Coffee from wheels: how much does a mobile coffee shop bring in in Moscow

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Entrepreneurial passions have not subsided around mobile coffee shops for five years now. Some say that this is a profitable business, and the investment will quickly pay off if the entrepreneur is ready to actively defend his right to trade. Others are wary of this and do not advise investing in a business that is not regulated and, as such, is absent from the Russian legal framework. We will look at several schemes for selling coffee from a car, what documents are needed for such a business, and how quickly the investment will pay off.

• Is a coffee shop on wheels relevant as a business?
• Business Strengths
• About the benefits
• Choosing a coffee business format on wheels
• Most profitable location
• The target audience
• What permits are needed for a mobile coffee shop in Russia?
• Necessary equipment and raw materials
• In what cases is it profitable to buy a ready-made coffee mobile?
• Refurbishment
• Coffee equipment
• Franchise equipment
• Do you need advertising to sell coffee from a car?
• What kind of personnel is needed?
• Financial calculations of costs and profits
• Difficulties and risks of business
• Mobile coffee shop: reviews from owners about the business

Content

• Concept of a coffee shop on wheels
• Is there a place for a coffee shop on wheels in business?
• Choosing the location of the coffee shop, taking into account all factors
• Business plan idea, project goal
• Competition assessment, portrait of a potential buyer
• Ways to open a mobile coffee shop
• Preparation of necessary documents
• Buying a car
• Purchasing the necessary equipment
• Staff
• Costs, product cost, markup
• Break-even point, calculation of profitability and payback
• Business objectives
• Marketing strategy
• Risks and ways to avoid them
• conclusions

Note: This business plan, like all others in the Business Plans section, contains calculations of average prices, which may differ in your case. Therefore, we recommend that you make calculations for your business individually.

Do you need advertising to sell coffee from a car?

The prospects of the idea depend on brand recognition and the memorability of the coffee shop’s individual style. It’s not enough to brew delicious coffee - you need to ensure that customers who bought a glass of aromatic drink today will come to you tomorrow.

How to attract the buyer's attention? These problems are solved by a huge army of marketers and business consultants who actively study consumer behavior and monitor patterns in the formation of consumer taste. Their works can be found in the public domain on the Internet, and an entrepreneur who has decided to start his own business and win a worthy place in the market is obliged to familiarize himself with at least the basic theoretical calculations for promoting a product on the market.

For an initial understanding, A. Kolyada’s textbook “Marketing That Works” . This is a fresh guide that uses examples to describe how marketing strategies are built for small and medium-sized businesses in Russia.

If you don’t have time to learn the basics of marketing on your own, you can hire specialists from an advertising agency who, for a few thousand dollars, will develop a corporate identity and logos for the company, as well as formulate a convincing, attractive and life-affirming concept for the coffee business.

You can also use the opportunity to collect public opinions and feedback via the Internet. For example, a few months before the start of the project (and definitely before purchasing and re-equipping a car), launch a page on social networks inviting users to share wishes and opinions about what they would like to see mobile coffee shops on the streets of their cities. Based on public opinion, you can plan and formulate basic ideas for your business.

Many experts recommend this idea of ​​developing your own concept as a basic one.

The most successful marketing ideas for mobile coffee shops are:

• use of historical themes (coffee is a drink with history);
• coffee as a drink for vigor and activity;
• a glass of hot coffee - an opportunity to relax comfortably;
• a cup of coffee is an essential attribute of a romantic setting.

We must not forget about the quality of the product, the convenience of the container and positive emotions for customers, without which any concept may not work.

There are two directions for development for a mobile coffee shop:

• expansion of the fleet of mobile coffee shops;
• construction of a stationary cafe.

