Lupe Valdez

Lupe Valdez — Hoffmann-Hayman / H&H roaster named in a July 1971 letter from Chris M. Jasso to Gustav P. Menger (paraphrased by Nancy Draves, 2015). By 1971 both Jasso and Valdez were retired from the company, but when a Monterrey buyer purchased H&H’s four Jabez Burns Jubilee roasters from Continental Coffee, the buyer paid to fly Jasso and Valdez to Monterrey to commission the machines. Valdez had been retired two years but successfully restarted the line; Jasso reported Valdez was “like a kid with a new toy” after they roasted 500 lbs in a test run.

The same letter documents Valdez’s practical knowledge of TEMPO-VANE electronic roast thermostats — one unit failed to cut off on time and had to be replaced; Jasso noted uniform roasts required cutoff at 420°F.

Oral echo (Peché tour, 13 June 2026). On the 601 Delaware walkthrough, Brett — sourcing the Jasso letter — described “Mr. Valdez” as the man who “ran the roasters” and had to be “brought down [to Monterrey] to get them working and teach them how to use the equipment” (Rec18 ≈15:46). This almost certainly refers to this Lupe Valdez (it traces to the same 1971 letter), and supports reading the loosely-remembered “Mr. Valdez” in the Draves session as Lupe Valdez rather than a separate person. (digest)

Open questions

• Full name spelling, vitals, San Antonio directory citations
• Tenure at H&H (only the 1971 retirement reference is in hand)
• Relationship to other documented roasting staff at 601 Delaware

See also

• Chris M. Jasso
• 601 Delaware Street Plant
• Continental Coffee Company
• 1971 — Burns Jubilee roasters sold to Monterrey
• Ernesto Gonzales
• Jabez Burns & Sons
• H and H Coffee Roaster Equipment Lifecycle