Starting own Coffee van business

[gretellen]

Hi there

Am new to the forum, but am very impressed with the knowledge - its a coffee encyclopaedia!  Have a few questions.  Am considering starting up my own coffee van sometime down the track.  There is soooo much stuff I have got to learn.  Coffee is my passion and have never worked in a coffee shop, but have my own coffee machine at home.  Have done a couple of coffee appreciation courses and am currently doing a small business course.  

Does anyone know how the territory thing works with coffee vans?  I am from the ACT and am not quite sure as to how to go about finding out about this.  

Ive heard its better to steer clear of franchises and can see the reasons why.  I think Id prefer the freedom of my own van so that I can look after my customers my own way.

Look, any advice related to anything here would be appreciated.  Like I said, Im just starting to look into the ins and outs and pros and cons etc.

Thanks for your helps

loooovemycoffee!

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

I think a couple of members are selling there Coffee Vans (Brisbane Based)
Most recently CS member aerabica Moving to NZ

perhaps an email or PM to him

KK

[>SupremeRoasters]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

PM sent. Hope it helps.

[blanyon]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

Do your homework on competition I know there are at least 6 vans (prob 7) in the ACT and know what market you are targeting as your first port of call. Hope it works out.

[jamaicablueboy]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

I would recommend that you try and work in a busy cafe to gain as much experience as you can and see what its really like in a busy enviroment. Ive met people who claim they make the best coffee at home but it takes them 10 minutes to make one cup!! Try to work in as many various places as possible as you might realise its not you and better to find this out in someone elses cafe than your own investment. also you will learn lots of tricks that baristas use in day to day operations. Good to see someone doing theyre homework good luck with it

[Bullitt]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

Quote...... "Try to work in as many various places as possible as you might realise its not you and better to find this out in someone elses cafe than your own investment. also you will learn lots of tricks that baristas use in day to day operations...."

I second that, so many business ventures fail for all sorts of reasons,
every failure costs a lot...

Not saying dont do it, but absolutely make sure you have done enough homework, and that should include working in a coffee shop/cafe that isnt your business so you can concentrate on learning stuff without the extra distraction of running the business.

[blanyon]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

I can definitely agree with that sentiment, it is difficult enough to learn how to make great coffee without having to worry about the multitude of things that go on behind the scenes (let alone the lack of time of to recover) ;D.

[kuppa_krazy]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

Hi guys,
surely act is big enough for more than 7 coffee vans.

[TC]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

and a comprehensive business plan...

How many coffees do you have to sell in the time that you have available to allow you to meet your expenses and provide the income that you require....

Good luck...

2mcm

[blanyon]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

surely act is big enough for more than 7 coffee vans.

Maybe you are right but it still pays to know what you are up against. The market is mature with existing players so a lot of the "good" sites will be serviced so it might be harder work to get going ie lot of smaller sites that make less money. That said I dont live there so I dont know if there are the opportunties or not just putting my 2c in.

[Rocky]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

Some very good advice there.
We have a coffee van that calls to a spot near our office a couple of times a week. It seems to do good business on those occasions and I assume that it goes to other similar locations on the other days. The morning tea window is about 9.30 to 11.00. I wonder what it does for the rest of the day. I couldnt imagine it doing much business on the side of the road - at least not in a country city. I would have thought that the point of a coffee van was the convenience factor of providing good coffee at locations that would not otherwise have that service. So - would it be more about identifying large congregations of workers not currently served by a coffee shop or van?

[blanyon]

Re: Starting own Coffee van business

The success of a van comes down to three things, the baristas demenor, the reliability of the service, and the quality of the coffee. Be the "nice guy" turn up when you say you will and turn out a good coffee every time and your business will grow (even when they are serviced by other cafes). I have been surprised by some of the people calling me up for coffee, one who is only 100m from what I consider pretty good coffee. That said it has taken a long time to get to the product I am producing now (not that I consider it great) so you need a lot of "low hanging fruit" to get you on your way.