Our Story
MAKING A DREAM INTO A REALITY
MAREZ is a combination of two family names — Maldonado & Florez. Together, they bring cultural foundations from Dominican Republic and Colombian origins.
MAREZ is a Veteran Owned Business; providing the best Coffee from around the globe and a specialty of Arabica green beans from the land of Colombia. Teamed up with other roasters it provides a unique menu with unmatched products from across the globe.
On our original Logo, the visible “M” in the logo represents Maldonado, and the “Vertical Z” represents Florez; this two letters embrace the rest of the letters within the two last names. Interestingly, when it comes to the origins of these two letters, it is notorious to highlight that the “M” is currently an adoption of the “water” ideogram in Egyptian writing, and the “Z” represented the shape of an “ax” 3,000 years ago. Both water and axes are elements/tools that are needed for the growth and production of coffee beans. Additionally, the integration of the “A” crossing the “M” creates a pyramid shape, which represents the connection between the Earth and the “Higher Power—God and His Wonders.” The entire symbol displays the company’s name, MAREZ, within a hidden combination of shapes and abstracts. The placement of the letters represent a harmonious union of the two families, whose love for coffee has been a topic of conversation since the start of their relationship.
The blue logo (2013) is a representation of the water from the ocean (“Seas” in Spanish means “Mares”), which allows us to connect and share our services and products world wide. The second version of the logo, which is brown, is a representation of the earth and highlights the main product of MAREZ Café—Coffee.
2013 
2018 
2025 
The Founders & Makers
Edwin Maldonado-PRESIDENT
Edwin brings over 35+ years of work experience to Marez. From operations, quality assurance to aviation (Military & Civil), his strong energy to get the job done right the first time, and on-time, are just a few of many attributes. Edwin holds a Master of Business Administration in Aviation, Master’s in Lean Enterprises a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business; and a second Bachelor Degree in Engineering. He is certified in Program / Project Management and Lean Enterprises. Additionally, he is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB) and Black Belt (LSSBB) certified. He is a former U.S. Army Commissioned and Non-commissioned Officer, holding multiple military positions, which give him world-wide hands-on experience in multiple fields.
Grace Florez-Maldonado- VICE PRESIDENT
Grace brings over 22+ years of work experience. In addition to her strong ethics and commitment, Grace holds a Bachelor Degree in English Language and Literature with an emphasis in Professional Writing, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Marketing. Additionally, she is Lean Six Sigma (LSSYB) certified. She is a former U.S. Marine, who also served as a Public Affairs Officer (PAO) as a civilian in the U.S. Military. She has held positions such as project manager, operations analyst, and translation coordinator among others. She serves Marez as the Vice President for the U.S. element, and as the President for Marez Café in Colombia.
Hector Florez Quemba- DIRECTOR GENERAL
Hector brings over 30+ years of work experience from different positions in Colombia such as general manager in the Sales Department for CAFAM (10 years); Operations Director for Cable-Andino Telecommunications (8 years); and an entrepreneur for over 12 years, with a strong focus in customer service and commitment. He is a certified Colombian coffee barista, cafetero and regional manager for Marez Café. He is an expert in the agricultural aspects of arabica coffee growth, roasting, and production. He currently serves as the Vice President and General Director for Marez Café in Colombia.