Pan Pan Goes Viral: The Story Behind Laura Molinar’s Mexican-Japanese Fusion Cafe
Laura Molinar has a three-hour long line snaking out the door of her cafe. The twenty-one year old opened Pan Pan Bakery and Cafe in August 2024. After a TikTok video of her Mexican-Japanese concept went viral, customers flocked to the Dalworthington Gardens location to try her banana bread latte and matcha concha for themselves. The consensus: Pan Pan is worth the hype.
Rave reviewers boast “10 out of 10” and “worth the wait” in their own vlogs while journalists from the Dallas Morning News, Texas Standard, and NBC 5 make visits to Pan Pan to meet the charismatic baker behind the frenzy. Our own team recently visited Laura, who received her coffee business education at Texas Coffee School. We discussed Pan Pan’s wild success along with her experience in our 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class®.
This article’s featured image comes from the Arlington Report.
Two Cultures, One Concept: A Mexican-Japanese Cafe is Born
To the outside world, Pan Pan might seem like an overnight success. After all, Laura opened the cafe when she was only 20. However, in the years leading up to opening Pan Pan, Laura had already been honing her craft as a baker. She took baking seriously even as a child, writing down her grandmother’s recipes and teaching herself. She spent college weekends selling her pan dulce at pop-up events, and trained in bakeries throughout the region. By the time she took over the Pan Pan space from a retiring local baker at 19, she was ready to put her own spin on the business.
Laura explains that pan means “bread” in both Spanish and Japanese. She grew up watching anime videos dubbed in Spanish. After years of baking Mexican conchas and her first visit to Japan, she doubled down on her idea to harmonize ingredients and methods from two cultures she loved. She uses coffee beans from Mexico and matcha from Japan.
Highlights from the menu:
- Mango Sticky Rice Matcha
- Matcha Concha and Churro Concha
- Horchata Latte
- Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)
- Salted Coco Cold Brew
- Chorizo Kolache
Laura’s parents instilled in her the importance of investing in her passion. Laura attended our 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class® to develop her skills as a barista and create a business strategy for her cafe. She also traveled to Japan to attend a tea ceremony, where the tea master taught her the philosophy “Ichigo Ichie.”
“It’s the idea that every encounter in our lives, whether with a person, a cup of tea, or a quiet moment, will never happen in the same way again. She reminded us to treat each experience as rare and unrepeatable, to be fully present, and to cherish it as if it were the first and last.”
Source: Instagram
A Pop-Up Baker Becomes a Coffeepreneur®
In our 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class®, Laura took home more than an education in coffee; she acquired a philosophy:
“I learned a coffee shop needs more than just good coffee…You need passion. You need excellence in every aspect–in hospitality, efficiency, service.”
This philosophy of excellence and attention to detail aligned perfectly to Laura’s approach to her cafe. In her viral TikTok video, she walks through her cafe pointing out the big and small ways she brings her Mexican-Japanese concept to life. From menu items that fuse flavors, merch including Mexican pottery, and the self-serve tongs and trays customers use to get their bread, her concept is woven through the entire customer experience. (That includes the toilet, a Japanese bidet with its own TikTok cameo.)
Laura was already dialing in her shop’s efficiency before the viral video. Her team (smaller at the time) was learning to serve customers with efficiency and bake fresh to order bread. Now, she’s leading a team of 20, many who arrive at 3:30 AM to start baking for the rush of customers. Luckily, she’s already got the fundamentals and the confidence she needs to meet ever-growing demand.
“Texas Coffee School was one of the best decisions I made in my business,” she shared. “Especially at my age with little to no experience, I left there with the confidence that I had done this for… forever! Even though it was only three days, I was like, ‘I got this. I’m ready to open tomorrow.’ I recommend it 1,000%.”
A Viral Sensation That’s Worth the Hype
TikTok trends come and go, but Laura’s business only seems to gather momentum. Why is this concept resonating with customers? Certainly, Laura’s commitment to quality, excellence, and customer service ensures that customers who wait hours in the rain aren’t disappointed. Guests are now traveling from out of state for Pan Pan, and Laura’s team goes above and beyond to make their experience worth the trip.
However, we think the viral appeal of Pan Pan goes beyond the customer service, great food, and creative menu. Laura’s tapped into something deeper: authenticity.
“The love and care you put into your shop is amazing,” boasts a commenter on TikTok. “ICON!” compliments another. “How dare you be 20 hours away from me?” asks a third, echoing many who are already asking for more locations.
Laura, who is wearing a giant concha in her viral video, has poured herself, her culture, her quirks, and her passion into her business. “She is talking about the authenticity of her cafe, but she is clearly the most authentic thing in this video,” is a commenter’s wise summary.
Source: Texas Standard
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The class Laura recommends 1,000%: 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class®
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How did Laura Molinar start Pan Pan Bakery and Cafe at such a young age?
A: Laura opened Pan Pan at just 20, after years of baking at pop-ups and training in local bakeries. She credits the 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class® at Texas Coffee School for giving her the confidence and business skills to launch successfully. Learn more
Q: What role did Texas Coffee School play in Pan Pan’s success?
A: Laura says Texas Coffee School was “one of the best decisions” she made. The 3-Day class gave her barista skills, systems, and business planning tools to scale quickly when her TikTok video went viral and customers lined up for hours. See class details
Q: Can I build a hybrid concept like Pan Pan’s Mexican-Japanese cafe through Texas Coffee School?
A: Yes. Pan Pan blends bakery traditions with coffee, showing how creative hybrids can thrive. Texas Coffee School teaches you to design unique concepts, with resources for coffee shops, bakeries, carts, trucks, and trailers. Explore programs
Q: How did Laura handle the surge of customers after going viral?
A: Before her viral video, Laura had already implemented systems learned at Texas Coffee School. When demand exploded, she scaled to a team of 20 bakers and baristas. Her success shows the importance of efficiency and preparation before opening. Start your journey
Q: What advice does Laura give to aspiring Coffeepreneurs®?
A: Laura tells other entrepreneurs, “Texas Coffee School gave me the confidence to open tomorrow.” She recommends the 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class® 1,000% for anyone serious about starting their own shop. Join the class
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