Second Cup now brewing inside Pita Pit in New Hamburg

Sanjay and Kiran Biswal prepare coffee inside their New Hamburg business, where they have expanded their offerings to include a Second Cup café within their existing Pita Pit location. Amanda Nelson photo

By Amanda Nelson

Second Cup, a proudly Canadian coffee company, is now available inside a familiar local spot in New Hamburg.

Owners Sanjay and Kiran Biswal have operated the Pita Pit at 12-338 Waterloo St. for more than five years. After hearing repeated feedback from customers about the lack of quality coffee options nearby, they decided to expand, bringing a Second Cup café into the same space.

Now offering a range of drinks including lattes, mochas, smoothies and blended beverages, Sanjay Biswal said regular customers are already taking notice.

“This is a good location for the community because there isn’t anywhere close to get speciality coffee,” he said. “The nearest place is about two kilometres away, and we were getting complaints from customers that they couldn’t get coffee here. This plaza is quite busy, so we thought we’d bring coffee to them.”

Founded in 1975, Second Cup has long positioned itself as a Canadian brand – something that factored into the Biswals’ decision.

“We chose Second Cup because it’s a Canadian company,” said Sanjay Biswal. “Supporting Canada was important to us, and we wanted to bring that value to the community. It’s also a premium brand known for high-quality coffee beans.”

An entrepreneur at heart, Sanjay Biswal said his passion lies in running a business that connects him with the community.

“We also have had an IT company in Mississauga doing software development, but my passion is in the restaurant business,” he said. “Interacting with customers every day is something I really enjoy. Being able to say, ‘Hi, good morning. How are you?’ That’s a great feeling.”

Adding a full coffee menu required a significant shift for both the business and its staff.

“It’s been a big transition for us,” said Sanjay Biswal. “Before, our employees were focused on making pitas, and now we’ve trained them to make lattes and other specialty drinks. They went through about three months of barista training, so it’s really taken us to the next level.”

Despite the challenges of managing two distinct brands with different requirements, Sanjay Biswal said the response so far has been positive, with more customers discovering the new offering.

He said he’s optimistic business will continue to grow in the coming months as awareness spreads, adding that a focus on quality and attention to detail will keep customers coming back.