Manuel Serafín: from engineer at Renault to Argentine coffee-roasting champion

Manuel Serafín is from Córdoba, and his current professional career revolves entirely around coffee, although his professional life began in engineering. For years, he worked at Renault as a welding manager for various plants in Latin America, gaining experience in processes and team management. His university education, although currently set aside, allowed him to find an unexpected path that led him to the world of specialty coffee.

On one of his business trips to Medellín, he discovered a sweet coffee with fruity flavors that deeply impacted him and sparked his curiosity. "One day, during a business trip to Medellín, I discovered specialty coffee," he recalls. That 2018 experience planted the seed for what two years later would become Chiquitito Café.

Chiquitito Café was born in 2021 in his home's garage, with a roaster and a lot of self-taught experimentation, while he continued working as an engineer. "I was thinking of something tiny, that's where the name came from; the idea was to have a place I could run myself, very simple and functional, with everything at hand," he explains. The discipline acquired in the automotive industry allowed him to apply efficiency methods and data analysis to the roasting process.

Road to the Argentine Roasting Championship

In 2023, Manuel obtained the professional certification from the Specialty Coffee Association in all three roasting levels, consolidating his expertise in the field. Soon after, he left Renault and rented a shop on Caraffa Avenue, from where Chiquitito Café began supplying bars and businesses in Córdoba with superior quality coffee. His participation in competitions arose casually, but his preparation and technique allowed him to quickly stand out on the national scene.

The title of Argentine roasting champion 2025 was awarded to him in July during CLASH in Buenos Aires in a cupping competition. "They convinced me at a barbecue after an expo; I went to participate and ended up winning, I couldn't believe it," Serafín highlights the visibility the championship gave him. This distinction confirms his ability to innovate and position himself in an increasingly demanding and competitive sector.

Manuel points out that many roasters choose very light roasts to highlight acidity, leaving the beans raw and with weak flavors. His approach combines technique, measurement, and sensitivity toward each type of bean, adapting processes to the unique characteristics of each coffee. That precision is key to offering consistent, high-quality products that set Chiquitito Café apart from conventional commercial coffee.

Córdoba and the expansion of specialty coffee

The Córdoba public, according to Serafín, has learned to distinguish specialty coffees from commercial ones, valuing more complex and refined processes. Neighborhoods such as Centro, Nueva Córdoba, Cofico, and General Paz show a consolidated coffee culture, while other areas are still adapting to this trend, but with constant growth. This growing demand drives projects like Chiquitito Café to expand their reach and offer exotic beans and innovative preparation methods.

The company currently supplies local coffee shops and is planning an online store, rebranding, and renewed packaging to get closer to the end consumer. Manuel states: "We want more people to know what we do," hoping to spread access to specialty coffee and roasting culture. The experience gained and professional certification have allowed his venture to consolidate and grow in a competitive market.

Manuel Serafín's case demonstrates that passion, discipline, and adaptability can transform a traditional career into a high-impact entrepreneurial project. His journey from the automotive sector to specialty coffee combines technique, innovation, and creativity, inspiring new entrepreneurs to explore unconventional paths. Chiquitito Café, with its national recognition, is positioned as a benchmark for quality and excellence in Córdoba and the country.