Hello and help

[coffee cat]

Hi Adam,

I'm new to the forum and the only I've joined is to get some info to start a business. I live in London and was thinking to start a mobile coffee shop in a small van or something. I work in pub and we do sell coffee over there. Nothing special only basics, so I thought it wouldn't be so difficult to make a sellable coffee. After readiing about your adventure, now I understand there are lots of other things to think of. May be I can get in touch with Glenn too. I haven't bought the van yet, just looking. Any way good luck with it and all.

[Glenn]

Welcome coffee cat

Plenty of opportunities for coffee businesses, with not nearly enough decent cafes and mobile oeprates and cafes to service the population

Pubs are missing out on an opportunity to sell a high margin beverage.
One of our local pubs has a 3 group La Spaziale and trained staffed. Their coffee is quite drinkable, although like with any business it depends on who is serving you.

Coffee should be a focus in more cafes and restaurants.

[Addz]

Just A quick up date on how were getting on

Well what a couple of weeks 1st of all ordered some bits and bobs one being a reg barber tamper its so manly in hot pink but well worth the money oh and more practice, sourced some Tea/Ice cream oh and most importantly a coffee supplier we have seen some beautiful Kent country side sourcing these and this alone was a task. Sorted out public liability insurance what a headache its another language my Ears are still ringing, Got local council to certificate trailer, Put all the health and safety bits together cleaning/fire/etc etc. More practice Had some sign writers to Quote Us on some A Board Menus still waiting on the results some things you just need a creative person to do, Got several bookings 1ST BEING MID MAY FINGERS CROSSED.

Ive become a coffee snob over night no longer will i be served or pay for hot milk

Ive think I Have found a new hobby we have being trying different brewing methods indoors cant wait to Get my hands on one of them science experiments I think its called vacuum brewing, OH Know i just thought of a novel idea with moka pots and a V8 engine

Ive knock up a rough web site its not finished but will give you all a idea to what we Have been doing

http://cupsandcones.weebly.com

Im off down the garage now to brew up some Roasters blend no 8 on a hot engine

Adam and Rebecca

[Glenn]

Well done Adam and Rebecca.

A hot pink Reg Barber tamper will go nicely!

Which roaster have you engaged with iniatially? Looks like you've been in touch with Liz

I can see your confidence growing and really look forward to visiting you again soon.
Don't forget to give me a holler when you have a gig as I'd love to pop along and pull some shots with you!

Bear in mind that vacuum brewing will not turnover the cash as quick as espresso will so if you do offer it don't focus too much on it initially.

[Addz]

Sorry Glenn I have not replied for so long Have had a very busy couple of weeks we have been sampling liz"s coffee most days currently we trying Her Sumatra Mandheling we

went down to see her and saw her new roasting machine hopefully it will be online soon it all sounded very good, we stuck with her roasters blend for show use, but quite like her Peruvian Amazonas Altura

As for vacuum brewing thats for me but would like it set up to show people would find it interesting to watch the whole process

And Now for the update we had the van sign written by hand I think it looks quite good and now promotes what we are really trying to do it can be found on the web site


We had our first show boy was it good we served about 60 coffees we only had one complaint by one person and that was the first coffee we served whilst i was trying to dial in the grinder some people just wont wait for perfection we also had some really good feedback.
Rebecca quite enjoyed doing it all the hard part was the couple of days before here goes,

Bear in mind sunday was our first show we never done this before also did i mention we have two very young children Enzo 2 years and Rafael 6 months I took the week off of work to spend some time with the kids and Rebecca most
of the week was consumed with coffee related things never mind.

Thursday a trip to Deal to pickup ice cream then on to Ashford for some coffee beans then up to lakeside to the wholesalers.

Friday my brand new genarator broke whilst testing it a mad rush a few favours i finally manage to borrow a old arc welder that will kind of do the job of powering the van thats a close shave to close that night we spent writing out sandwich Boards and working out Prices

Saturday Test out genny it just about copes with the load
charge the freezer and pack everything in to the car and trailer, its about 5pm ive now got to start baking cakes.
1am were finished everything packed baked polished prepared. We fall into bed slightly worried what the hell have we got our selves into its to late now got to be up at 5

Sunday
kids up fed washed dressed I roped my mum into help
were Already late hook trailer up and were on our way a hour late than i hoped for we get to the site, were one of the last to arive a hour before it opens to the public in a mad rush we set up 1st problem i start the genarator but pull cord starter broke genarator starts but i cant switch it off to refuel it ok not a problem can refuel it whilst running
we now have to wait for the espresso machine to heat up which seems like a eternity its ready we pull a test shot somethings not right a few shots later changing the grinder weve got the 25sec extraction weighing the basket on the scales weve got the right amount of coffee and good shots a few onlookers are facinated by the whole process whilst pulling a shot and test drinking i get a tap on the window a latte please oh no a paying customer i cant do this 5 mins i tell her Rebbeca takes over 5 mins is like a flash shes back looking for coffee here goes i dont know what went wrong but she say it two week we pull another for her and she goes away happy double check every thing and the shots are fine turn around there now a quue well it all seams a blur from there

The only thing that upset us was the words can i have a normal coffee please

All went well and looking forward to our next outing

Adam and Rebecca

[Glenn]

Well done!!

I am so proud of you both. It only seems like last week I was walking you both through the basics and now you've realised your dream!

Congratulations. Liz was so pleased as well, and had tipped me off that your show was coming up.

Great to see the ingenuity helped in overcoming the challenges, but this will give you a great foundation for the next show (in preparation etc)
60 coffees is a good number and I am sure this will give you the confidence to grow too.

Keep up the great work!