About CLTBeans – From the Heart (and the Nose) of a Dog Lover

Hi, I’m the founder of CLTBeans — an elementary school teacher by day, coffee dreamer by night (and also early morning... because caffeine). This little coffee project was born during a time of deep grief, after losing my sweet rescue pup, Pitufo. He wasn’t just a dog. He was the dog — adopted from the Humane Society of Charlotte in 2008, small in size, huge in personality, and fiercely loyal, especially to his mom, with whom he and his sister Motitas shared many years of love, mischief, and epic couch domination.

During a spring break trip to Colombia — yes, teachers really do need the break — I visited a small coffee farm high in the mountains. I expected a nice tour and maybe some strong coffee... but what I got was so much more. I learned how much care, tradition, and back-breaking labor goes into every bean. I met the farmers. I tasted the difference. I heard the stories behind the cup. And I fell in love — not just with the flavor, but with the heart behind it all.

CLTBeans is my way of tying it all together:
☕ Great coffee from small farms,
💛 A tribute to Pitufo, who truly rescued me,
🐾 And a way to give back to the amazing people (and animals) who made it all possible.

Every bag of CLTBeans helps support the Humane Society of Charlotte, because they gave me one of the greatest joys of my life — a short-legged, scrappy little soul with a love for empanadas and an even bigger love for family.

This is more than coffee. It’s comfort. It’s connection. And yes, it’s probably the most meaningful cup I’ve ever poured.

Thanks for being here. And thank you for helping me keep Pitufo’s tail-wagging legacy alive — one cup at a time.