Today we’d like to introduce you to Unique Ung.
Hi Unique, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
ANOVA Collective was founded by Unique and Richard with a vision rooted in connection, community, and hospitality.
The name ANOVA comes from the idea that we are all collectively intertwined. Each of us moves through life on our own path, but we are still connected in ways we often don’t realize. Like stars in the sky, we each shine individually while contributing to something larger. That idea became the foundation of the brand: creating spaces and experiences where people can come together, share ideas, build relationships, and simply enjoy being present.
The idea began to take shape during a trip to New York where we spent time visiting different cafés and exploring specialty coffee. After tasting one of the best lattes we had ever had, we came home inspired to try recreating that experience ourselves. What started as curiosity quickly turned into a deeper journey into coffee. We invested in an espresso machine, a precision grinder, and began taking barista classes and attending cupping sessions to better understand flavor, extraction, and the craft behind great coffee.
Richard’s background in hospitality, the culinary world, and agricultural business helped shape the operational side of the concept, while our shared appreciation for thoughtful experiences and high-quality food and drinks pushed us to think bigger about what this could become.
In the early stages, much of ANOVA was built from our living room. Outside of our regular work schedules, we spent months researching, testing recipes, refining the concept, and traveling to experience cafés and coffee programs firsthand. Those late nights and early mornings helped us shape the direction of the brand.
We launched ANOVA as a mobile coffee and matcha bar to bring that experience directly to people. Through events, pop-ups, and private gatherings, we’re able to introduce guests to the type of elevated coffee and matcha program we envision while also creating moments where people naturally connect.
Our long-term vision is to open a brick-and-mortar café in Houston that serves as more than just a place to grab coffee. We imagine it as a space where people can meet, exchange ideas, host workshops or courses, start projects, and build community while enjoying thoughtfully crafted drinks.
For now, the cart allows us to bring ANOVA to the people — one event, one conversation, and one cup at a time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like most new businesses, the road hasn’t been completely smooth, but many of the challenges have also been part of what makes the journey exciting.
Since this was our first time starting an LLC, there was a lot to learn at the beginning. We spent time researching the legal side of building a business, understanding how to structure everything properly, and making sure we met food safety and catering requirements so ANOVA Collective could operate responsibly from day one.
Because we spent several months planning before launching, the process has been smoother than we initially expected. We took the time to study coffee and matcha preparation, refine our drink recipes, and think through how the mobile coffee and matcha bar would operate at events. That preparation helped us avoid many of the common early mistakes.
At the same time, there have definitely been learning moments along the way. One of the early challenges was figuring out inventory for events. In the beginning we often overestimated how much milk, coffee, and ingredients to bring. After a number of events, we’ve now refined our system and can estimate drink counts much more accurately.
Some of the challenges have also been memorable in a lighter way. Before some of our early events we would stay up late testing recipes, dialing in espresso, or adjusting drink ratios to make sure everything tasted exactly the way we wanted. The downside was occasionally being very caffeinated before an early morning event the next day.
Scheduling has also required flexibility. Both of us have professional commitments outside of ANOVA, so coordinating event schedules has been something we’ve had to plan carefully. Fortunately, we’ve been able to build a small team of talented baristas who genuinely enjoy what they do and help us deliver the same level of quality at our events.
Overall, the biggest challenges have simply been the natural learning curve of building something for the first time. Many of the things we know now only came from experiencing them firsthand. The key for us has been staying positive, learning quickly, and adapting each time something new comes up. Each event teaches us something that makes the next one even better.
Since launching, we’ve been incredibly grateful for the support from the people around us. Many people have resonated with ANOVA’s message of connection and community, and that encouragement has helped us continue building momentum as the brand grows.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Entrepreneur
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.anovacollective.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anovacollective/
Image Credits
@richardtookit
