Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth/Jordan Hudson.
Hi Elizabeth/Jordan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
We started Fika Coffee Co. in late 2024/early 2025, but the idea really started from my love of coffee and the relationships that come with it.
At that point, I had been a barista for about three years. What I loved most about being a barista wasn’t just making coffee—it was getting to know the people who came in. You start to recognize your regulars, learn their orders, hear about their lives, and those little interactions can become something really special. I knew I wanted to create something where I could continue having that connection with people.
A couple of months before we started Fika, I showed my husband, Jordan, a video of a coffee cart. I thought it was such a cool idea and something I would love to do someday. A couple of months later, we were sitting at our kitchen table when he showed me a video very similar to the one I had shown him. He looked at me and said, “I’m going to build one for you.” His idea was for me to have a little coffee cart where I could serve coffee on the weekends.
While Jordan was building the cart, I started thinking about what we should call it. I had narrowed it down to a couple of names that I really loved, but then the name Fika came up, and it was an immediate yes from both of us.
The name has a very special meaning to me because I grew up in Sweden, in a small town. Growing up there was one of the highlights of my life, and fika is such an important part of Swedish culture. Fika is essentially a moment to slow down and enjoy a coffee break with friends. It doesn’t matter your age, what time it is, or what you’re doing. It’s something everyone can enjoy.
For me, Fika felt like the perfect name because it allowed me to honor my heritage. I also felt like it gave us something different. There are so many amazing coffee carts, and sometimes it can be easy to get lost in a sea of them. I wanted Fika to stand out, and bringing my Swedish heritage into the business was something I felt really strongly about.
We serve drinks people know and love, like lattes, mochas, chai, and matcha, but we also incorporate Swedish flavors such as black currant, lingonberry, and cardamom. We also bake traditional Swedish treats, including fresh cardamom buns, saffron buns, cinnamon buns, and kladdkaka, which is a Swedish sticky chocolate cake.
By mid-to-late summer of 2025, Jordan had almost finished building the cart. We reached out to our local farmers market, Route One Farmers Market in Vandenberg Village, and they were incredibly kind and supportive throughout the entire process. They accepted our application, and the following month became our official launch.
Our first day was so special. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, from the other vendors to the people who came to support us. Every week, we started seeing more and more new faces, while also getting to know our regular customers. It was really exciting to watch something that started at our kitchen table become an actual business and community.
As Fika started growing, we also began getting opportunities that we never expected when we first started. We had Deckers Brands reach out to us, as well as Coast Hills Credit Union and local firefighters. Being contacted by local businesses and organizations and being trusted to be part of their events was such a big moment for us. It made us realize that Fika was becoming more than just a little weekend coffee cart—we were becoming part of our local community.
Eventually, we decided it was time to upgrade from the cart to a coffee bus. We had completely maxed out the space we had on the cart, and we wanted to be able to offer more and share even more. A bus just felt like the right next step.
We eventually found what we felt was the perfect bus—a vintage bus that definitely needed some work, but the moment we saw her, we knew she was the one. We worked on the cart during the week and weekend while also working on the bus at the same time. We would finish events, come home, and get right back to work on the bus.
Now, in August, we’re getting very close to the next chapter. We’re hoping to have the bus up and running in early September. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding.
One of the biggest things we want to recognize throughout this journey is our faith. We truly believe God has been a part of Fika from the very beginning. There have been so many moments where we didn’t know what the next step would be or how everything would come together, but somehow the right opportunities and the right people continued to come into our lives.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth ride. I think every business comes with its own challenges and setbacks, and we have definitely had our fair share, especially with the bus. We’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but every step has been a learning curve, and we’ve learned something new from each one.
Jordan has done most of the work on the bus himself, with some help from a few amazing people along the way. What we originally thought might take much less time has turned into almost a year of work. There is still a little bit left to finish before we can officially open, but we are finally almost there.
The bus has honestly been one of the hardest things we have ever done, both physically and mentally. There have been frustrating days, long nights, and moments where we wondered how we were going to get everything done. But looking back at how far we’ve come makes it all worth it. It has been a huge learning experience, and although it has taken longer than we expected, we are incredibly proud of what we’ve built together.
We’re almost at the finish line, and we couldn’t be more excited to finally share the bus with everyone who has supported us along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Fika Coffee Co. is a Swedish-inspired mobile coffee business built around great coffee, meaningful connections, and the Swedish tradition of slowing down and enjoying the moment. We serve espresso drinks, chai, matcha, and ceremonial-grade matcha, along with traditional Swedish baked goods like cardamom buns, saffron buns, cinnamon buns, and kladdkaka.
What sets us apart is both our Swedish heritage and our passion for the art of coffee. We really focus on the details that go into every cup, especially dialing in our beans to create a smooth, balanced, and flavorful espresso. For us, it’s not just about serving coffee it’s about understanding the craft behind it and making sure every drink is made with care.
We are also proud to create a welcoming, community-focused experience where customers can enjoy quality coffee while learning a little about Swedish culture.
We started as a small coffee cart and are now growing into a vintage coffee bus. We are most proud of how much Fika has grown through the support of our local community. We hope to continue sharing our coffee, Swedish traditions,and the meaning behind Fika with even more people.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest advice would be to be patient with yourself and the process. Starting a business is a huge learning curve, and things will not always go according to plan. There will be setbacks and mistakes, but each one teaches you something.
I would also say to really focus on getting good at the thing you specialize in. For us, that is coffee. We are constantly learning about our beans, dialing in our espresso, and working on the craft behind every drink. I think it’s important to focus on your strengths and become really good at what you’re known for rather than trying to do everything at once.
I also think it’s important to stay true to what makes your business unique. Don’t be afraid to take your time, learn as you go, and trust the process. Most importantly, don’t give up when things get hard.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coffeecartfika.com/catering
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fikacoffeecart_/
