Toronto entrepreneur Caitlin Campbell turned a coffee hobby with her father into Street Brew Coffee, a mobile cafe and online brand with a loyal following—one that recently landed her the chance to brew for the Jonas Brothers at their Rogers Centre show.
Back in 2017, Campbell’s father had just retired and was looking for something to fill his time. Together, the pair began roasting coffee beans as a hobby, donating their blends to homeless charities around Toronto.
It was a fun side project, but also a shared passion between a daughter and her dad.
By 2019, when Campbell graduated into a tight job market, her father introduced the idea of turning their hobby into something more.
“I kind of realized that this would be my one shot to try to build a business alongside my dad and really chase that dream,” Campbell told Now Toronto on Thursday.
That fall, Street Brew Coffee was born, debuting at the Markham Fair, the CNE, and other local festivals.
Then the pandemic hit. With 55 shows cancelled in 2020, Campbell pivoted online, launching her coffee content on TikTok in early 2021. Her morning livestreams — brewing coffee and chatting with her growing community — quickly caught fire.
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Soon, Street Brew wasn’t just a family project, but an online brand with a rapidly growing audience.
A JONAS BROTHER WALKS INTO THE CHAT
It was during one of her winter livestreams in February this year that something unexpected happened: Joe Jonas popped into her TikTok Live.
“I was like, ‘Wait, Joe Jonas.’ I thought, there’s no way that’s the actual real Joe Jonas because there’s a lot of fake stuff happening on TikTok, and then I clicked on his name, and he had the blue checkmark and however million followers he has,” Campbell said.
For someone who grew up on Disney Channel, “Camp Rock,” and the Jonas Brothers, it was a surreal moment, and Campbell knew she had to seize the opportunity.
Having already brewed coffee for comedian Tom Segura and other big names through past collaborations, she had the confidence to shoot her shot.
She invited Joe Jonas for a coffee collaboration.
Though that first plan fell through, Campbell stayed on his radar. Months later, just before the Jonas Brothers’ Toronto show at Rogers Centre, Joe reached out again — this time with a bigger ask.
Would she bring her entire Street Brew Coffee trailer to serve the band and their team?
“Their show was on the Thursday night, and then, Wednesday night, we hopped on one final phone call and they’re like, ‘Bring the trailer and make coffee for everyone,’” she explained.
When the day arrived, Campbell and her team brewed for everyone: opening acts, dancers, crew, even security staff. And, of course, the Jonas Brothers themselves.
Frankie Jonas was the first to stop by, ordering a black cold brew. Kevin followed with aniced drink and Joe, the self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast of the group, went for a cortado.
“They were all super thankful and very appreciative of us being there, making coffee for them,” Campbell says.
“Even during the concert, some of the band members waved at us from the stage. At the very end, one pointed at us and pretended to drink a coffee— and was like, ‘Thanks for the coffee!’”
The night only got more surreal. The Street Brew team was given tickets to the show, sitting second row from the stage. At one point, Campbell swears Joe Jonas winked directly at her.
“That’s my claim to fame,” she joked. “I definitely screamed.”
For Campbell, the Jonas Brothers experience wasn’t just a fangirl moment—it was validation.
After years of grinding to build Street Brew Coffee from a hobby into a recognized Toronto brand, this was proof she was on the right track.
“It was an unreal moment, a bucket list kind of thing that all the hard work has really come to fruition,” she says.
“I think Street Brew Coffee is very much on the map now. And just a confirmation of that, getting to brew coffee for the Jonas Brothers, all the hard work, all my effort into building the brand has really succeeded.”
Now, she’s dreaming even bigger, hoping to serve coffee to the Maple Leafs or Blue Jays, country stars like Kelsea Ballerini or Chris Stapleton, and continuing to expand Street Brew’s catering side.
She’s also writing a book about her journey as a small business owner navigating social media.
Her advice for others chasing similar dreams?
“Lean into what makes you lean into your authentic self. What makes people keep coming back to my content or wanting to follow my journey? It’s because we show up as our authentic self, we show the behind the scenes, the good, the bad, and just let our personality shine through. People fall in love with the father daughter aspect of our company,” Campbell said.
“Your personality is what’s going to make people keep coming back, and then you just got to keep putting yourself out there. There’s so many opportunities out there if you’re willing to put in the work and be vulnerable and just show the world how awesome you are, that you’re going to find your people and opportunities will come.”
Street Brew Coffee can be located at Greenwood Park in Toronto every Sunday until Oct. 26, serving espresso drinks and cold brew from their trailer between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
