Elizabeth Hudson quit her day job last year to follow a longtime dream of running a coffee business. Her husband was 100 percent in.
“We retired the 9-to-5 and started a 24/7 instead,” Hudson said with a laugh. “It’s been a blessing. It’s been my dream job.”
The Lompoc couple founded Fika Coffee Company, a small cart equipped with an espresso machine and a pastry case. By May 2025 the coffee cart was fully built, and they were ready to start selling. Though Fika hasn’t yet celebrated its first birthday yet, the Hudsons are already working on expanding business with a small coffee truck.
Coffee or matcha?
Fika Coffee Company is available to book for private events. Find the coffee cart at the farmers markets in Lompoc on Sundays starting at 10 a.m. and in Buellton on Mondays starting at 2 p.m. Email fikacoffeecentralcoast@gmail.com with inquiries and follow on Instagram @fikacoffeecart_.
With a couple of years’ worth of experience as a barista, Hudson knew the job well. Her idea of a coffee cart came from watching a TikTok video, but her husband Jordan’s encouragement led Hudson to seriously pursue it. Before they realized it, the hobby became the couple’s full-time job.
Hudson grew up in Sweden, where her family is from, and lived there for almost a decade. She brought Jordan to the country on a business trip last year to teach him more about the culture and Swedish flavors. The heritage is still alive with Hudson, which she and Jordan incorporated into Fika.
“I wanted to do the cart, but I also wanted to bring my culture because Sweden is very big on relaxing and enjoying your time,” Hudson said. “Fika in Swedish means a coffee and pastry break.”
The husband and wife share their love for caffeine and sweet treats with community members at the Route One Farmers Market on Sundays in Lompoc. When the Buellton market begins on March 16, Fika will be there as well. Students at Cabrillo High School can also get a taste on Wednesdays from 8 to 10 a.m.
At the Fika cart, customers will see a menu of Swedish-inspired coffee drinks and pastries. The Hudsons make syrups like caramel, maple, and vanilla cardamom. Changing seasonally, the current menu for spring offers a lavender white mocha with salted honey whip, a blueberry matcha, and a salted honey whip chai. One of their most popular staples is the vanilla cardamom latte.
In their commercial kitchen, Hudson makes coffee syrups and bakes pastries. Most of the baked goods have Scandinavian roots, like her cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron buns.
However, there are plenty more Scandinavian treats (like ones with whipped cream) that Hudson can’t make because of refrigeration limits. That’s where the idea for a coffee truck comes in.
Not long after the Hudsons launched the Fika cart, they began thinking about retrofitting a bus. Not only will the coffee truck allow them to carry more milk options and perishable desserts, but it’ll be a much easier setup process.
Upon arrival, it takes more than an hour to set up or break down the coffee cart. It’s the most frustrating part of the job. They use her car, her husband’s truck, and a trailer to bring all the ingredients and supplies to their destination.
“It’s kind of a three-car business,” she said.
The bus will eliminate that struggle. It’s small enough to fit inside a parking spot but big enough to provide more options than the coffee cart. Hopefully it’ll be operational by April, Hudson said. Just like he built the cart, Jordan’s taking on the role of finishing the plumbing, electrical, and flooring inside the bus.
“It’s kind of shocking actually,” Hudson said. “I don’t know how he knows how to do this, but he’s great at it.”
While they’ll keep using the cart to cater small, private events, the business owners want to find a permanent location for the bus and stay open five days a week.
“We’re trying to really focus on the bus because we can pump out a lot more drinks, a lot more products,” Hudson said. “With the cart we’re very limited on space.”
In the coming year, the baker wants to continue growing Fika and sharing her Swedish culture with the community. For her, working the coffee cart is “true bliss.”
Staff Writer Madison White doesn’t cope well without a morning latte. Reach her at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in March 5, 2026 – March 12, 2026.