Call us now on 01482 655020 – let’s talk coffee! You’ll want a vehicle that looks good to give yourself the best chance of success. The permits and license requirements of a coffee truck are different across each city and state in the United States. The mornings for Drew typically starts at 3 a.m. Parking is always a big question mark whenever I get to a new area. Coffee became a part of my life when I was on a 4,000-mile solo bike tour around the western half of the country. The price of a car will depend on the model, age, mileage, and other factors. During each remodel, I’ve made changes to better suit life on the road, as well as to make it more space efficient when I’m selling coffee. Coffee is a vital part of the daily routine of many Australians. This is a high-end Espresso machine from Italy. My mornings typically start at about 3 a.m…. Why a low price point shouldn’t the the main reason for you selecting a piece of equipment for your truck. There is a lot of time between then and now. I like to stay in a place for long enough to become familiar with it and enjoy its energy, but the time always comes when you have to leave and start the process all over again. That being said these are the standard licenses and permits in most areas: You want to be able to say, “We’re doing something that nobody else is doing. Being green focused we are using power systems to alleviate the impact on the environment. Through utilisation of technology and a desire to provide a simple, cost efficient system we are able to deliver a product which ticks all the boxes. However, there are many things you need to consider when planning and launching your business, and in fact, whether to start it at all. From sourcing of product to the equipment used on the truck everything is 100% unique. But here are some of the specific elements Drew utilized to make his coffee startup: To have any type of successful food business, you need to be able to differentiate the core product in a meaningful way. This includes cleaning for the day, grinding coffee beans, getting drip coffee ready, placing breakfast items like muffins out. Luckily I have been able to maintain health insurance through my parents plan, seeing as I am still 25 years old. Moving into the van was a welcomed challenge of downsizing and conscious decision making. Even better; the shop was inspired by the owner’s young daughter who beat a childhood cancer diagnosis. Smoothies is another popular option on coffee trucks. Determining the the average cost of a coffee truck is always difficult to answer because it’s a variable cost that will depend on the size, year, equipment installed (this is a big one), business licenses in your area, if you’ll be operating a truck or trailer, and who is building it. Our name and craftsmanship are received as the “standard” of the coffee & food truck industry. MOBILE COFFEE BUSINESS. We can fully customise your vehicle to your exact specifications. Know someone interesting that should be interviewed on the website? Keep in mind that this survey was conducted with owners that have been in operation at least 2 years. After finding Ol' Blue on Craigslist one day, my mind immediately was set on living a life on the road, making coffee and chasing adventure. I often resort to the local climbing gym to take a shower if there is one. A few advantages include: Potentially lower start-up costs than a large, bricks-and-mortar coffee shop. – Jason O’ Neill, The Big Coffee Co-Owner From the first time I moved into Ol' Blue to now, I’ve moved in and out of the van three times and remodeled the interior an eyebrow-raising four times on top of that. Hey! Pro Tip: Drew recommends investing in quality equipment versus the lowest priced because it’s the heartbeat of your business. About Coffee Latino. We will be doing about 20 stops across the West, and Ol' Blue and I will be there to keep everyone caffeinated and smiling while Patagonia fixes people's jackets. Based on our survey of 223 full-time food truck owners, over 50% report generating at least $150,000 in revenue per year. It does not include food vending machines or food transport vehicles. We dive deep into the details of developing a unique coffee brand here. His 1971 VW Type 2 Transport van has acted as a coffee shop but also a part-time home for the past two years. Check out this case study to learn what the process is like. The bottom line is you will need to figure out the legal requirements to operate the coffee business in your specific area. Write a business plan. Having a been a climbing instructor, mountain bike guide and all-around vagabond for the past few years, I knew I wanted to center my coffee shop, Carabiner Coffee, around those passions. It’s definitely a constant companion. These are the basic components of a coffee truck, but keep in mind that your vision may require additional equipment. and that sucks. I rock climb, hiking, backpacking, mountain bike and trail run in the summer, and then when the snow hits, you’ll find me up in the mountains backcountry snowboarding or mountaineering. He turns on the song “Good Day” by Nappy Roots and starts dancing around his space. As you might expect, morning is the busiest time for a coffee truck business. As a result, you can expect more traffic before lunch as a general rule of thumb. Commuting to and from your home base is a non-revenue