Entrepreneurs usually choose the first option. Convenience, simplicity and agility of business are captivating. The entrepreneur has no desire to continue to be associated with a cumbersome stationary enterprise. You can launch the next machine immediately after the previous one has paid off. The higher the turnover, the higher the profit. But we should not forget about the impossibility of completely legalizing mobile coffee shops and the constant risk of falling under administrative sanctions. Any trade must be carried out within the law and only in those places that are agreed upon with the owners of the land.

Concept of a coffee shop on wheels

The concept of a coffee shop on wheels came to Russia from European countries. There, such a phenomenon is considered quite normal. In our country this type of business is not so developed today. However, it is worth noting that many entrepreneurs are already showing interest in this type of business.

So, a coffee shop on wheels, or a mobile coffee shop as it is also called, attracts budding businessmen due to its lower costs compared to regular cafes. Let's consider the possibilities of such a business, its profitability, payback, and evaluate the market.

Legal basis

The first thing any entrepreneur who wants to start a food truck business needs to know is additional checks.

Since such activities are considered by law as mobile trade, that is, not stationary, it is subject to additional verification procedures. And anyone who wants to delve deeper into this issue is first advised to contact a professional lawyer who will tell you what exactly awaits the entrepreneur. Because difficulties may arise with the need to register non-stationary retail facilities in the layout scheme, take part in tenders and conclude land lease agreements.

But mobility is also the main advantage of your coffee business. In other cases, entrepreneurs turn to the field of coffee vending machines. According to one of the entrepreneurs, at the beginning of his business he was counting on cooperation with shopping centers and malls in terms of reaching their audience. However, as practice has shown, entertainment places such as shopping centers place more emphasis on stationary kiosks and machines; they are of little interest in food trucks.

Therefore, outdoor events became the basis. After all, they can be not only city-wide, but also private; the main thing is to find clients and make it clear that a coffee machine that will follow them to the right place is an ideal option for coffee breaks in nature. Corporate events, business trainings, organizational off-site events - all this can generate income if the benefits for the organizers are correctly presented.

By the way, speaking about the coffee business on wheels and its popularity, we can mention that there are even special food truck festivals. Although not yet in the provinces of the Russian Federation, the demand for this kind of activity indicates the imminent appearance of similar events in our country.

But let's go back to the legislative component of the matter. One of the experts in the field of taxation shares information that every entrepreneur who is ready to join the club of this business niche should know. According to him, there is no special law that would precisely regulate activities related to the operation of a food truck, although the business is by no means two years old. One way or another, businessmen have to work at events and private territories, without taking much risk, but also without clear boundaries in legislative terms.

Is there a place for a coffee shop on wheels in business?

It is worth noting right away that coffee is a product of everyday demand. All people drink this drink with more or less frequency. Therefore, we can say that coffee will always be in demand, except that the demand for it may vary somewhat depending on some factors that will be discussed later.

Why do people drink coffee? It’s very simple, because it’s a kind of boost of energy for the whole day, which attracts the buyer with its aroma, freshness and, of course, the ability to warm you up in cool weather. You need to understand that nowadays the pace of life is only increasing; a person does not always have enough time to relax with a cup of coffee in some cozy cafe. Often people want to drink coffee on the way to work, but there is absolutely no time to go somewhere. At such moments, a mobile coffee shop can come to the rescue. There are two main advantages of such a business over stationary cafes:

• Lower cost.
• Service availability.

The first advantage is due to the fact that the cost of maintaining a coffee shop on wheels is significantly lower. As a result, the cost of production is reduced. By “availability” we mean the possibility of a “quick” purchase, because you can make it in just a couple of minutes and go on about your business with hot coffee in your hands.

Of course, you need to understand that freeze-dried coffee is absolutely not suitable here, only real coffee, freshly brewed from ground beans. Such an aroma simply cannot fail to attract potential buyers who may not have wanted to buy coffee, but could not resist the smell while passing by.

The quality of coffee from coffee shops is no worse than in a cafe, unless, of course, the entrepreneur bought a high-quality machine.

The viability of a business will also depend on its location.

