Meet Jeff Green of Mornings With Ella

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Green. 

Hi Jeff, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The story of Mornings With Ella first began around 2016 in Los Angeles, CA when I created version 1.0 which was called The Caffeinated Cloud. The idea behind the concept was simple…I wanted to create a unique, fun, mobile coffee experience that would allow me to spend my days outside, riding my bike, and engaging with people from all over the world that came to visit the Venice & Santa Monica, California beaches and shopping destinations. I took the concept and convenience of a food truck and just replaced the truck with a cargo tricycle and the food with coffee & teas. I would start my days by pedaling down to the beach, a busy shopping street, or commuting to a special event or office space where I would be serving for the day. I served cold brewed coffee, kombucha, and green tea all from a tap system (just like you find inside a bar). Fast forward to 2018, my wife (Megan) and I decided to move out of California to my hometown of Ann Arbor where we could be a whole lot closer to both of our families. The coffee bike was put on hold for a little bit while we got acclimated to our new environment, and when the time finally came to relaunch The Caffeinated Cloud, I knew some changes needed to be made. To begin with, serving strictly cold beverages as I did in Los Angeles would not cut it in Michigan so I added an espresso machine to be equipped to serve any (hot) drink you could find inside a coffee shop. Then, since we were now writing our new chapter of life in Michigan, I felt like The Caffeinated Cloud needed to take on a new identity as well to help introduce ourselves to Ann Arbor. After a few fresh coats of paint and some minor alterations to the cargo tricycle, my wife and I landed on the new name Mornings With Ella (or Ella for short), named after our unbelievably cute and goodest girl Basset Hound mix dog, Ella. Since the start of 2022, we’ve been doing small pop-ups around the Ann Arbor area, mainly at Monty’s Public House and small events. The ultimate goal is to find a small space around the east side of Ann Arbor to call home and serve the community with a delicious coffee menu and maybe even some soft-serve frozen custard (a personal favorite of mine!). Until then, we’re available for any events you may have coming up and will be popping up from time to time in a neighborhood near you! 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has most definitely not been a smooth road, literally. I’ve had so many bike spokes break on my wheels because of bumpy, pothole-ridden roads! Dealing with the notoriously strict LA County Health Department to get a food license was an uphill battle, to say the least. Figuring out the right mix of products to offer and where the best spots to set up were (& when!). When we made the move to Michigan and added the espresso machine, I had zero experience as a barista preparing classic café drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, etc. I was able to get a part-time job at a café here in Ann Arbor to learn these skills, so when the time came to begin doing pop-ups, I knew what I was doing and felt confident preparing any drink a customer could want. A lot of trial and error, seeing what works and what doesn’t…and trying not to burn myself out. My wife, Megan, helps will all of my branding, marketing, and social media, in addition to lending me a helping hand at pop-ups….so none of this would work without her by my side. Finding the right retail space here in Ann Arbor has also proven to be a challenge, in addition to a few other boxes that need to be checked off on the “to-do” list…but that’s all a part of the ride! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The last thing you think Ann Arbor would need is another coffee shop, right? Well, I’m confident that by opening our small Mornings With Ella café on the east side of Ann Arbor, we would supply a demand for a convenient & quality coffee shop that would also act as a community hub and a great place to start your day (or keep it going!). With a focus on quality, convenience, & value, we know we would have something for everybody… coffee & non-coffee drinkers alike. We specialize in serving a traditional café menu (latte, cappuccino, espresso) while also offering a rotating menu of seasonal or specialty drinks using only homemade ingredients… like our crowd favorite Horchata Latte or Peppermint Mocha. Plus, it’s not every day that you come across a tricycle fully equipped to serve you a delicious latte or single-origin espresso. 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Be on the lookout for upcoming pop-ups; checking our Instagram account is the best way to stay up to date. Also, be on the lookout for an actual café space in Ann Arbor coming hopefully sooner than later. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningswithella
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morningswithella