17-Year-Old Launches Pink Pour Coffee Trailer in New Mexico

The Pink Pour Co. mobile bar in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. All images courtesy of Natalia Jurado, Pink Pour Co.

As teenagers throughout the United States trade summer jobs for full-time school this fall, one 17-year-old in New Mexico is taking her coffee job to a whole new level.

Natalia Jurado is the founder of Pink Pour Co., a bright pink coffee and matcha trailer that regularly operates from a Lowe’s parking lot in Rio Rancho.

Jurado recently told DCN that she started the business after struggling to find a job that could accommodate her busy dual-enrollment school schedule. The high school senior has been completing coursework at a local community college and is on track to be halfway through a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree by the end of this school year. 

Meanwhile, after hatching the coffee business from her home, Jurado had the coffee trailer custom-built in Chihuahua, Mexico, before an official launch on May 30, creating a more permanent and professional presence with unmistakable pink branding.

Pink Pour Co. Founder Natalia Jurado.

“I am very much a girly girl and I love everything pink… so I knew from the beginning that I wanted Pink Pour to have that feminine, fun, recognizable look,” Jurado told DCN. “I wanted people to see the trailer or one of our drinks and immediately know it was Pink Pour.”

On Pink Pour’s menu, the specialties include lattes and matchas with rotating seasonal flavors along with year-round customer staples, including the Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso and the Cookie Butter Latte. The menu also shows refreshers, energy drinks and smoothies.  

Jurado said the initial response from guests has been deeply supportive, with some making the roughly half-hour drive from Albuquerque to visit the trailer.

“Having people choose to make that drive and support my business means so much to me,” said Jurado. “I’m incredibly grateful for the community we’ve built and for the people who continue coming back and supporting us.”

Jurado said coffees for the business come from a Puebla, Mexico, roasting business called Finca Casa Blanca.

“They are actually just beginning to grow their business,” Jurado said. “I was fortunate enough to connect with them and begin using their coffee as Pink Pour Co. has grown, and I’m really excited to continue growing alongside them.”

Inside the trailer, coffees for espresso-based drinks pass through a Mazzer grinder on their way to a Sanremo Zoe Compact espresso machine. Jurado said moving into a commercial setup required learning everything from dialing in espresso to navigating the administrative requirements of running a business.

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“Honestly, my studies didn’t prepare me very much for the reality of owning a business,” said Jurado. “When I started, I had no idea about things like gross receipts taxes, permits, licensing, inspections or many of the other responsibilities that come with running a business.”

She taught herself coffee fundamentals along the way, including weighing doses, adjusting grind size, timing espresso shots and “learning how small adjustments can completely change the taste of a drink.”

“There has definitely been a lot of trial and error, but that has also been one of my favorite parts of the experience,” said Jurado.

The learning curve has extended well beyond coffee. Jurado said Pink Pour was forced to close for about two weeks after the trailer’s axle broke under the combined weight of its equipment, water and supplies.

“It was definitely an expensive and stressful lesson,” Jurado said. “But it taught me a lot about the parts of owning a mobile business that you don’t necessarily think about when you first start.” 

Jurado, who said she’s genuinely gratified by the moments of coffee service that give people boosts of joy and energy throughout their days, traces her own interest in coffee to mornings spent with her grandmother.

“Growing up, I remember sitting with my grandma in the mornings, and even when I was little, she would give me a little coffee,” said Jurado. “It became something that always felt comforting and familiar to me.”

While Jurado founded the business, she said her mother is currently listed as its owner. Jurado plans to assume ownership after she turns 18 next month. In the meantime, Jurado is considering a second trailer that would allow Pink Pour to maintain its Rio Rancho base while establishing a more regular presence in Albuquerque. She also plans to use the trailers for events.

In the meantime, Jurado is considering a second trailer that would allow Pink Pour to maintain its Rio Rancho base while establishing a more regular presence in Albuquerque. Despite Pink Pour’s regular location at Lowe’s in Rio Rancho, Jurado said she still plans to take advantage of the mobile side of the business for various events. 

“The biggest advice I would give to other teenagers is to always chase your dreams and be willing to take a chance on yourself, because you truly never know where something can go,” Jurado said. “Pink Pour was never part of my original plan, and now it has become such a huge part of my life.”

Pink Pour is regularly located at 3805 Northern Blvd. N.E. at Lowe’s in Rio Rancho, with weekly schedule updates posted to Pink Pour’s Instagram.

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