Necessary equipment and raw materials

Equipment of a coffee machine is one of the most difficult tasks for a new entrepreneur . At first, it is necessary to make decisions on the following issues:

• buy an already equipped car or independently re-equip an existing vehicle;
• equip a retail outlet in the car itself or make a coffee shop out of a trailer;
• connect the mobile coffee shop to water and electricity;
• choose coffee equipment for your car;
• create a style (car design, cups, uniforms for baristas, etc.).

Answers to questions should be obtained at the initial stage, since inconsistency in preparation for the launch of the project will lead to large costs, which is undesirable at the start of a business.

In what cases is it profitable to buy a ready-made coffee mobile?

The cost of a finished coffee car is from 10 to 15 thousand dollars . This is a small van containing equipment for roasting coffee beans, a coffee grinder and a coffee maker. Russian manufacturers do not produce ready-made coffee machines, so when purchasing equipment on the market, an entrepreneur always buys someone else’s modification, the quality of which cannot be determined at the acquisition stage.

Car coffee shops that were previously used in European cities sometimes appear on the European market.
Their cost does not exceed 10 thousand dollars , but no one can guarantee the quality of these installations and machines.
Basically, entrepreneurs buy ready-made mobile coffee shops only in cases where they come across offers at a favorable price (taking into account the possibility of investing in major repairs of the car and the coffee machine itself). Good offers can be found on www.avito.ru and in regional media.

Refurbishment

The most reliable and profitable option, in which the mobile coffee shop turns out to be bright, well-equipped and easy to use, is to convert an existing car to order. There are coffee machine companies in every region. The list includes:

• installation of gas equipment on a car;
• professional coffee machine running on gas;
• installation of a water cooler;
• interior trim with food grade stainless steel and installation of furniture (drawers) made of food grade stainless steel;
• installation of a refrigerator and a powerful battery;
• decorative work and installation of commercial equipment (showcases, lighting, etc.).

The entrepreneur hands over an ordinary car to the master, and receives a ready-made installation for preparing coffee and other hot drinks for sale. The cost of such alterations, depending on the region, ranges from 500 thousand to 1 million rubles . If car repairs are also necessary, then the cost of a car for coffee on wheels can reach up to 2 million rubles .

Professionals recommend using for conversion:

• Citroen Berlingo;
• Peugeot Partner;
• Fiat Doblo;
• Ford Transit Connect;
• Nissan Cube;
• Volkswagen Caddy;
• Renault Kangu.

These cars have an attractive external design, and their technical characteristics allow the installation of any type of equipment - from standard to expensive.
You can re-equip a coffee car yourself if you have worked for several months in a workshop that professionally deals with such modifications. It will take a beginner a lot of time to independently study practical nuances and search for equipment suppliers, and it is not a guarantee that the event will end successfully.

If you don’t have the money to launch your own project, but want to try working on a coffee truck, then you can rent it for a few months. Almost every workshop that equips vehicles for mobile coffee sales offers coffee vehicles for temporary use. The rental cost is about 30 thousand rubles per month .

Coffee equipment

Selling coffee from a car as a business depends on the choice of coffee equipment. The most popular coffee systems on the Russian market are the Spanish EuroBAR and the Italian Astoria Tanya .

Astoria Tanya

EuroBAR

The standard coffee making kit includes:

• professional semi-automatic two-group coffee machine (gas, manual water pumping);
• professional hopper-type coffee grinder with millstones;
• dispensers for disposable cups.

Better quality coffee can be obtained in a coffee shop that uses roasters - machines for roasting coffee beans. The average cost of one roaster is about 300 thousand rubles .

Expensive equipment needs to be installed by entrepreneurs who plan to work only at custom events, where guests must be treated to a high-quality drink. For coffee shops that are designed only for the street, buying a roaster is not the most profitable idea, since the energy consumption of the coffee preparation process increases, and a street vendor cannot significantly raise the price of a glass of coffee, since such trade will not bring the required amount of profit.