generating activity. What’s going to differentiate you from everyone else in your market is the brand vision and mission statement. They also sponsored this episode. Supplying completely unique products built to order we cater for every imaginable food truck build, including our Signature Products from Vintage Volkswagen Coffee Vans, 1950s to 70s Vintage Airstreams, Vintage Citroen HY Vans, Vintage Horseboxes, & American Step Vans, and our very own design take on a New Box Body Van & Trailers. A cup of coffee that costs you less than .50 cents to produce can be sold at retail for $2.00 – $3.00 a cup on average. The most challenging thing tends to be logistics. I spend a lot of time exploring outside of the van to avoid getting stir crazy. This is free! The mobile coffee vending cart is different from a mobile coffee trailer or coffee van. When you do get the opportunity for downtime, make sure to take advantage of it. Brett Lindenberg is the founder of Food Truck Empire and Food Empire Pro. But first, we recommend being honest with yourself on your own ability to pull this off. This is one of the organization that Drew actively supports and partners with. Wondering what it’s like to operate a coffee truck truck on a regular basis? If your dream is to live small, don’t waste any time in doing it. When I’m out in the wilder places, I usually park at trailheads, near campsites or on scenic lookouts. According to Strom Coffee’s espresso supplier Slayer Espresso, the mobile coffee shop was made with:. Some of the equipment needed to start a coffee truck, including an espresso machine (in case you’re a coffee geek Drew uses a UNIC Stella Di Cafe) and drip coffee maker. Predictably, more coffee food trucks are racing to meet the growing demand for craft coffee on-the-go. That’s why starting a coffee van business is an attractive opportunity for many entrepreneurs. 57 Global Coffee Industry and Consumption Trends, Market Analysis for the $100+ Billion Per Year Burger Business, 6 Smart Tips to Test Market Your Food Product, How to Generate Hundreds of Profitable Podcast Name Ideas Like Me, How to Run Social Media Ads for Restaurants in 2020, An overview of what it takes to start a coffee truck, Why finding unique beans and coffees that are unique to your area can be an important branding component, The reasoning behind Drew’s focus on sustainably grown coffees and no GMO products to maintain brand consistency. I love to hear all the amazing life stories that come up when I’m making coffee for someone. Over the past four years, I’ve graduated college with an oil painting degree in fine art, biked across the county, moved five times, started a business out of a van and have never worked a 9-to-5 job a day in my life. Of course, coffee vendors can charge by the cup, but they can alternatively charge an hourly rate. Starting a mobile coffee cart business can be a fun and profitable small business venture. John Greco delved onto the coffee-van business way back in 1999. Building a Coffee Cart for your Mobile Coffee Business According to several coffee sites, the normal startup cost for a coffee cart business is around $20,000.00 up to $25,000.00 which includes the types of equipment needed, processing of permits, supplying your business with goods and other supplies, and the most important is the coffee cart. Contact us today. preparation (e.g. Keep in mind that the figures mentioned above are broad estimates. Listen to the full podcast interview, you’ll learn how Drew created a one-of-a-kind brand for the Mo’ Joe A Go-Go coffee business. I love the climbing community, and it's always a win-win to be able to get to climb and shower as well as meet local climbers wherever I am. – Matt Drew on owning / operating a coffee truck. Whether it's finding a shower or constantly navigating new places, it takes a lot of energy to find a new place to live every day or every week. Includes Free Business Plan Template, Cost Spreadsheet, and More. Consider a commercial panini maker. The permitting game is a whole different story, but I’ll just say that I’ve gotten pretty damn good at understanding local legislature to make my business legal wherever I go. – Matt Drew on the importance of branding for mobile food owners. Almost any vehicle can be converted into a mobile ice cream and coffee van catering solution, simply get in touch with our team today for our recommendations. Give us a call today to discuss getting your business on the road! We paid them a flat fee up front, so the coffee was free to guests. The importance of being flexible when you launch a mobile food business. How identifying these specialty growers and establishing relationships can give you a unique marketing advantage over other coffee shops in the area. Specially made to meet your particular needs and equipped with the highest standard coffee van fit out and technology. Learn about the less consistent rush periods for a coffee truck versus a food truck. Find more Class A, Class C, Class B, trailers, fifth wheel trailers and more at Outdoorsy! As Drew stresses in the interview, every day operating a food truck is a little bit different. Our goal is to give you the real deal of what it’s like to operate this type of business (spoiler alert: you’ll need to be an early riser) on a daily business to help figure out if this really is the right business model for you.