If you have an interest for coffee and appreciate working with the public, a mobile coffee business can be an enjoyable way for you to earn a living. This business makes provision for hot and cold coffee drinks at private events, festivals, wedding receptions, company functions and outdoor events.
Now an interesting fact about this business is that you do not require a storefront, space or shop to commence operation. The requirement for starting and operating a mobile coffee business is much lower than starting a traditional coffee shop business. Secondly, it s important you know that income will vary with respect to location and marketing strategy adopted.
You might probably question the sense of starting a business that involves coffee-making when in fact there are numerous coffee stores on each block like StarBucks and Nescafe’s mobile carts; not to mention the huge amount of coffee makers present in each household. So why, of all businesses, should you go with a mobile coffee business?
Learning how to start a business that is coffee-related would perhaps be the best financial move you will make in a long time. Think of this way: if you can make coffee that is twice as delicious yet less expensive compared to the famous branded ones out there, you will surely have lots of customers in no time.
Why bother worrying about stiff competition when all you need are the right tools and the essential ingredients needed to beat the overall quality of the other coffee shops out there? What’s more, since your business is mobile, it means you will be able to reach more customers than you can ever imagine.
Also, this business can be done in any country (USA, Ghana, Nigeria, Canada, South Africa, India, etc) and if you happen to be resident in a region that’s know for its cold weather or constant rain, then you have a potential for success if you choose to run a coffee cart business. So without wasting your time, below is an exact step to starting your own coffee cart stand.
Starting a Mobile Coffee Cart Business – Sample Business Plan Template
1. Know the technical details of making coffee
I don’t think i need to emphasize much on this. If you want to be in the coffee business, then you must know how to make quality coffee or better still, get someone who knows how to do it.
2. Get your mobile coffee business registered with appropriate authorities
If you will be the only employee on that business, you can register it as a sole proprietorship, which will require little paperwork and less expensive instead of registering it as a limited liability company or corporation. You might also need a business license, depending on the country or city you are operating in.
3. Obtain a food service license from the right state office
The body regulating food services are not the same, they vary. So you should locate the one that is related to your business and get your authorization.
4. Buy a mobile cart Stand
Buy a mobile cart with a compartment for flavoring syrup and storing coffee, along with a refrigerator compartment for storing cream, milk and whip cream. If you desire to be serving iced drinks, a freezer compartment for storing ice should be in that cart.
However, you can choose to buy portable coolers for dairy products and ice, so as to minimize the cost of your cart. Or better still, you can go for a used cart especially if you are starting with little capital.
5. How you will transport your cart to events should be determined
If you are financially stable, then get a vehicle that you can drive around to sell your coffee or take your cart to events. Make sure it fits the overall theme that you envision for your brand. You can choose to buy a vehicle or rent one as long as it would suit your budget. Small carts can enter in the bed of a pickup. But if you bought a big cart, you may require buying a trailer and adding a hitch of it to your pickup.
6. Write a business plan
An individual that fails to plan definitely plans to fail. The fact that you are starting a small coffee cart stand does not mean you will not write a business plan. A business plan will provide a road map for you and the business. I have seen and heard stories of individuals who started with just one coffee cart and proceeded to own several coffee carts and even began selling franchise licenses. But it all started with a vision and a plan.
7. Buy a supply of cups, coffee, espresso, insulating cup holders, coffee stirs and flavoring syrup
You are now one step closer to being one of the best coffee-sellers in town. Next up is the daunting task of hunting for the best ingredients. Coffee is a flexible drink, so make sure you do research as to which coffee beans and cream brands are used by the major stores.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that you should emulate the ingredients used by the bigwigs. There are times when originality is key, and you might find yourself sticking with the old and traditional methods.
8. Market and advertise your coffee business
Print brochures showcasing the aspects of coffee drinks you are serving, along with your availability. Add your contact information so that prospective customers can contact or email you for hire. Of course, knowing how to start a business wouldn’t be complete if you do not know how to spread the words with regards to your newly opened establishment.
Take advantage of the various social media tools to spearhead the marketing campaigns that would enable people to become aware about your mobile coffee business. You can give out flyers on the streets, and you can even host promote and contests so more people would notice your brand. The good thing is that the world is getting smaller and smaller nowadays thanks to technology, so use whatever tools you have to spread the word.
You can also advertise your mobile coffee business in alternative papers, local newspapers, online classified ad sites, neighborhood bulletin boards and local websites. If your budget allows, advertise your business on local television and radio stations, park bench signs and billboards.
9. Talk to small businesses and companies around your locality
Contact local businesses and companies around your environment and inquire about the possibility of setting up your own mobile coffee business to provide coffee drinks during employee lunch time. Also contact local events and wedding coordinators within your area and give them your brochures for your mobile coffee business. These professionals can assist build your business by supplying steady work to you and recommending your services to their clients.
10. Build your clients database
Also, never forget to position a stack of brochures on your mobile coffee cart when serving guests at an event. This can assist in generating future business/contract to keep your schedule full.
In conclusion, starting your own brand of mobile coffee might be difficult, but keeping up with it once the customers are steadily coming would prove to be more taxing and more daunting, so best be ready with your skills and perseverance for you to sustain your business. Now that you know how to start a business that is coffee-related, you are now ready to beat out all the major competitions.
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