Provided photo.

For the Diazes, it’s all about keeping it in the family. Co-owned by Lakewood Ranch residents Katelyn Diaz and her parents, Rachel and Adrian, Sip n Brew Coffee has quickly established itself as the “little engine that could” in Sarasota’s burgeoning coffee scene. The Díazes opened the coffee truck—a teardrop trailer they designed themselves—in August 2025 to merge two passions: the family’s love of coffee and Katelyn’s passion for business. Katelyn is currently studying business online through the State College of Florida and Sip n Brew became the real-world laboratory for her to put her skills to the test.

“It’s been great learning different hands-on skills in the truck, along with the overall concepts that I learn in class,” says Katelyn Diaz. “We learn about marketing and taking inventory in class, but it’s different when you apply it to real life. It’s been fun to meet people and go through the different real-world scenarios that happen when you’re running a business.”

While in high school, Katelyn would constantly create different coffee drinks and combinations at home. That creativity and passion for business are what pushed the family to create Sip n Brew. The menu, which evolves with the seasons, features hot and iced coffees, signature drinks such as cold brews, lattes and lemonades and also pastries. Although the concept of a coffee truck might seem simple, the execution of a successful operation is far more complex than one might think. When Sip n Brew first opened, Katelyn and Rachel—Adrian generally stays outside of the truck, helping to manage the books—were constantly bumping into each other. Every pump of syrup, every splash of milk, every pour from the espresso machine must be dialed in with precision.

“Out of all the bosses that I’ve had, my daughter has been the hardest on me,” says Rachel with a laugh. “She wants everything to be perfect. It has definitely brought us together as a family, however. We are able to lean on each other’s strengths. Katelyn is creative, she can make any recipe and knows how to market on social media.”

Sip n Brew is also the official coffee partner of the Sarasota Paradise and can be found at various locations each week around the area. Sip n Brew Coffee, 941-223-2028.

Provided photo.

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