Coffee is a drink with a special atmosphere that can invigorate well in the morning on the way to work or cheer up, energizing during the day. However, all this concerns precisely correctly brewed coffee, and not the instant crap, which most of us drink for breakfast because we do not have a special machine at home to make a quality drink. There is not always time to run into the nearest coffee shop, and they usually open at ten in the morning, when the majority of the working days are in full swing.
All these nuances can be a trump advantage for enterprising businessmen who decide to meet the needs of the population in a good and "mobile" morning drink. Own mobile coffee shop is a great start to your business with limited capital and love of coffee.
If this is your first time hearing about such a service, read it carefully. Perhaps by the end of this article you will want to join the list of European businessmen who came up with and implemented such a useful and interesting idea. Next, we will try to highlight the points that will help draw up your personal business plan for a mobile coffee shop. Sit back and remember to brew yourself a cup of coffee to start with.
Key questions for opening and launching a mobile coffee shop
For Russia, such a business is new. And if mobile shops with ice cream, pancakes or donuts are more or less familiar and understandable, then mobile coffee for many will seem strange. This is not about the instant drink, which, along with tea from the bag served in addition to street fast food.
We offer you to prepare high-quality high-quality coffee brewed with the help of a good machine while observing all technologies. Businessmen and students will be happy to buy it, hurrying to work / study in the morning or deciding to breathe air during the lunch break and at the same time recharge their batteries.
The practice of organizing such a business in our country is not enough, so we will help you understand the main stages step by step. A business plan for a mobile coffee shop should include an analysis of the following points:
- the choice of vehicle, which will become a coffee house on wheels;
- purchase of necessary equipment;
- search and training of employees - barista coffee shops;
- assortment development, purchase of raw materials and utensils;
- site selection, organization of advertising campaigns;
- execution of a set of permits;
- calculation of the costs of opening a mobile coffee business.
What to make a coffee shop: choose a vehicle
In Europe, this business began with a bicycle - a three-wheeled "iron horse", which traveled through the streets of cities and offered passers-by to taste freshly brewed coffee. Other vehicles appeared later. More advanced businessmen sold coffee in a car, truck or scooter. This transport is much faster and more mobile, although not as romantic as a bicycle.
However, for Russia, with its not very favorable climate and long winter, a closed truck is best suited, in the back of which you can organize the coffee house itself and a full-fledged showcase. It will cost more, but will allow you to work not only in the summer, but also in the cold season.
On average, the cost of acquiring a vehicle will be from 20-50 to 500 thousand rubles (depending on which vehicle you choose).
Equipment for a mobile coffee shop and its cost
Immediately it’s worth mentioning an important point - don’t even think about preparing instant drinks, even if you offer not only coffee, but also some snacks - rolls, sandwiches, etc. Otherwise, you can never earn a reputation for a good coffee house, yes and in general you can’t earn. Your main consumer is a real connoisseur of coffee, and therefore you can’t offer him a miserable likeness of your favorite drink. And the price range in this case is completely different.
So, the coffee machine. It should be powerful enough to be able to serve a large flow of visitors throughout the day. How much is a coffee machine for this kind of business? The price of an automatic double-post machine will be about 100 thousand rubles. This amount includes its installation and commissioning.
When preparing a business plan for a coffee shop, do not forget to include electricity costs in monthly expenses, because it will be used in large enough quantities throughout the day.
If you plan to sell any accompanying snacks, you should take care of purchasing a refrigerator, microwave / grill (if necessary).
Looking for a barista: highlights of finding and hiring employees
An experienced barista is unlikely to work in a small mobile cafe, and if he does, his services will be expensive. At the same time, it is quite possible for a smart, but inexperienced young man to be taught the skill of making coffee. The ideal option is a student for the summer period and a novice specialist, only mastering the skills of the barista - in the autumn-winter.
However, some entrepreneurs with a limited budget start completely independent activities. They drive a truck or a motor scooter themselves, make coffee themselves and count buyers. If your business is just starting to grow, then you can have time to deal with all one person, and as the network grows and the flow of visitors who have tasted your coffee grows, you can hire one to two or three people to help you.
It is important that the future employee has a sincere desire to learn how to make a quality drink, like to communicate with people, be polite and active. For training, you can attract a specialist for several days - this time is enough to understand the technology and master the cooking skill.
