How far would you travel for the best, most distinctive cup of coffee? Thanks to Kilates Coffee Roasting Company, locals don’t have to travel far. Established by Salvadoran entrepreneur Kathya Reppart, Kilates is woman-owned and operated, committed to bringing high-quality, specialty coffee to the Coastal Bend.
Growing up on her grandma’s coffee farm in El Salvador, Reppart learned key components of the trade, such as the art of hand-picking coffee and transporting coffee cherries to processing facilities. A common realization, the phrase “life is short,” took on a new meaning for Reppart during the pandemic. So, she quit her corporate job and moved to South Texas to continue what she calls the “love legacy” her grandma started. Reppart is now a third-generation coffee producer and business owner, specializing in coffees with processes and fermentations.
Reppart has established relationships with top producers in Colombia, Guatemala and El Salvador, and will add Mexico and countries in Africa in the coming years. Traditionally, coffee is a relations-based business. Reppart steps foot on farmers’ soil, listens to their stories and evinces a mutual passion for coffee to foster deep connections with producers.
As a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which ensures specialty coffee thrives in quality, Kilates only sells coffees ranked exceptionally high by professionals skilled in sensory evaluation of green coffee. Its best-seller is the Pink Bourbon Double Fermentation, a highly unusual roast with a sweet, floral flavor. Since fruit fermentation has grown popular within the industry, Kilates recently released a special edition roast fermented from real peaches called Castillo Peaches Honey.
Kilates distributes coffee in the Coastal Bend, San Antonio, Beeville and Cibolo in Texas, and has expanded to Washington, D.C., New York City and Oregon—it also offers catering services locally. Local coffee lovers can drink Kilates coffee at Main Street Coffee House in Rockport or Cabana Pantry on Padre Island. Beans are also sold online at Kilates’ website, and Reppart plans to open a brick-and-mortar, hopefully in Port Aransas.
The business is also committed to creating opportunities for women through sustainable coffee production, including local collaborations with other women or women-owned businesses. Reppart is a member of Latinas in Coffee, a community that creates opportunities for women to network with each other and access educational resources in coffee. “Every opportunity I’ve had is due to women’s collective efforts,” she said. “Success is always a group effort.”
