On any given morning, you might find Kelly Devine and Katie McEnery parked at a farmers market, a youth sports field, or even a bustling convention center, steaming milk and crafting lattes from the window of their coffee truck. Their business, Emerald Cup, is about bringing the community together through freshly brewed coffee.
The idea came together almost overnight. Devine, a registered dietitian and owner of Devine Nutrition in Palos Heights, had long dreamed of launching a beverage truck to serve runners at local 5Ks. Over a conversation with McEnery, a speech pathologist and co-owner of Beyond Speech, the idea took on a new life.
“I had always wanted to open a beverage trailer,” Devine said. “Katie and I were talking one day, and the ideas started spinning, and the next day… we were starting a coffee trailer.”
The two had known each other since kindergarten at St. Damian School in Oak Forest, later attending Providence Catholic High School together. Though their careers and lives as single mothers had taken them in different directions, their love of coffee and entrepreneurship brought them back together.
“We both love coffee and love being creative and thinking outside of the box,” Katie McEnery said. “While it is hard work, we are having a blast.”
Their menu reflects that creativity with beans sourcing from Clancy’s Coffee in Mokena.
While they agree the beans are indeed the best, they have given them unique spins with handcrafted drinks with bold flavors. The Craic, a salted coffee and toffee blend, has become a fast favorite, while their signature drink, the Emerald Cup, combines Irish cream and vanilla for a smooth, sweet pick-me-up. Their seasonal and holiday-themed menus keep things fresh, and their themed lemonades and frappes have become a hit with kids.
What started as a small operation has quickly grown.
Emerald Cup began at the Palos Farmers Market and soon found its way to local sporting events, from Pioneer football and wrestling to Oak Forest and Frankfort Square baseball.
They’ve set up shop at New Lenox girls’ softball games and Oak Forest basketball tournaments, and this year, they’re expanding even further.
“We’ve been all over,” Devine said. “We are contracted with the Rosemont Convention Center, so we will be at some of their bigger events like Anime, FanExpo, and more. We applied to a few more farmers markets, so hopefully we’ll be at more this summer as well.”
The duo also receives help from McEnery’s daughter, Addy Rickert, and niece, Kylie Vogel (Romeoville), and from their best friend, Sarah Garrity (Orland Park).
“They are a huge help on the truck,” McEnery said. “We also have enlisted many of our family and friends for help on occasion as well. It is truly a team effort.”
But running a coffee truck, especially in the Midwest, isn’t always easy. The freezing winter temperatures have brought unexpected challenges.
“We have had many pain points this year with the trailer, and freezing temps are one of them,” Devine said. “We were able to get the pipes insulated and heated, so that has been great. We also had to find indoor heated storage, so our tank didn’t freeze.”
Even with those adjustments, winter means fewer pop-ups and less foot traffic. But the duo remains undeterred, already looking ahead to new opportunities. As demand for their coffee continues to grow, they’re preparing for their next big move.
“We are working on expanding our concept to a town nearby,” Devine said. “Stay tuned for some big announcements from Emerald Cup.”
For now, Devine and McEnery are focused on what they do best and that is bringing people together over a great cup of coffee.
Emerald Cup will be traveling in the coming months, and the truck will be making several stops, including a pop-up at SPENGA Mokena on Feb. 26, and a presence at the Oak Forest Fleadh on March 1. Other upcoming events include a Flights & Florals night at Chalet Florist on March 7 and a Gaelic Park pop-up on March 16.
For more information or to book Emerald Cup for an event, email theemeraldcupcoffee@gmail.com.
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