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Mobile Coffee Vans

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Nut Vending Man

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Jan 9, 2007
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I am considering purchasing a mobile coffee van (not a franchise - they just supply the vans kitted out and give training on the equipment.)

The vans are the ones used in The Apprentice (look a little like the style of Smartcars but bigger and sell coffee out of the side door.

My question is this: Has anyone tried this before? Does anyone do this for a living at the moment? I currently own vending machines and I am looking for something that I can do in addition and this seems like a great little business.

Can anyone give me any advice or comments please?

Thanks

Nut Vending Man
 
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Hi,
I'm also thinking in the same lines, just wondering whether you have started the business and has bought any coffee vans, would appreciate if you can share some info.

Thanks,
AJ
07912605532



Nut Vending Man said:
I am considering purchasing a mobile coffee van (not a franchise - they just supply the vans kitted out and give training on the equipment.)

The vans are the ones used in The Apprentice (look a little like the style of Smartcars but bigger and sell coffee out of the side door.

My question is this: Has anyone tried this before? Does anyone do this for a living at the moment? I currently own vending machines and I am looking for something that I can do in addition and this seems like a great little business.

Can anyone give me any advice or comments please?

Thanks

Nut Vending Man
Click to expand...
 
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What are the start up costs? Where are you based? Will you 'man the van' yourself or employ someone? What limits are there on where you can park/trade in your area? etc etc!

I liked the idea when I saw in on TA, but can't say how viable it is for you.
 
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Guys, just coz NVM isn't here isn't a reason to take it totally OT (I was guilty too, I know) but give the guy a break - after a load of us meandering on, who'd 'seriously' reply?! :)
 
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I know a guy who did this for a time.

His profitable business comes from the racing game such as F1 teams, Santapod etc. He decided to then try the same thing on a towns high street with a small italian van all kitted out, hardly took a bean if you'll pardon the pun.

The F1 teams just say bill us for the day, people on the high st were not prepared to pay £1.20-1.50 for a coffee they then had to stand around in the rain drinking. He quit the high st after 3 months and swapped the vehicle onto the race tracks in addition too his other units and all are doing very well.

Location is key, plus your customers profile.
 
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I considered this some years ago and got diverted into what I do now. I talked to some existing operators at that time and all of them said much the same thing which expands on the location theme. All said to make money they needed to be at events. Gardening shows, motor racing, country fairs and the like and the pitches cost money. The more money the better the pitch of course. Care is needed in choosing your location too, the best pitch at the event may be beyond your capacity to service properly.

What I felt was that the majority of my time looked like being taken up with securing sites at events rather than actually selling coffee. I could be wrong.
 
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I think it's a great idea. I'd do the business parks (like the sandwich vans) but first thing in the morning, or park up near train stations/subways and you'll be flying in no time. Lease the coffee-van, work it back to a daily cost, then you can see how much you need to take per day to make a profit.

Al
ps lf you need help leasing the van, i can maybe help.
 
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Hey Al,

Can we have a chat then. This is something I have considered for along time.

Peter.
 
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Problem is though you will have to get a vending liscence surely... You need to apply to the council to get one.

Let me know if im wrong!
 
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Qwerty that's who my current day job is with and the licencing team is a stones throw away from my desk!!
 
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Sorry to explain the above, I still have a day job and run my business evenings and weekends.

Peter.
 
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I think with good coffee and a good pitch you could certainly make a lot of money, the profits in coffee are enormous. But as said before the location is key.
 
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Good coffee being the operative word. People are willing to spend on frapucinos or whatever if they can see the Costas or Fairtrade logos but they may be reluctant to buy from a noname cart. A deal with one of the Costas for the coffee and your own cart for the selling may be worthwhile.
 
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We own a mobile coffee van, we bought it about a year ago.

Events can be great (if you can afford the large pitch fees) and you can make quite a lot of money but it is pretty difficult to book in as most events have caterers they already know.

The problem we have is that we are not trading enough to pay the bills so we are currently looking for a permanent location for our van or for an indoor cart - if anyone can help with this it would be great?

I'm more than happy to answer questions on the business here (obviously I may not be able to answer all questions as I have to safeguard our own).
 