Franchise equipment

If you do not risk opening a business on your own from scratch and are planning to start operating a mobile coffee shop as a franchise, then you do not need to select equipment and develop a concept for a future coffee shop - the franchisor will do all this for you.

The franchisor will offer you:

• equipped and decorated car;
• contracts with suppliers of coffee and additional ingredients;
• contracts for the supply of containers;
• menu for a coffee shop;
• training courses for baristas;
• a ready-made business management scheme.

The average cost of development is 1.5 million rubles. On the Russian market you can also find cheaper offers for the sale of franchises (there are even sales), but when agreeing to such a purchase, the franchisee must carefully study the offer. Under cheap franchises, the franchisee is not provided with a car with equipment, and the franchisor is ready to help with the business only when the entrepreneur has everything to start the project. In these franchises, the main role of the franchisor is advisory support. Such a franchise is unprofitable for a beginning entrepreneur, since purchasing a high-quality car and equipment at the initial stage is the main problem for a beginner.

WATCH THE VIDEO: How a mobile coffee shop works: “Confectioners Street” coffee shop franchise

In addition to the mandatory fee for purchasing a franchise, the entrepreneur must pay the franchisor a monthly payment in the amount of several percent of the monthly turnover (royalty). Franchisors interested in developing the business of franchisees offer the latter a deferment in the payment of royalties for a period of 1 to 2 years until the business pays off.

When selling a franchise for a mobile coffee shop, the franchisor does not provide the franchisee with business permits, but invites the entrepreneur to work “for luck” without legal guarantees.

Choosing the location of the coffee shop, taking into account all factors

It is worth considering several very important factors that influence the profitability and profitability of a mobile coffee shop:

• Daily traffic.
• Presence of direct competitors nearby.
• Interest of potential buyers in the product.

Based on these factors, we can conclude that it is best to use busy areas for sales, where the flow of people is significant. These could be various intersections, parks, crowded streets, stops, metro exits, as well as areas near offices or institutes.

If you detect a low level of sales, you can change the location due to the mobility of such a business project. However, this should not be done too often. It is important that the consumer remembers the points of sale.

Opening a mobile coffee shop as a business

Coffee is a good product for outdoor trade, and the mobile coffee shop format is suitable for many cities. After all, unlike food (buns, hamburgers, pasties), it is easy to prepare, it is in great demand, it is stored for a long time and is always served to the client immediately after preparation. According to statistics, people are 2 times more likely to buy espresso from a drive-thru coffee shop than to buy fast food from a mobile kiosk.

Every day, a third of Russians drink up to 3 cups of an invigorating drink, and the number of such people increases every year. All this suggests that a mobile coffee shop can become a profitable business.

Business plan idea, project goal

The essence of the idea is to create a profitable mobile coffee shop in the city. The success of the business is based on the low level of competition, as well as the absence of other coffee shops on wheels.

The initial task of a private entrepreneur is to develop a business that includes only 1 coffee shop. With successful development, it is possible to open an entire network.

Initial data:

1. Type of activity: Selling coffee using a mobile coffee shop.
2. Type of ownership: .
3. Form of taxation: USN (Income or Income - Expenses).
4. Method of maintaining tax accounting: independently.
5. Number of mobile coffee shops: 1 piece.
6. Assortment: various types of coffee.

The purpose of this business plan is:

• Estimation of expenses and income.
• Cost calculation.
• Consideration of possible risks and options for their prevention.
• Calculation of profitability and payback periods.

3.Description of goods

The main product sold by the mobile coffee shop is natural bean coffee, which is prepared using a coffee machine installed in the car. The list of products sold by the mobile coffee shop, as well as the retail price, is given in Table. 1. In this business plan, the proposed assortment is based on the most popular coffee drinks, as well as other hot drinks (tea, hot chocolate) and additives (syrup, cream). Drinks are sold in disposable cups of various sizes (50 ml, 100 ml, 150 ml, 200 ml, 300 ml). For customer convenience and to prevent drinks from spilling, coffee cups have special lids.

