Behind the scenes at the new Creme Brew Lait

A couple of months ago, a new coffee shop made Madison’s new year a little bit more exciting.

There are so many reasons to try Creme Brew Lait—if you haven’t had the pleasure of doing so already, that is.

We talked with marketing manager Summer Florian and general manager Alexi Florian (yes, sisters!), about Creme Brew Lait and what makes it so special.

1. The coffee is top-notch

Let’s start with the basics. A coffee shop has to have good coffee, and Creme Brew Lait happens to have great coffee—with a story.

The Florians are originally from Alaska, where they found a coffee roaster that they had mad respect for.

Genesis Coffee Lab, founded by Jeffrey and Moriah Chon, makes a medium dark espresso roast coffee that goes into all of Creme Brew Lait’s lattes, americanos, cappuccinos and other coffees.

But it’s not just any coffee. It’s a single-origin sourced, fair trade coffee directly from Ethiopia that Genesis Coffee Lab roasts in their own facilities. Plus, they have a strong connection with the owners of the coffee farms in Ethiopia and visit the farms personally to help them and built relationships.

The Florians developed a close relationship with the owners of Genesis Coffee Lab in Alaska, and they wanted to bring their coffee to Alabama when they moved here in February of 2021.

“We like his mission and just the way he does his business…we wanted to bring his coffee down here. Being from Alaska, we have a passion for really good coffee.”
Summer Florian, marketing manager at Creme Brew Lait

So they did just that. They brought that outstanding coffee to Madison, Alabama, and built a team (and the shop) from the ground up.

2. The team is incredible

One of the big things that makes Creme Brew Lait special is the team inside the little building.

“It’s not really super visible from the outside, but we have really, really good employees.”
Summer Florian, marketing manager at Creme Brew Lait

Summer said that some of those fabulous employees have commented that they’ve never had a job like it, with such an encouraging environment.

“It’s been really beautiful to watch—a lot of friendships have developed from the coffee shop.”
Summer Florian, marketing manager at Creme Brew Lait

But the team isn’t just composed of the faces you see behind the window. There’s a guy who works behind the scenes—and he happens to be Summer and Alexi’s dad.

3. The shop is innovative and thoughtfully designed

We’re loving the design of this new spot. (Sarah Gronberg / Hville Blast)

If you’ve visited Creme Brew Lait or driven past it, you’ve probably noticed its unique design and logistics.

That design was created by Joel Florian, Summer and Alexi’s dad—who was also the one that had the original idea for Creme Brew Lait.

Joel spent time in Europe studying abroad and was fascinated by the culture and architecture there. He wanted to incorporate that type of design into the coffee shop, so he designed it in SketchUp and worked with a local architect to bring it to life.

But it’s not just the exterior design of Creme Brew Lait that’s unique—it’s also the logistics.

Where the Florians are from, there are lots of double-drive-thru coffee shops like this. However, here in Alabama, it’s not something you see every day.

“We wanted to bring that concept to this area…we haven’t seen anything that’s very similar.”
Summer Florian, marketing manager at Creme Brew Lait

With that concept, they have the local community intrigued. Summer said that although customers have been a bit confused at times, the community has been very welcoming.

“We have a lot of repeat customers…it’s been really heartwarming seeing regular faces come back and visit.”
Summer Florian, marketing manager at Creme Brew Lait

One of the things that keeps them coming back is the menu—especially one drink in particular.

4. The Creme Brew Lait is the signature drink for a reason

Creme Brew Lait has plenty of delicious items on their menu—lattes, americanos, cappuccinos, smoothies, chai, matcha, croissant sandwiches and baked goods and more.

Summer said that, “Alexi worked really hard to get the best ingredients,” and they’re, “not slacking on anything.” So, you can’t go wrong with any of the items on their menu.

However, there’s one item that has become a fast favorite of Creme Brew Lait customers, and it’s their namesake.

The Creme Brew Lait latte comes hot or iced and it’s made with, “a little chocolate and vanilla and a secret ingredient.” That secret ingredient, plus the nutmeg and raw sugar topping, makes it taste reminiscent of the classic European dessert, creme brûlée.