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Realisticaly how many people want to walk along the street drinking a cup of coffee rather than go into a cafe

I know its a business in some trendy area's but must be hard to make a living and you will also have to pay for most sites to the council like Ice Cream Sales

If you talk Ice Cream then you open up a much larger market and some competition

Or try selling sandwiches at lunchtime but with speciality salads for the ladies to stand out from the rest, just imagine some of the M&S salads they make up in sealed units
 
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Hello,
I have a mobile (axiam mega) coffee van for sale for 10K. My intention was to trade it on my local high street but they have just pedestrianised it. I am currently in the process of applying for a license to trade a non vehicular coffee vending business.
If you are interested in trading one of these vehicles you will need to do it in one of these locations.
1. Shows/events.
2. Private land eg carpark ,layby etc
3. Public land, this will require a license from the council.
although I have spoken to a few burger vans in industrial estates who seem to trade from publically owned laybys and no one seems to care.
you will have to register with environmental health who will inspect your vehicle-free of charge.
If you are interested in the van give me a call
Craig 07515 023299
 
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There's a guy on the Portobello market who sells out of the back of his VW camper on a Thursday. He's under cover from the rain, the coffee is good, cheap (£1.50 for a double shot) and everyone goes there!

I think it's a great idea.
 
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We bought a second hand piaggio ape from coffee latino dont know if they sell the mega van, The profits is really good a cuppa only costs about 20p to make and sell for £1.60 BUT BUT BUT you need to have your patch first, we did not have anywhere at first and found it hard, on a good patch you can make hundreds in a matter of hours. Great Business if you have a good patch.
you can find them on the web coffeelatino.co.uk very helpfull
 
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Nut Vending Man said:
I am considering purchasing a mobile coffee van (not a franchise - they just supply the vans kitted out and give training on the equipment.)

The vans are the ones used in The Apprentice (look a little like the style of Smartcars but bigger and sell coffee out of the side door.

My question is this: Has anyone tried this before? Does anyone do this for a living at the moment? I currently own vending machines and I am looking for something that I can do in addition and this seems like a great little business.

Can anyone give me any advice or comments please?

Thanks

Nut Vending Man
Click to expand...

Let me show something if we take average customers per day 100
It takes 2 minutes to make a coffee with such mashine
you will spend 200 min pure time or 3 hour and 20 minutes
Assum a cap of coffee cost 1.20 and your turnover per day 120 pounds
Expenditure: coffee staff, petrol, parking and so on 25%
So we have £90 left
Pay tax 21% and we have £71.1

71.1 x24 working days = £1706 ( Do not forget 100 every day!!!!!)

Monkey business
 
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Hi there , AJ , i want to start a coffee van soon , the main problem is, that in most boroughs u must have a certain pitch to traide coffee, wich are not longer avaliable and there is a long waiting list for it, at the same time the mobile coffee tade is not permited on streets. So,where is solution?Any information on lisenses and street trading restrictions?
 
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You need to check with your local council dennis9000, they will give you all the info you need. If the waiting lists are too long then why not approach some privately owned shopping centres - they may rent you floor space within their grounds, and no doubt the footfall would also be high.

Al
 
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Hi there.

I have 1 2007 Mega coffee van for sale. It is in excellent condition.

Van includes 2 no 6 volt batteries, 2500w inverter and heavy duty battery charger

Brilliant qwerky design, very economical diesel engine, compact, can park anywhere, corrossion resistant

Price £10k ono

contact by return or phone

07515 327511

Megavanman
 
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There is a van near us that seems to attract a fair share of commuters approaching the train station first thing in the morning.
 
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Price up the cost of a stand at an event or to park on the high street or any other location, you will find they are definatly not cheap,

Ask youself how many times you have brought from one compared to a cafe

Blacksnow

Build in a good few day for really hot weather and also for rainy days. time off road for Holidays, Servicing health. not quite so clear cut, a living possibly but very limited for growth in most cases

Combine with say sandwich or ice cream and you definatly change the outlook but site rates may be much higher
 
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Hi,
I like this idea of selling coffee in van , if you already started one, please give me some details about cost of van and coffee machine -RAM, ph:07886795363
 
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Hi I was wondering how your business is doing? I saw one of these vans they look very good, I was also thinking of buying a van but just wanted to know how you got on..

thanks
 
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