Table 1. List of goods

The above list does not include some products that will be sold additionally in the mobile coffee shop (bakery and confectionery products, sweets). The most suitable assortment is planned to be determined during the activity. In addition, the coffee shop's menu will vary slightly depending on the season. So in the summer, customers will be additionally offered iced tea and other soft drinks. In the autumn-winter period, the main focus will be on hot drinks. Selling coffee using a mobile coffee shop will require permits. First, you need to register your business as an individual entrepreneur and register with the tax service. Secondly, you will need to obtain a conclusion from Rospotrebnadzor for equipment, a certificate for coffee and other products, as well as a permit for retail trade. You will also need documents for the premises in which the mobile coffee shop will be stored, documents required by the law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”, and a certificate for the seller. The problem is that the regulation of such a business is not clearly stated in Russian legislation, which means that unforeseen difficulties may arise, for example, parking in a certain place may require additional permits.

Competition assessment, portrait of a potential buyer

It is worth noting that the market is not oversaturated. The mobile coffee shop has relatively few direct competitors. Especially when you consider that the choice of location depends on the entrepreneur himself. Interestingly, only 24% of total coffee consumption in Russia comes from ground coffee beans.

Thus, we can say that less than a quarter of the population enjoys the taste and aroma of coffee beans. The offer of such coffee among the population will clearly be in demand.

Portrait of a potential buyer : students, office workers, visitors to nearby stores, centers, city guests.

What is this business?

For the first time, this format of street trading points, such as mobile coffee shops, appeared in Europe, from where it eventually came to our country. Despite the fact that this type of business in Russia is very poorly developed, consumers appreciated the convenience and practicality of such points of sale, so a coffee shop on wheels, the business plan for which will be given below, is attracting the attention of an increasing number of entrepreneurs. The advantage of this type of business is the ease of starting and minimal investment when compared to city coffee shops.

Preparation of necessary documents

It is worth understanding that any business requires the availability of the necessary documents to run your own business. There is a list for our coffee shop:

1. A document confirming the registration of a businessman as an individual entrepreneur. To obtain it, you must contact the tax service. You need to submit an application, provide a copy of your passport, a list of selected OKVED (here it will be retail trade, or retail trade outside of stores), an indication of the taxation system (in our case it is better to use the simplified tax system).
2. Permission to place a retail facility. It all depends on the installation location: If the retail outlet is located on the sidewalk, then the application is submitted to the district administration.
3. If the retail outlet will be located on the territory of a road, then an application is written to the Highway Service, indicating the location, duration, functions and characteristics of the location. In this case, you must attach a copy of the individual entrepreneur registration certificate to the application.

Remember that a converted car requires re-registration with the MREO. The supporting document can be presented in several forms:

• Certificate of approval of the design of the vehicle.
• Technical examination report.
• Certificate of conformity.

What permits are needed for a mobile coffee shop in Russia?

So what permits are needed in Russia? Main documents:

• state registration of business activities (IP or LLC);
• documents for the car (registration certificate or rental agreement);
• quality certificates for all products that are used to make coffee and sold to customers;
• medical book for barista.

No other documents are needed to operate a custom coffee shop.
Entrepreneurs who intend to sell from wheels on the streets sometimes try to obtain permission from the local branch of Rospotrebnadzor by filing a retail notification in order to make the business more official. Typically, these attempts to legalize activities through notification registration do not have positive results. This is due to the fact that only filing a notification about the start of business activities does not carry legal consequences for the entrepreneur. The business is deemed to have the right to open when the notice is recorded in the register. Its holder is Rospotrebnadzor, and if the notification does not comply with Russian legislation, then it is not allowed for registration.

