I bought a mobile Coffee unit...

goldwolf · 12-08-2010 9:05am #1

Hi all

I have just bought a mobile coffee unit, an Italian Piaggio Ape ! I've done a deal with 'Lavazza' coffee as my suppliers etc. I have previously run bars/restaurants successfully and know a thing or two about coffees.

Has anyone here any advice, ideas, or thoughts for me? I'd be very grateful to hear them...

You can see my mobile Coffee unit on Facebook,
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Dublin/Mr-Beans-mobile-coffee/149772771706461?ref=ts&__a=7&ajaxpipe=1

I have named the business " Mr. Bean " and registered the name !!

I'm based around Wicklow but am hoping to attend farmers markets, and find a train station with commuters but no cafe etc etc...

Woodgate · 12-08-2010 9:21am

Good luck with the venture.

goldwolf · 12-08-2010 9:22am

Thank You !

ghosttown · 12-08-2010 9:26am

Fortune favours the brave ! Will join your FB page, and make sure to drop by if in the area...best of luck.

chiefhappy · 12-08-2010 9:32am

Best of luck with the venture.

My tips would be if you start a presence at a place i.e as you say markets, train stations etc... come up with a pattern of places you visit and stick to it... i.e. if I see you there when I get off the train one morning, I want to see you there the next morning... before you know it I'm in the habit of getting my coffee every morning - try not to be random as customers who've bought off you once will be disappointed if your not there the next time.

Also go for as many upsell opportunities as you can ... simple things like breakfast bars, apples , bananas etc... are packed full of margin and every 50c on top of the price a coffee will make a big difference

Also coming into the winter I'd imagine if you can squeeze a toastie sambo maker into the back it would be a big hit... you can charge a little bit extra for toasted

goldwolf · 12-08-2010 9:40am

Thanks Ghost town for joining the Facebook page!!

Chiefhappy, yes, consistency is the key to any good business, and you are right, fully! Thing is at the start, ie, now, I need to try a few places to get a feel for which one is financially most viable, which in turn may mean not being at the same place 2 days in a row as I try to figure out the better venue etc... Once that is done, then yes, being ever present is needed !

Great advice, very grateful.

Owen · 12-08-2010 9:40am

There was a similar one in Cork which used to go to the smaller industrial estates. It came to a unit I used to do work for, and every day, the same people would pop out for their coffees/danishes/muffins.

BTW, brilliant name for it, inspired! Good luck with it!

goldwolf · 12-08-2010 9:41am

Thanks Paint Doctor! Nervous, but keen at the same time...

All I need now is to find a business park that I can go to every day.

nedoo · 12-08-2010 10:48am

Sick a funny horn in it, kind of like an icecream van, thay tells all, the best coffee has arrived into the area, come and get it.
Good luck.

macl · 12-08-2010 11:04am

Have a look at covering GAA games aswell - high density of people for a short period of time. If you live near your local stadium or pitch, try and get yourself into it.

+1 for the extra bits (bars etc). That's where you'll make your money (although I know it costs about 5c max to produce a cuppa and the margin on that is very nice)

/me thinks about going into the coffee business again

Tabnabs · 12-08-2010 11:11am

Don't know where you're based, but there are a number of similar units selling their wares on or near the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire. I remember reading somewhere that it's the most popular walk in the country. Might be worth investigating?

danton · 12-08-2010 2:02pm

PaintDoctor wrote: »

There was a similar one in Cork which used to go to the smaller industrial estates. It came to a unit I used to do work for, and every day, the same people would pop out for their coffees/danishes/muffins.

BTW, brilliant name for it, inspired! Good luck with it!

Yes, that's Mr Cotton

goldwolf · 12-08-2010 2:50pm

Thanks for all the feedback, and for those who are joining the Facebook page too, all ideas are welcome, keep them coming!!!

Looked up Mr.Cotton too, yes, same game plan basically except all my products are genuinely home made as opposed to bought in, but same theory.

Have farmers markets sorted, on the look out for a business park near Wicklow or South Dublin that I can get a fixed pitch in to...

Thanks guys!

MidlandsM · 12-08-2010 7:26pm

Good suggestions so far -

another idea is to get in touch with Gorilla Marketing co's who do, well, Gorilla Marketing for their clients. They may do marketing blitz's in areas like pedestrianised street and offer free coffee's which is where you come in!
Also, make yourself known to new start up co's who may do their own kind of on the street marketing.

also, could you squeez in a ice cream machine in that yoke? A great way to upsell when the sun is shining.

Good luck fella.

newfrontier · 12-08-2010 8:37pm

Best of Luck with the new venture..if you want suggestions for venues/locations what travel range would you consider?

patwicklow · 12-08-2010 8:48pm

great idea and best of luck with it il deffo stop and grab a coffee if i see you around Wicklow.

Eoin · 12-08-2010 8:59pm

Best of luck with the venture. Remember to register mrbean.ie as well

rubberdiddies · 12-08-2010 9:10pm

best of luck with it. great to see such entrepeneurship!

Regular walker on Howth pier and have been dissapointed to see the old regular coffee cart no longer there. Maybe its a council decision but might be worth investigating.

goldwolf · 13-08-2010 9:16am

Thanks for all the positive words!! Good to hear!

With regard to locations, I am based out of Wicklow, so anywhere South Side Dublin I would consider parking up... Business parks, train stations, etc.

