Steps to Success

To all the potential clients and friends of Custom Coffee Vans,

In the Steps to Build Your Dream Mobile Coffee Van, you will read about the many van and fit-out options that Custom Coffee Vans provides.

Please understand that we can fit-out any vehicle on the market, so should your desired van not be listed, please contact us for a tailored quote. 

The Packages section on this site are simply the most popular vehicle/fit-out choices.

Additionally, many clients choose to supply the vehicle to us and we complete the installation. In this case, we deduct the cost of the vehicle from the quotation.

Please contact us, should you only require a vehicle fit-out.

Over the many years of running Custom Coffee Vans, our fit-out’s have improved enormously from the feedback that we have received from our terrific clients. 

The vans have evolved, based on ideas from existing operators to improve quality, speed and efficiency.

It is with great pride that we can help people all over Australia commence their dream business. This alone gives us at Custom Coffee Vans extreme satisfaction.

We look forward to hearing from you, and hope to help you build your dream Mobile Coffee Van.

Step 1 - Choose your area & contact your local council

After making the decision to pursue a career in the Mobile Coffee Van industry, you need to consider how you want to position your business in the marketplace.

What will differentiate your business from your competitors?

What type of areas do you seek to target?

Who and where is your target market?

The first step you need to take is to contact your local council and make initial enquiries into operating a coffee van in the area. Every council is different, meaning you need to understand if there are any restrictions, fees or anything else that may be required of you. It is for this reason that we build our vans to EXCEED all food and health regulations Australia wide.

It is always a good idea to call your local council and have a chat with the food and health officer. Request the forms and paperwork that they require to be submitted. You should use this opportunity to ask questions pertaining to where you can and cannot operate, and required distances to be kept from competing cafe’s, etc. Again,  all councils are different, so it is best to gather as much information as you can at this early stage.

The next process is to conduct market research on potential target areas to operate in. Some of these may include:

– Industrial Areas

– Building/Construction Sites

– Offices and business parks

– Sporting Events

– Local Events

– Fetes

– Housing Auctions and Inspections

– Music Festivals

– Day Care Centres

– Markets

Basically any targeted area needs to be somewhat remote and removed from main shopping districts. The most profitable locations tend to be places where there are plenty of people that need to walk a reasonable distance or even drive to get a coffee and something to eat.

Be creative and think outside the box. These places exist everywhere…

Step 2 - Choose Your Mobile Coffee Package

Below are the various mobile coffee packages that we offer. We also are equipped for more custom designs, so if you don’t see what you are after, please contact us and we can discuss your requirements further.

Step 3 - Choose your On Board Power Source

Custom Coffee Vans offer various power source options for our mobile coffee fit-outs. Please see below for a description of each power source.

Although the information below may seem confusing, we can walk you through the details of each set-up. The main factors that will determine what power source you utilise will be budget and how you plan on operating your vehicle. The team at Custom Coffee Vans will be able to assist you in great detail though this process.

• Generator Powered

The more traditional power sources that has been in the marketplace since inception. Custom Coffee Vans offer the choice of the Cummins Onan or Honda generators, depending on your proposed fit-out.

We plumb the generator into fuel tank of the vehicle giving contact power to your appliances.

On going costs of the generator include fuel and serving (Approx every 150 - 250hrs).

• Gas/Lithium Powered

The gas/lithium battery powered option has become popular in the last couple of years due to the silence of operation and low running costs.

The LPG installations in our coffee vans are in accordance with AS-5601 Gas installations and are fitted with a NSW compliance plate and certification. The system itself comprises of a single 4kg cylinder housed in a specifically designed gas compartment and connected to an Australian certified LPG coffee machine. The LPG is used to heat the boiler of the machine and has a fail-safe flame fitted meaning the gas bottle can be on whilst driving keeping constant power to the coffee machine.

All electrics in the van are powered through a lithium battery/inverter system.

Advantages of Lithium Batteries - They are smaller, lighter, more efficient and longer lasting than cheaper lead crystal/agm batteries. At around a third in size and weight of equivalent lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries make sense if you have limited space in your van, or are looking to shed a few kilos.