Therefore, the notification registration mechanism will not protect the rights of coffee car owners to conduct business activities.

Another important point is the choice of taxation system. For the coffee business, the best option is UTII. With this system, there is no need to purchase a cash register for a retail outlet or maintain cumbersome tax and accounting records.

Buying a car

Most often, cars of the following brands are purchased for car coffee shops: Renault Kangoo, Peugeut Partner, Citroen Berlingo, FIAT Doblo. Let's calculate the average cost per car:

Here we only considered the purchase of a new car, but you can buy a used one, thereby reducing costs. Prices for used cars of the above listed brands have too wide a range, so choose a car that suits your wallet.

But when calculating costs, we will take into account the average price of 800,000 rubles.

What documents will be needed?

In order for your coffee shop on wheels, an example of a business plan for which will be presented later in this article, to flourish, you will need to prepare the following package of documents:

1. Document on registration as an individual entrepreneur.
2. Permission from local government authorities to locate a retail outlet.
3. List of products that will be sold. Submitted to the regional sanitary and epidemiological station.
4. Employee employment agreement.
5. Certificate of conformity for the coffee machine.
6. Sanitary book for the seller.
7. Conclusion on product safety from the sanitary and epidemiological station.

In order to sell coffee on wheels, you will need to re-equip the transport space. Therefore, in addition to the above documents, you will also need a certificate of approval of the design features of the car, an auto inspection certificate, and a certificate of conformity.

Purchasing the necessary equipment

First of all, you need to think about buying a professional coffee machine. There is no need to save on it, because it will directly influence the number of visitors. A good coffee machine costs an average of 70,000 rubles.

In addition, you need batteries that will power the coffee machine. For uninterrupted operation for 12 hours, you will need 2 batteries, the average cost of each is 2,000 rubles.

Volume of capital investments

The refurbishment includes the purchase of a cash register, finishing of the employee's workplace, refrigeration equipment, etc.

When calculating monthly supplies, we took into account that an average of 100 cups of coffee will be sold per day, each of which will require an average of 7 grams. The average cost of a kilogram of coffee was taken to be 600 rubles.

We did not take into account car insurance and transport tax, because the amounts are different in all cities.

To open a mobile coffee shop, we will need capital investments in the amount of 1 million rubles.

Is it worth taking a franchise and what are there on the market?

If you use a franchise, this will allow you to start operating under a well-known brand. An entrepreneur can also count on support and assistance in development. However, the lump sum fee can be significant.

In 2020, the following franchises of mobile coffee shops operate in the Russian Federation:

1. "Confectioners' Street" There are no lump sum fees or royalties. Working under a franchise allows you to reduce the payback period to 6 months. To launch, an investment of 1,490,000 rubles will be required. To work you need an area of ​​up to 10 square meters. m.
2. "Coffee Velvet" The lump sum fee is $3,600. There are no advertising fees or royalties. To start a business, an investment of $100 or more is required. Payback begins after 4 months. An area of ​​up to 2 square meters is required for work. m.
3. "Go Cafe" The lump sum contribution is 140,000 rubles, and the royalty is 2,200 rubles. per month. There is no advertising fee. An entrepreneur must invest an amount of 50,000 rubles. Profit - from 80,000 rubles. per month. To work you need an area of ​​up to 2 square meters. m.

Costs, product cost, markup

We calculate the cost of one unit of production:

Thus, the cost is 11.34 rubles. The average cost of a cup of coffee in a cafe is 60-70 rubles. We set the price at 50 rubles. Thus, the markup will be slightly more than 340%. We also included fixed monthly expenses in the cost:

We do not include advertising in the price, because it is impractical to place various booklets and posters. The business is aimed at the flow of people, especially since the car has already been advertised.

How much can you earn from a mobile coffee shop?

The income of a mobile coffee shop directly depends on the installation location. So, with an average selling price of 30 rubles/portion and the number of customers 200 people per day, we get 6,000 rubles. revenue for one working day.

