San Diego City Wire

Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) has named Mostra Coffee as the 2024 “Small Business of the Year” for Senate District 40, and recognized ten other "Top Small Businesses" in the district.

Mostra Coffee, according to Leader Jones, is a beacon of community spirit due to their exceptional coffee and profound commitment to giving back. "Through their extensive charity work, including free coffee programs for frontline workers and educators, partnerships with local youth sports organizations, and generous donations to charitable causes, Mostra Coffee exemplifies the true essence of community engagement and social responsibility," he said.

Jelynn Sophia Malone, Co-Founder of Mostra Coffee expressed her gratitude upon receiving the award. "This award reflects the hard work and passion of our amazing team. We're grateful for the ongoing support from our community. At Mostra Coffee, our goal has always been to bring people together and inspire creativity through our love for community and great coffee," she said.

Leader Jones also acknowledged several other top small businesses in Senate District 40 including Alhiser-Comer Mortuary in Escondo, Armstrong Feed and Supply Inc., Boll Weevil in Lakeside among others. He stated that these businesses contribute significantly towards making their community thrive.

In California, small businesses represent 99.8% of all businesses in the state employing nearly half of all employees. To honor these businesses' hard work and commitment to their communities, Senator Jones annually pays tribute during Small Business Month with the “40th Senate District Small Business of the Year” honor.

Mostra Coffee was founded by two friends Beverly Magtanong and Jelynn Malone who initially volunteered to build homes for impoverished communities in the Philippines. They later realized that helping Philippino farmers get paid fairly for their crops was a more sustainable way to help these communities. With assistance from Chef Mike Arquines they created unique drinks that Mostra Coffee cafes are now known for. The name “Mostra,” the Italian word for exhibition or show, was chosen to reflect their performance backgrounds.

Over the years, Mostra Coffee has received several awards including the 2020 Micro-Roaster of the Year by Roast Magazine and 1st Place in the United States Coffee Roasting Championships in 2022. They also ranked 11th place in the World Roasting Championships in Milan, Italy, where they represented the United States.

Mostra Coffee has been featured in numerous publications and news channels including Forbes, Bon Appetit, Talks at Google, META, US Weekly among others. They have sponsored local youth sports organizations and partnered with educational institutions to create internship opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship, marketing, and retail operations. They also run free coffee programs for law enforcement, firefighters, emergency responders, military personnel and veterans among others. In addition to this, they donate to several charities including Children's Hospital in San Diego and various cancer societies.