroit in Hazel Park, Michigan, where the company seeks to surround its carefully crafted coffees with artwork and a strong creative community.
Kazkara adds art to craft by licensing original works from Latin American artists who hail from the places where the shop’s coffees are grown. While artists retain full ownership of the works, the customized licensing agreements can allow works to inspire coffee packaging and related merchandise.
“For us, coffee is culture. We match coffees’ origins with artists who have a connection to those origins, allowing the visual art to communicate the broader story of where the coffee comes from,” Valeria Suing, who co-founded the company with her brother, Pedro Suing, told DCN. “Artists submit artwork that feels authentic to them, often drawing from personal memories or cultural backgrounds. Each label becomes part of the bigger story we’re telling — one that’s rooted in origin, identity and the many ways people connect to coffee beyond the cup.”
The artwork adds color to the 800-square-foot cafe, which is otherwise bathed in white, yellow and natural wood finishes. A row of stools lines a counter opposite the bar, with clear views to the company’s 6-kilo-capacity Giesen W6E roaster. A spacious, plant-lined covered patio offers outdoor seating.
“Our roastery is designed to support both quality production and community connection through our espresso and brew bar,” Valeria Suing said. “Our goal was to create a space that feels warm, intentional and rooted in community.”
The Suings designed, built and installed all of the shop’s modern furniture using butcher block surfaces and locally sourced metal. The shop’s signage, like the artwork that inspires the packaging, was hand-painted by an artist.
While Pedro Suing takes the lead on the coffee program, focusing on flavors and sourcing transparency, the food program is built around local partnerships, with a focus on high-quality products. Pastries are baked locally, syrups are made in-house and signature drink recipes feature fresh seasonal ingredients.
The Suings, who are Ecuadorian, originally founded the company in Toronto, Ontario, with online sales and local pop-ups focused on roasted Ecuadorian coffees. Kazkara brought roasting in-house after partnering with Miguel Vidal, founder of the DTROITR social enterprise brand of coffee. Kazkara and DTROITR officially merged under the umbrella of DTROITR LLC, which is owned by Vidal.
Pedro Suil
“Over time, we became deeply inspired by the vision behind [DTROITR],” said Valeria Suing. “This merger allowed us to bring everything under one roof, combining operations while maintaining two distinct brand identities.”
A DTROITR cafe is currently in development in Ferndale, with Kazkara slated to handle the roasting.
“We’re focused on expanding our wholesale accounts and growing our online platform, with a strong push for subscriptions,” said Valeria Suing. “We’re also launching our first full-service [DTROITR] cafe, marking the beginning of a broader vision to create community-driven coffee spaces rooted in purpose and connection.”
Kazkara Coffee Roasters is located at 21818 John R Rd. in Hazel Park, Michigan.
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
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