Have applied for a regular patch at a farmers market in Gorey every Saturday, not sure about the footfall though.

Howth is a bit far well, a lot too far from here for me really which is a shame as it would have a great footfall.

Registered the mrbean.ie already, but will wait for a bit more money to put a webpage up as spent all savings on the mobile unit and stock, and need to still do some electrical work on it to make it 110% !

If any of you work in a business park south side dublin and need good Italian lavazza coffees, home made scones, breads, pesto's and more tell me where and I'll pop up there!!

Join my facebook page if you are interested, the more 'fans' the better!!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Dublin/Mr-Beans-mobile-coffee/149772771706461?ref=ts&__a=7&ajaxpipe=1

Thanks guys, really appreciate all the feedback,
Ian

Mr Biz · 13-08-2010 12:42pm

Excellent name! Very appropriate.. Has the potential of becoming a franchise.. Worth popping along to the Franchise show/RDS next month for ideas..
http://www.franchise-pitstop.ie/News/The-Irish-Franchise-Show-RDS-Dublin-Ireland.html

Before shopping centre footfall dropped, we were looking into branding a funky "healthy option" food & drink kiosk with "Bubble" in the name.. We were thinking up such terms for food such as "Bubble Wraps" for example.. Might be worth thinking about doing something similar with the products you’ll be selling..

Have you a tag line?
Thinking out load as usual..hows about - "Beans On Roast"

Best of luck with it!

bladespin · 13-08-2010 12:45pm

Good idea and a brilliant name :cool: Best of luck with it, if I see you I'll be looking for a latte

goldwolf · 13-08-2010 3:42pm

No tag lines as yet, no, but who knows...
Beans on wheels

?

ike · 13-08-2010 4:13pm

Best of luck great idea - just became a FB fan.!

aspasp1 · 13-08-2010 8:21pm

goldwolf wrote: »

No tag lines as yet, no, but who knows...
Beans on wheels ?

Sounds good "beans on wheels", best of luck and would love to see more of them wheels rolling in ireland.

WalterMitty · 13-08-2010 8:27pm

Just a general question . What is the law on selling food etc from a mobile unit on public streets? Do ya have to go to council and pay them and comply with a raft of health and safety and hygiene laws? A mate was thinking of selling ice cream in sea side town in Dublin but reckoned the local shops would report him to council/other agency.

Dilynnio · 13-08-2010 8:27pm

Killiney Hill...........I do be gagging for a cuppa after a walk......especially coming into the winter......or even a hot chocolate! Yum!

Great work...........wish you all the best and I am sure we will be seeing you around!

eamon234 · 13-08-2010 8:38pm

Hate to burst your bubble on the name but Mr Bean is already well trademarked. Other than that best of luck, however I don't think you should tie yourself to one coffee supplier Lavazza is usually overpriced and you're only going to eat into your margin. Did your deal include equipment?

WIZE · 13-08-2010 8:49pm

Get some syrups too

Caramel , Amerretto , toffee , Chocolate , and a few more

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Caramel Latte

You can get them in Starbucks

goldwolf · 14-08-2010 8:16am

The name Mr.Bean is well trademarked, hence my name is:

Mr. Bean's Aromatic coffees! AKA: Mr.Bean

Bubble not burst yet...

Syrups, I'm not really sure, don't want to go down the starbucks road to be honest... I'll stick with the more high end, traditional coffees, latte, cappuccino, espresso, organic Teas and organic de-caf.

As for licences, you need to have a licence for any and all Hot Food yes, and in our case, we have a HSE certified kitchen, where we bake our breads, and make our pesto sauces etc, but the mobile unit does not need the food licence as it serves only to sell on a shelf with cold food wrapped, not being prepared there... If we were preparing food there we would need it licenced.
( See it as a shop shelf! )

The trading licence in €275per annum depending on the council, that is wicklow, then dublin about the same along with fat cat " Fees " of about 150 on top of that to each council for their time photocopying!! Also important to know if you apply for a licence to trade, you must pay in advance and if Declined, you Do NOT get a refund, even if they decide you cannot get your licence??? Odd but true.

Lavazza are fairly expensive to buy in yes, but the quality is high, and I have done a good deal with them, and I think it is key to a mobile unit that your quality is of a high standard, or why would people return to you? Hence I prefer to pay a bit more for good coffee beans and serve only authentic Italian Roast, than go cheap and risk losing repeat business...

Fries-With-That · 14-08-2010 9:16am

Best of luck with your new venture, its great to see people still trying.
Its a good idea to go with a high quality brand of coffee.

I second the idea of chocolate bars/snacks but I would suggest(and I have been in the food business) that you don't use the extras as a cash cow.

There are many stalls/consession stands that use their snacks to increase their average spend per customer. You might be happy in the short term but return business is king, if a coffee drinking chocolate dunking caffine addicted customer feels that you're a tad too expensive you'll suffer in the long term.

Novel idea*** Why not offer your customers free mini snacks,it might add 10 cent to your overheads per sale but look at the brand loyalty you'd build up.

Will you post a picture of your unit for those of us that are not facebook members (yeah we do exist)

aidan.connolly · 14-08-2010 10:42am

Good luck with your new business

Aidan

I bought a mobile Coffee unit...

Was it a clever idea to buy " Mr. Bean " ? 74 votes

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