The cost of one serving is approximately 12 rubles, that is, the profit from one sold serving is 18 rubles (with a retail price of 30 rubles). Even when selling 100 servings a day, a mobile coffee shop is fully justified. Taking into account the costs of wages to sellers, taxes and rent, the monthly profit is from 50 thousand rubles from one mobile point.

Break-even point, calculation of profitability and payback

According to the data obtained, we find the break-even point. It is set at 49 daily sales. You can estimate the level of planned profit using a profit chart.

Planned daily sales are 100 cups of coffee. They will bring a monthly net profit of 59,980 rubles minus expenses. The annual profit will thus be 719,760 rubles.

We calculate the payback period: 1,000,000/719,760=1.4. Consequently, such a business will be able to pay off in just 1 year and 5 months. The profitability is 66.7%.

Business Description

To implement a food truck project, an entrepreneur will need to purchase a suitable vehicle and start modifying it, or turn to those who do this professionally. Moreover, it will not be necessary to buy a new car. A used car is also suitable for sale. However, a lot of money is spent on modifications and equipment.

On the other hand, this type of entrepreneurship has a noticeable advantage for those who are just starting out and do not yet want to part with other things. There are many examples where a food truck was created out of sheer enthusiasm as a hobby. Of course, it is quite a troublesome hobby. But in the future it gives the opportunity to make good money.

The entire business , including the purchase of a car, its repair, equipment and other expenses, requires about 2,000,000 rubles of investment and several months, taking into account that the work on the business will not be the main one, but only an addition to the main work. Initial investment is not required immediately, but in stages. However, since we are talking about a business project, you can apply for a loan from a bank. Moreover, today there are quite a lot of interesting offers.

Expenses in organizing a food truck business will go primarily to the vehicle and its components. However, in addition to this, there are other articles that a novice entrepreneur should never forget about.

So:

— The average capital to start a coffee van business is 2 million rubles.

— Since the cost of a cup of coffee is approximately 20 percent of the price, the business is considered attractive and profitable.

— The payback period for a business is on average 1.5–2 years, provided that you buy a car.

— The average bill is 300 rubles. Therefore, you need to sell as much as possible, and for this you need your van to be in popular places with the public - parks, walkable streets, celebrations, holidays.

— Business is not very busy yet, so the field is not competitive . But according to statistics, more and more entrepreneurs are paying attention to this way of earning money.

Business objectives

Based on all the calculations made, you can set yourself the following tasks:

• Setting up work.
• Search for regular suppliers of quality raw materials.
• Recruitment.
• Achieving a volume of 49 cups per day to break even, and a target of 100 cups daily to achieve the target.
• Reach the payback point in 1 year and 5 months.
• Get the necessary experience and think about further business development.
• Conduct market analysis and study consumer preferences.
• Find profitable partners.

Key challenges for the future

Once you open one mobile coffee shop, you shouldn’t stop there. You should set goals for the future that will allow you to develop and scale your business. With the right approach to business management, you can even create an entire coffee chain.

The main objectives are:

1. Setting up work.
2. Search for good suppliers offering low prices for raw materials and high-quality logistics.
3. Hiring staff.
4. Increase in sales.
5. Reaching break-even level.
6. Marketing market research to study potential competitors and consumer preferences.
7. Gaining work experience.
8. Searching for potential investors in order to attract funds for further development.

You can add to this list with your own tasks and goals that you want to achieve.

Marketing strategy

It is worth using a strategy of high quality of the products offered, which is ensured by the purchase of a professional coffee machine, as well as high-quality raw materials.

Strategic proposals:

• The opportunity for consumers to drink coffee of excellent quality.
• Availability of high-quality service, its reasonable price.

Competitive advantages:

• Great location.
• Selling only high-quality freshly brewed coffee.
• High quality of services.

