Kaffeewagen Mira
“Pitch first, coffee second. I moved spots twice before it worked.”
MHMira Hoffmann · Kaffeewagen Mira · Since 2022
Numbers no longer verified
How to start a coffee cart business in the UK
0 of 13 doneStart with: Find where people queue
You must register as a food business with your council at least 28 days before you start trading. Selling on the street usually needs a street trading licence or consent from the council, and good pitches can have waiting lists.
Your pitch decides your sales. Sort this first.
Register early: the 28-day rule catches people out.
Fast service sells coffee. Buy for speed.
The same people every morning is the business.
Plan for the weather and the seasons.
Open for business13 steps to go
Stage 1Find your pitch
0/3- Count footfall at three possible pitches
- Note which already have coffee nearby
- Look at private land too: car parks, offices, garden centres
- Read your council’s street trading page
- Ask about waiting lists for good spots
- Get any private-land agreement in writing
- Run the odds calculator
- Work out how many cups a day you need to break even
Stage 2Food rules and paperwork
0/3- Register online with your council
- Do it at least 28 days before your first day
- Prepare for a hygiene inspection
- Take a Level 2 food hygiene course
- Write a simple food safety plan
- Keep fridge temperature records for milk
- Register for Self Assessment
- Get public and product liability cover
- Get a gas safety certificate if you use LPG
Stage 3Cart and kit
0/2- Decide on gas, battery or generator power
- Buy a two-group machine if you expect queues
- Fit a hand-wash sink: inspectors check for it
- Keep the menu to eight drinks or fewer
- Ask roasters for free barista training
- Add one snack with a good markup
Stage 4Price and sell
0/2- Cost one flat white, including the cup
- Add pitch fees per day
- Set prices that leave money over at your quietest hour
- Start a loyalty card on day one
- Learn your regulars’ names and orders
- Open at the same time every day
Stage 5Run and grow
0/3- Keep two months of costs aside by October
- Book Christmas markets early
- Offer private hire for offices and weddings
- Read owners’ warnings
- Review your pitch every three months
- Track sales by pitch and by day
- Hire and train one barista before adding a cart
No steps match.
Open for business, with numbers to prove it.
Owners who started one
Bean There Coffee Cart
“The pitch at the station is the business. The cart is just a cart.”
RARuth Adeyemi · Bean There Coffee Cart · Since 2021
12-mo revenue$108,310+4% vs last yearSumUp + Open Banking
Questions people ask
Do I need a licence to sell coffee from a cart in the UK?
You need to register as a food business with your council at least 28 days before trading. Selling on the street usually also needs a street trading licence or consent from the council.
Do I need a food hygiene certificate to run a coffee cart?
Anyone handling food must be trained in food hygiene. A Level 2 food hygiene course is the usual way to show it.
How much does it cost to start a coffee cart?
Most of the cost is the cart and machine. Add pitch fees, insurance and your first stock of beans, milk and cups.