Grounds for romance: The story of four Starbucks sweethearts

This Valentine’s Day people all around the world will be celebrating their love for their nearest and dearest – family, friends, partners and colleagues. Here we share the tales of Starbucks sweethearts, whose love blossomed over a shared love of coffee.

Heverton and Izabela Mendes, also known as ‘Mr and Mrs Starbucks’, London

Heverton and Izabela Mendes, coined Mr and Mrs Starbucks, met whilst working at Starbucks. Eight years later, they are now married and have their first baby on the way.

Their home countries of Brazil and Poland may be a few thousand miles apart, but a shared love and passion for coffee united this pair of baristas. The couple met in 2010 when they were both working at the Oxford Street Starbucks store in London. Despite Heverton transferring to another store in the city, their relationship moved from strength to strength. Here they share their story:

Izabela: “Before I met Heverton, I was really shy and mostly focussed on my work. Heverton was friendly and caring and the fact we had a lot in common made me feel more confident and it really drew me closer to him over time.”

Heverton: "What I love most about Izabela is that she is incredibly patient and has always taken the time to help and teach me. When we first met, she had been at Starbucks for two years so already knew the ropes and plus she had great coffee skills. We used to spend evenings together where she would help train me and become the best that I can be.”

Izabela: “In fact, we still do a lot of coffee tastings at home together, we have eight brewing machines at home!” 

After dating for five years, the couple got married and this year, they are excited to announce they are adding to their family of two.

Izabela: "Starbucks has consistently been there throughout our relationship, it was one of the first things we both connected on and still do to this day – we can’t live without coffee! My mum is making a mini green apron so our little one can also feel a part of the Starbucks family.”

Now, with the couple both store managers at two of London’s busiest stores, Westfield Stratford and Upper St Martin’s Lane in Covent Garden, they are still fondly remembered by customers where they first met who travel across the city to see them.  

Izabela: “It’s really nice to be known as known as Mr and Mrs Starbucks by our teams. Some of our regular customers will still visit us at one of our stores and ask how the other is. We’re incredibly lucky to have found each other.”

Timi Ferenczy and Attila Bedo, Amsterdam

Attila works in Starbucks Amsterdam coffee roasting plant, supplying coffee to the whole of Europe, Middle East and Africa, while Timi is close by working in the Amsterdam support centre as part of the category retail team.

Timi and Attila met in Hungary and after just three months of dating, decided to move to the Netherlands together where they both had friends who had settled happily in Amsterdam.

Attila continued as a professional folk dancer, whilst Timi began working as a barista at Starbucks. A little while later, she was offered a role in the company’s Amsterdam support centre.

Attila too would soon join Starbucks after he suffered a knee injury and could no longer dance with the international folk dance company. At a loss for what do next, he spoke with Timi and she found the perfect solution; joining Starbucks as a packaging partner. After a couple of years Attila is now a full time roasting technician in the Starbucks Amsterdam roasting plant.

Eight years after meeting, the two speak about their Starbucks journey together so far.

Timi:” After 10 minutes of talking, it felt like we’d known each other for years… it was love at first sight.

“I am so pleased Attila was able to join Starbucks as a roasting technician – it’s great that our passion for coffee has now become our day job too!  Although our jobs are very different, working within the same business has only brought us closer together. Before we joined Starbucks, we hadn’t realised how much the company gives back to communities all over the world. I love how I am contributing to a company that has such strong values.”

Attila: “Starbucks is my second home. I’ve made so many friends through working here, and my colleagues and I do almost everything together, and knowing this is all thanks to Timi makes it even more special. Before joining Starbucks, although I loved coffee, I had little knowledge of it, but after years spent working in the roasting plant, I’ve learnt so much especially about the processing and quality checks that go into creating the final and perfect product.”

With the couple working in different parts of the business and on different shifts, time together is precious, and often best enjoyed over a Toffee Nut Latte.

Timi: “The best Valentine’s Day present we’ve ever had was our little boy, Tristan. My due date was the 14th February, but he was a little late. We’ll be celebrating his second birthday this year!”