Lithium batteries offer quicker charging times (from 1 to 4 hours), and have a life span 5 times longer than an AGM battery – up to 3000 cycles (with lithium) compared to 500 cycles (AGM). They also deliver more than twice the power thanks to their ability to be discharged as low as 20 per cent of their amp-hour capacity; compared to around 70 per cent in a lead acid, gel or AGM battery.

We also install a DC to DC charger that recharges your batteries whilst the vehicles engine is on to give you a constant recharge for your day to day coffee run. 

Step 4 - Earlybird Coffee and Supplies

Early Bird Coffee is a branch of The Mobile Coffee Group that not only provides high quality coffee beans and supplies, but also offers technical support and event work to mobile coffee vans, coffee trailers, coffee carts and other mobile coffee facilities throughout Australia.

As a mobile coffee operator, the most crucial component of product delivery is the quality of your coffee. We have spent many years developing suitable blends for the mobile coffee industry based on extensive trial and experimentation. Our custom design blends are specifically tailored for mobile coffee usage, and your customers will love the final product.

In the mobile coffee van business, your requirements are different to that of a cafe owner. In a café with a fixed temperature, the barista’s operating parameters are controlled, and he/she can extract the perfect pour consistently. At the back of a coffee van you are faced with huge variations in daily temperate influenced by the natural elements, movement and heat emitted from your van. When consistent coffee is crucial, having a coffee blend that is tailored for this situation is paramount.

Early Bird Coffee understands these challenges better than any other brand, as we provide our coffee beans to mobile coffee operations right across Australia - from the warmer regions of Queensland and Western Australia to the cooler climates of Victoria and Tasmania.

Since its inception, Early Bird Coffee has developed three specialty blends for the mobile cafe industry. The Early Bird Coffee blends have been a resounding success with our clientele. We roast on demand each week, ensuring our coffee is fresh and consistent. Our beans are sourced from reputable suppliers and we only use AA Grade and Grade 1 beans, ensuring you have the best quality product in the marketplace.

Step 5 - Insurance, Finance and Signwriting

• Insurance

Running a Mobile Coffee Van, you are required to obtain certain amounts of insurance.

The Mobile Coffee Group offer Mobile Coffee Van Insurance Packages

That covers:

–   10 Million Dollar Public Liability

–   Van Insurance

–   Fit out Insurance up to $50 000

–   Loss of Income Protection

• Finance

Custom Coffee vans refer different finance providers depending on your package.

You have the option to finance the whole package or alternate the finance between the vehicle and fit-out.

Our finance partners are very knowledgable in our industry, and we can put you in direct contact with them to get a tailored quote.

• Signwriting

Due to Artwork being a variable cost, Custom Coffee Vans cannot include the pricing in our fit out quote. 

Your artwork is a very important part of your Mobile Coffee Business as it is your brand and your image. 

Custom Coffee Vans works with a few very select partners, and as a result, we can offer an in house installation where your artwork can be installed whilst your Mobile Coffee Fit-Out is being completed. This is a great benefit to our clients as the vehicle never leaves our production facility during the fit-out process.

For more information feel free to call us on 1300 74 60 20.

Step 6 - Register with our Online Events Board

We receive nation wide calls daily from customers looking for operators in their area. 

Early Bird Coffee Customers  will receive priority for event referrals and will also receive a profile on our Featured Vans section.

To become an Earlybird Coffee Customer contact us on 1300 74 60 20.

Step 7 - Handover With Operational and Barista Training

Once you have pick up or received your van we will give an in depth orientation of the workings of the van.

With all of that, plus a little common sense, you will be on your feet and completely independent in no time. If you require phone or email support, naturally this is offered to you at no extra cost.

Custom Coffee Vans understand that many people entering the Mobile Coffee Van market have little to no experience in making coffee.

That’s why in Custom Coffee Vans package we include free of charge barista training at our training centre.

We feel that this course will give our clients the kick-start to a successful Mobile Coffee Business.

Contact Us

For further information on our coffee van packages, coffee beans, activations, events or general information please leave your details in the contact submission form or contact us on the details below.

Office Address: 107/14 Loyalty Rd North Rocks, 2151 NSW

Factory Address 4/3 Richard Close, North Rocks, 2151 NSW

Phone: 1300 74 60 20

Email: info@themobilecoffeegroup.com.au