Gregorio Menéndez Bustelo (1892–1965) traveled from his native Asturias, Spain[a] to Cuba as a young man, and moved to the United States in 1917.

[5] He founded the Café Bustelo coffee company in East Harlem, New York in 1928.

[6] His product became popular among Cuban exiles who preferred to prepare it in espresso coffeemakers rather than the then-common method of filtering it through a coffee "sock".

[7] The company remained successful throughout the 20th century, and was known for its distinctive yellow and red cans.

[6] Café Bustelo was purchased by Rowland Coffee Roasters of Miami in 2000.