Further, it all depends on practice and diligence. Some businessmen pre-attend barista courses and can train their future employees on their own.
With regard to remuneration, it is an average of 5% of daily revenue. Dependence on the sales volume will stimulate the employee to work actively, efficiently and be kind to customers.
Assortment of mobile coffee houses, raw materials, additional accessories
To call yourself a real coffee house, you need to offer your visitors a complete assortment. The best coffee houses in the world have dozens of varieties of coffee in their menu, which are of high quality and are able to satisfy the tastes of even the most discriminating guest. You should strive to meet such a high level. If your advantage is not only in mobility, early opening, but, most importantly, in the quality and wide selection of drinks, then you can compete even with popular stationary cafes, where people rush to take coffee with them.
At a minimum, the menu should have 7-10 positions: espresso, americano, including milk and cream, cappuccino and latte, mocha, Vienna, glace, raff, etc. In addition, you can offer any of these drinks with a variety of syrups, spices, whipped cream and other additives. A wide assortment will not leave indifferent any visitor, even if he prefers classic black coffee.
Raw materials for the preparation and sale of coffee
Thus, during the first purchase, you will need to purchase coffee beans, milk, cream, syrups, sugar and other necessary products.Next, you just need to buy the components that will end. It is also important to use good drinking water, it is the key to a tasty drink.
In addition to food raw materials, you will also need such things as disposable tableware: cups (preferably of different sizes), lids, tubes, spoons, napkins, etc. If you buy ready-made options, it will be cheaper than ordering dishes with your own logo (although in this case get additional advertising).
Search for a coffee shop work place and its advertising
What do you need to open a coffee point, in addition to transport and equipment? Of course, a place. It’s easy to determine which area to stop and offer coffee. It is best if it is a business center of the city with many business and educational institutions.
It’s good to trade near busy transport hubs - stops, metro stations, where there are always crowds of people, many of whom will not refuse to warm themselves with high-quality hot coffee. The option with a large central park is also successful - passers-by during a pleasant walk will be happy to take a glass of delicious warming drink.
As for advertising, it can be both a page on the social network, as well as a mention on the city poster site, and television and radio advertising. You can try to do without it at all. You just need to choose a good place and make a positive, eye-catching design for your mobile coffee shop. Perhaps soon the good old word of mouth will work.
Documentation of a mobile cafe
In our legislation, this type of business is practically undefined, and therefore often difficulties arise with its legal organization. The necessary documents include:
- equipment license;
- certificates for coffee and other products used;
- permission for retail trade and parking in the chosen place (the question of their need remains open);
- documents on registration of IP or LLC.
Due to the unregulated nature of the law, entrepreneurs often have problems, including with sanitary and other services, which leads to the need to pay fines. Therefore, it is advisable to collect the most complete package of documents confirming the legality and safety of your business.
Is it profitable? We consider the costs
When developing a business plan for a mobile coffee shop, it is important not to miss the most important point - the costs and expected revenues of the future cafe. Let's start with the first one. Initial investments in this business may amount to 400 thousand - 1 million rubles, which include:
- the cost of acquiring a vehicle - from 100 to 500 thousand rubles;
- purchase of equipment - 100-200 thousand rubles;
- primary purchase of raw materials - 15-25 thousand rubles.
In addition, when hiring employees in a coffee shop, you need to include the planned salary costs here. Monthly expenses include the purchase of raw materials, labor, taxes and electricity, and a parking space. On average, they will be about 70 thousand per month.
As for profit, it all depends on demand (sales volume) and prices established for products. With a favorable business development, according to the experience of practicing entrepreneurs, a mobile coffee shop will pay off after 10-15 months of operation.
Conclusion
The business associated with the preparation and sale of coffee in a mobile cafe is quite interesting and new for our country. There is practically no competition today. However, there are nuances, including legislative ones, that can create difficulties on the path of a novice entrepreneur.
If you are not afraid of problems, then you should try your hand. Perhaps it is you who instill the habit of drinking high-quality coffee on the go, without looking at ordinary non-mobile cafes for residents of your city. The moments covered in this article will help you draw up a business plan for a mobile coffee shop and begin its independent implementation.
