There’s never been a better time to open a mobile coffee business – low start-up costs, an in-demand product and excellent margins make it an extremely attractive proposition.
However, like any business – it isn’t without risks, and it’s important that you get things right. The hard truth is that 50% of all small businesses fail within the first couple of years.
Make sure you don’t become part of that statistic by ensuring your mobile coffee business has these 6 essential elements.
1. High value for money
You don’t have to have the biggest menu, a signature beverage, the cheapest prices or even the best coffee (although these can all help – see point 2)! What you do have to do is to provide your target customers with a high value proposition – a reason to come to you time and time again.
Value for money means different things to different people. You have to define a target market, and provide these people with the products they want at a price they’re prepared to pay. You don’t have to compete on price – you need to compete for customers who see the value in your offering.
2. A point of difference
Ask yourself what sets you apart from the local competition?
Providing something different, like a unique blend, a signature drink, a loyalty scheme or a specialty coffee menu are all good places to start. Ultimately, you need to find something that sets you apart from the crowd, and gives people a reason to come to you over the competition.
3. The ability to adapt
You might have a sweet pitch at a popular local farmer’s market – but what would you do if the market stopped running? If a large new company moves into the area – what could you do to ensure that you can capitalise on it?
Things change all the time, and as a mobile coffee business owner, you need to be able to react quickly when they do. Being able to adapt quickly to change is a huge strength in any kind of business – it will enable you to take advantage of new opportunities, and to react and take stock when unexpected challenges happen.
4. A defined target market
Try to please everyone, and you won’t please anyone! Different people want different things from their coffee – and no mobile coffee business can be all things to all people.
Whether you’re going cheap and cheerful, or high-end artisan – think about the people you’re trying to target, then tailor your coffee offering to fit their requirements.
5. A team you can depend on
A company is only as good as its people – and whilst this isn’t likely to be a problem in the early part of your business, eventually, you’ll want to take on some staff.
Finding, training and retaining the right team can be the difference between success and failure. When looking for people, experience is good, but the right personality and a willingness to learn is better – you can always train people to pull a good espresso!
6. The right coffee cart
Having the right, high quality mobile coffee van is essential!
It’s your business premises, your advertising board and the way you make your money. It pays to invest in the right, well-branded cart, fitted with reliable, high quality equipment.
At Big Coffee, we have years of experience in building and converting coffee vans. We understand what works, and are here to ensure that you get the right vehicle to suit your business.