How to open a mobile coffee shop in a small town?

When starting a mobile coffee shop in a small town, there are a number of important things to consider. In a provincial city, you have fewer clients and fewer options when choosing where to sell. And the purchasing power of residents here is lower than in big cities. On the other hand, your van will quickly attract the attention of the population and will not require much investment in advertising. Opening costs will also be significantly lower than in a big city, because you will have to work with smaller volumes. Ultimately, a mobile coffee shop in a small town can become no less profitable than in a metropolis. The project has a chance of success if you manage to find a good location for trading and become the only player on the market.

Risks and ways to avoid them

Thus, any risks can be minimized, protecting yourself and your business.

Ways to start a business

So, how to open a coffee shop on wheels, for which you can draw up a business plan yourself?

There are two main ways to start a business selling coffee through mobile sales points:

1. Starting from scratch on your own.
2. Buying a franchise.

A franchise eliminates any headaches because with it you get a fully working business system and also receive training on running a coffee shop on wheels. But we will look at launching a startup from scratch.

conclusions

A mobile coffee shop is today a cost-effective project that pays off fairly quickly. In addition, it already has a high level of liquidity.

The most important thing is to minimize risks, choose a convenient location and avoid direct competition at the point of sale. It is very important to achieve the required level of sales to ensure the profitability of the business and its further development.

In this case, much attention is paid to price and quality to ensure the required level of sales and maintain customer loyalty. After developing one mobile coffee shop, you can move on to opening an entire network.

Important: Remember that you can independently draw up a business plan specifically for your business. To do this, read the articles:

• How to draw up a business plan yourself - detailed instructions;
• Business plan structure and main sections.

Final request: We are all human and can make mistakes, leave something out, etc. Do not judge harshly if this business plan or others in the Business Plans section seem incomplete to you. If you have experience in this or that activity or you see a flaw and can add to the article, please let me know in the comments! This is the only way we can jointly make business plans more complete, detailed and up-to-date. Thank you for your attention!

Advantages of this business

• There is no need to rent or buy a premises, decorate it in the appropriate theme and hire additional staff (waiter, barista, etc.).
• A car can be moved from place to place.
• Minimum costs for organizing work (purchase or rental of all necessary professional equipment, payment for gasoline and technical inspection of vehicles).
• Quick payback, as we offer a product of high consumer demand.
• Availability for buyers. The car can be placed in any convenient place where there is a large flow of potential customers (be it a busy park or the entrance to a university).

Mobile coffee shop

Market and competitor analysis

All of these shortcomings can and should be overcome. Therefore, an entrepreneur must first analyze the market he is entering. Even before buying or renting a car, you should devote several days to studying competitors and the niche. As a result, the future businessman will receive answers to specific questions:

• where in the city or region are the most trafficked places;
• how many glasses of coffee are sold per hour/per day (you can observe the work of competitors);
• number of competing organizations;
• pricing policy and assortment;
• strengths;
• flaws.

Particular attention should be paid to the advantages and disadvantages of competitors. Perhaps an entrepreneur should enter a market with lower prices or a more diverse assortment. Another option is the decoration of the coffee shop, lighting, promotions, etc. The business needs to be revived and presented in such a way that the buyer wants to buy coffee from this particular machine.

Recruitment and training of personnel

To work, you will need 2 baristas, who will work in shifts - 10-12 hours a day in 2/2 mode. The search for employees is carried out on large portals, including Avito, Job.ru, HeadHunter and other sites. An entrepreneur publishes a vacancy, after which he collects resumes, analyzes them and invites employees for an interview. Several criteria are taken into account during selection:

• age: 20-35 years;
• 6-12 months barista experience;
• communication skills;
• positive attitude;
• driver's license category B;
• 6-12 months of driving experience;
• availability of a medical record or willingness to obtain one.

The training (paid internship) lasts 3-5 days, after which the entrepreneur enters into an individual contract with the employee.